Organic food buying tips

Buy in season – Fruits and vegetables are cheapest and freshest when they are in season. Find out when produce is delivered to your market so you’re buying the freshest food possible.

Shop around – Compare the price of organic items at the grocery store, the farmers’ market, online, and in other venues (even the freezer aisle).

Remember that organic doesn’t always equal healthy –Making junk food sound healthy is a common marketing ploy in the food industry but organic baked goods, desserts, and snacks are usually still very high in sugar, salt, fat, or calories. It pays to read food labels carefully.

Why is organic food often more expensive?

Organic food is more labor-intensive since the farmers do not use pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or drugs. Organic certification is expensive and organic feed for animals can cost twice as much. Organic farms tend to be smaller than conventional farms, which means fixed costs and overhead must be distributed across smaller produce volumes without government subsidies.

Where to shop for organic food

To find farmers’ markets, organic farms, and grocery co-ops in your area, visit:

·In the U.S.: Eat Well Guide or Local Harvest

·In the UK: FARMA

·In Australia: Australian Farmers’ Markets Directory

·In Canada: Farmers’ Markets in Canada

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Authors: Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Robert Segal, M.A. Last updated: April 2020.