Buying organic is better for the health of us, our wildlife, and our environment. But choosing organic foods over non-organic can often add a lot more to our weekly food bills. These 5 handy tips will help you to eat organic without breaking the bank!

Grow your own food

This is not as difficult as you might think! You don’t need very green fingers or even a garden to grow your own food. All you need is a sunny window, some seed trays, and a little patience. Cress and mustard seed are a good place to start. If you’re feeling more confident, tomato and pepper seeds are easy to grow at home. Grow bags are brilliant for root vegetables and won't need too much space. You can even grow your very own organic herb garden!

Get seasonal

Buying organic produce that’s in season will cut the cost of your weekly shop. A quick search on the internet will bring up a whole bunch of helpful sites that not only tell you what is in season but also suggest some simple recipes for you to try. Don’t be put off by foods that you wouldn’t normally buy. Seasonal shopping can open up a whole world of new possibilities that you might never have known about! 

Visit your local food market

Find out where and when your local farmers market is held. A cheeky little tip here is to go towards the end of the day when produce is going a little cheaper! 

Buy in bulk

Obviously this won’t work for everything, but you can save money on organic items like rice, sugar, pasta, coffee and (ahem!) toothpaste by buying in bulk. Minty bundle anyone?

Know your ‘Clean 15’ and your ‘Dirty Dozen'

It could be difficult to make the switch to an organic lifestyle overnight, so it's a good idea to start small. We love this handy list which lists the top products grown with the least amount of pesticides and (the clean 15) and those that are known to use more (the dirty dozen). The list is updated yearly and is a handy way for you to make the switch on at least some of your weekly shopping. Here's the 2021 list:

Dirty Dozen in order from most polluted to least:

• Strawberries
• Spinach
• Kale, collard, and mustard greens
• Nectarines
• Apples
• Grapes
• Cherries
• Peaches
• Pears
• Bell and hot peppers
• Celery
• Tomatoes.

The Clean 15 in order from the least polluted

• Avocados
• Sweet corn
• Pineapple
• Onions
• Papaya
• Frozen Peas
• Eggplant (aubergine)
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Kiwi
• Cauliflower
• Mushrooms
• Honeydew Melon
• Canteloupe Melon

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