Go Big Time
Shop the bulk aisles for organic beans and grains to save some cash. You can also buddy up with a group of friends or office mates to join a CSA—a Community Supported Agriculture program. When you join you’ll receive a box of produce from a farmer’s harvest every 1-2 weeks during the season. Find your nearest CSA at Local Harvest. This way you could get a bigger bang for your buck, and you’ll probably get to try some veggies you wouldn’t normally choose when browsing the store aisles.
Put it on Ice
You can use coupons to snag more deals in your grocery store’s frozen section. Plus, frozen fruits and veggies are usually frozen at the peak of freshness, so they retain their health benefits. Bonus: you might also be able to get organic fruits and berries (think delicious smoothies) that are out of season at a steal.
Learn the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15
The Environmental Working Group puts out a list of the Dirty Dozen—the fruits and veggies with the most pesticides, and the Clean 15—the ones that have the least pesticides. If you can’t afford to buy everything organic, start with the Dirty Dozen and don’t sweat the Clean 15.
Go Meatless on Mondays
By cutting back on meat and amping up your veggie intake, you can do wonders for your health. Plus, you could save on your weekly grocery bill. And when you do buy meat, look for grass-fed, hormone-free options when possible.
Grow Your Own
It may seem crazy, but even if you live in a tiny apartment, you can still grow something small, like herbs, in a windowsill. In fact, any small plot of earth that gets moderate sunshine could be used to grow some veggies—tomatoes, carrots and lettuce are among the easiest for beginners.
