5 Tips On Switching to Organic Living
Everywhere we turn these days new products are being made using organic ingredients. Some may say it's expensive to go organic and instead of rely on inexpensive convenient food and products which hardly seems to be convenient for our health when we get sick. If you want to go organic ask yourself what your reasons for going organic are. Is it because you want to be healthier and hopefully avoid future potential health issues from food consumption? If so, it may be worth the extra money for you to spend now. We do know that consuming vegetables made with pesticides and putting chemicals on our selves is unnatural and foreign to our bodies. The side effects from conventional food over time can wreak havoc on your body and health. The enlightening news is that the more consumers convert to purchasing organic it helps drive the prices down, I have witnessed this over the years.
For me I made the conscious decision to completely discontinue purchasing conventionally grown food, toxic cleaners and personal necessity products to swap it for naturally made (from nature) and grown without pesticides. My reasons for switching were mainly to become more healthy however, as I started buying everything organic I noticed the food tasted more nutrient and flavorful and I felt more alive using shampoos made from plants and essential oils from nature versus made in a lab using chemicals and fillers.
Let's face the truth it's not easy to plan organically when you are outside your house which is exactly why a good starting point is in your home. Begin by taking control of what is within your ability. Since adopting this method in my family we actually eat out less for dinner because the options for our eating habits are not as readily available which saves us money from spending on dining out and in turn it's worth the higher quality groceries. I have put together some tips that worked for me as I began my conversion to living organically.
1) Start with one item at a time. Pick one or two items to start with. For me I started with the items we used the most. If you are going through a lot of a particular food item hopefully it is organic. For me it was a gradual movement and at the time I started with milk and eggs because that was the biggest difference in price to begin to build in my budget. If you can find someone locally that raises their own chickens that would be wonderful for you. As I was near running out of a staple item or a soap product I would buy the alterative healthier for you product without additives or fillers. Taking the extra 2 minutes researching online what the options were I was able to make the best decision. This same thought process was used when it came to things like cleaning supplies, make up and cotton products. By slowly converting it's not as much of a strain on your budget all at once.
2) Plan a head. For me my grocery bill became more predictable and I spend a lot less money when I make a list before going to the store. Start by planning out 3 organic meals or snacks for the week and purchase the ingredients for those meals then build your way up to more meals. What can have on hand for those times when you want to eat something healthy? Organic carrots in the 3lb and 5lb bags are fairly inexpensive. You can clean and chop them in snack size form along with some homemade hummus for a relatively inexpensive organic snack that will last up to a week. Use the same hummus for a wrap or a dip with your favorite vegetable chips or crackers instead of sour cream. Stick to your list and hold yourself accountable to not stray from your list, this helps make up for the difference in organic vs non-organic.
3) Buy produce that is in season. Summer is the best time for organic vegetables because we are lucky to have many people tending tp gardens and selling their vegetables locally. Farmers markets are my favorite place to buy produce in the summer time. You could also join a CSA for weekly delivery of organic vegetables. Most grocery stores that sell organic produce will also run sales on fruit and vegetables when they are in season. If you want organic fruit for smoothies I have found it is less expensive to buy it frozen so if you see it on sale stock up! Is your fruit sitting on your counter about take a turn for the worse? Cut it up and throw it in a zip lock freezer bag and freeze it for smoothies. You can do this with vegetables too. Many local farmers do not use pesticides but may not be able to afford the certified USDA label but will tell you they do not use pesticides so make sure you ask.
4) Consider buying in bulk. The items that I go through the most I buy in bulk such as nuts, seeds and grains (rice, quinoa, millet, pasta). For instance organic rice is sold in bulk and it's convenient to keep on hand for a go-to meal. Pair some organic rice with the organic vegetable in season and 1/4c. of nuts per serving you just purchased in bulk and you have a easy affordable organic meal. If you belong to a co-op they will run owner's specials which gives more of a discount on certain items when on sale. Life hack: organic bulk spices price less than ones that come in packaged containers. Save your empty glass jars and re-fill them with organic spices for less then re-buying the bottle all over again.
5) Incorporate meatless meals "Meatless Mondays" are all the rage these days. It's less money to make an organic spaghetti dinner with organic noodles then adding meat so why not sacrifice animal protein one night and do a meatless pasta dinner. Life hack: Add a little garlic, olive oil and whatever vegetables and seasonings you have on hand you won't miss the meat you will be enjoying the flavor so much. Look for recipes to come on ideas for meatless meals.
Prior to purchasing everything organic in my house I wasn't as mindfull about grocery shopping. I can recall loading my grocery cart with whatever was on sale on the end caps or better yet on clearance. Just throw it in the cart it's on sale! Since becoming more mindful about everything I purchase I avoid over buying like I did in the past which has cut the amount of food we consume and the overall portion sizes down for everyone. Instead of 3 trips back to the stove for more food at dinner, there is enough for 1 serving for each plus a little extra. I am sure you will agree with me in that you will survive even if you don't stuff yourself full after every meal. This was a positive outcome in my family and changed the way we view and eat our food. It feels good to take responsibility and control over what we eat and contributes to overall better health and wellness.
Love and Peace.
Amber
