Yes.
Organic food costs more than non-organic.
Absolutely. Unequivocally. Guaranteed.
But consumers happily pay more.
Why?
Health. Pesticides and herbicides can lead to all sorts of health problems, including:
- Respiratory issues
- Allergic reactions
- Several kinds of cancer
- Parkinson’s
- Asthma
- ADHD
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Leukemia
…And much more. Overwhelmingly, consumers primarily choose organic because it doesn’t lead to these issues.
The second leading reason, according to this survey, is that organic farming is much kinder to the environment.
And the third is that organic foods simply “taste better.”
The Number One Reason Consumers Don’t Go Organic
Cost. Cost. Cost.
Organic simply costs more than non-organic foods.
It takes more time to produce organic food. And the farms are smaller. Larger farms can trim their production costs because they operate at a greater scale. Also, they’ve been operating their way for decades and have their processes optimized for max production.
For now, organic foods do cost more than non-organic. And that’ll remain the same for the foreseeing future.
How Can I Reduce the Costs of Organic Food?
Fortunately, you don’t have to look at the costs of eating organic, throw your arms up in the air in frustration, and say,”Forget it. I can’t afford it.”
There’s a number of strategies you can use to reduce the costs so they’re manageable – regardless of your food budget:
- Start by transitioning your meat and dairy (only perhaps only these two) to organic foods. That controls your costs. And these products typically carry the most pesticides and potentially cancer-causing hormones.
- Reduce your eating out. Eating organic definitely costs less than going out to eat. Don’t torture yourself and cease eating out entirely. But, reduce the times per month you choose to do so.
- Buy on sale or in bulk and freeze. Make your freezer your best friend. Buy large amounts and save them.
- Sign up for multiple organic food email lists. If you buy organic food online, sign up for their email newsletters. Sign up for a lot of them. Watch the specials. And when you find one you like, take advantage of it.
- Only buy in-season foods. When foods are in-season, they cost less.
- Sign up for credit cards which give you 1-2% cash back on all your purchases to at least get a little back every time you buy.
Can you afford to go 100% organic? Maybe not.
But, you can absolutely find ways to add organic foods to your life and avoid many of the serious health risks (including cancer) which non-organic foods can cause.