Buying Organic Produce: 6 Tips on How to Shop Wisely and Save Money

Some say they don't or can't buy organic foods due to higher cost and less availability. Here are a few ways to make organics more affordable and easier to purchase for your family.

1. Do not always assume organic is more expensive. Look at the prices of conventional and organic products and compare. You may be surprised that on some items, there is little or no difference in price, depending on where and when you buy.

2. Buy in season. These items will be the lowest priced, whether you're shopping at a specialty market or local farmer's market.

3. Grow your own. Even a small window box can yield some organic herbs or tomatoes. Larger areas can accommodate lettuce, strawberries, broccoli, carrots and more. A garden is also a great classroom and hobby for children and adults alike.

4. Shop at one of the more than 2,500 farmers' markets in the United States. The produce here is as fresh as possible, because the food is usually picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This is a great place to check prices with little effort. Becoming a regular shopper and getting to know growers personally, is a good way to get the best selection and price.

5. Join a food cooperative. A food co-op is kind of a buyers club for affordable, fresh, local organic and natural products. It is an actual store where members buy "shares" of the business to provide the capital necessary to run the store efficiently. You as a member directly influence the kind and variety of products and foods available, and also receive a discount in the store. Many co-ops allow you to "buy" shares by volunteering several hours per week or month.

6. Visit a farm and pick your own produce. Children love to experience something new, especially when it involves dirt and food. According to the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) "Parents had reported that their children started to eat more vegetables after visiting a farm on a school field trip, having experienced for the first time the process of gardening."

Lisa Barnes is the owner of Petit Appetit, an educational service promoting healthy eating habits and good nutrition for infants and toddlers. She is also the author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook (Penguin March 2005). For information and to sign up for a free newsletter visit http://www.petitappetit.com

In The News:

A storehouse of ancient treasures, including precious jewels and gold beads, has been uncovered by archaeologists on an island near Crete devoted to making a precious purple dye from sea snails thousands of years ago.

A family with ties to the Chicago area has been confirmed to be among the victims of Monday’s devastating volcanic eruption in New Zealand, according to reports.

The full moon of December -- which is the final one of this decade -- arrives tonight just after midnight.

A cave painting in Indonesia depicting wild animals and otherworldly hunters is the oldest known piece of storytelling art, researchers say.

A photographer in England has captured the remarkable moment when a horse looks like it is laughing hysterically, news agency SWNS reports.

The bones of about 20 people discovered in an ancient Mexican well in 2013 are revealing their gruesome secrets.

Paleontologists have discovered that feathered dinosaurs were eaten alive by lice, according to a new study.

A century-long cover up of the "depraved" sex acts of penguins has been uncovered in a new book.

Scientists have discovered thousands of mysterious holes in the seabed off Big Sur, Calif.

Researchers have discovered nine stone-carved objects off the coast of Scotland that are believed to be around 4,000-years-old. Some of them "look remarkably like stylized representations of the human form," puzzling the experts.

Buying Organic Produce: 6 Tips on How to Shop Wisely and Save Money

Nutrition Nutrition