Is it just me, or does the food bill seem to grow in the summer? All of that fresh air seems to be making us all hungry. Summer favorites such as fresh produce, popsicles, even burgers, seem to be going up in price. Add in a bit extra when you are trying to avoid the artificial stuff and buy organic, and the prices go up even more.
You don’t want to have to choose between serving healthy food to your family and going into debt. My advice is to use all of the strategies you can to get the best of both worlds: good quality food and an affordable summer food budget.
Shop Almost Organic
Many local farmers and farm markets will offer produce that is grown with organic practices, although they may not be labeled organic. This is because getting the certification is an expense that many small farmers don’t want to occur. Just because it isn’t labeled certified organic doesn’t mean that it isn’t pesticide free. Ask the grower. If they are reputable, you may get a great deal on great produce, such as berries, watermelon and more.
Make Your Own
If you want popsicles and frozen treats that don’t contain artificial ingredients, such as food coloring, artificial flavors and preservatives, and not pay a fortune, you will have to make them yourself. Fortunately, homemade treats are not as hard as you might think. You can create juice pops just by pouring juice into molds and freezing, or create gourmet pops using cocoa or yogurt and fruit.
Dirty Dozen Don’t
Instead of worrying about getting everything organic, concentrate on avoiding the dirty dozen for fruits and vegetables. For example, spend the money on organic strawberries and grapes, but buy conventional cherries.
Look into frozen organic fruit. Sometimes it can be less expensive than the fresh versions.
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