Convince me organic food is the way to go.....

[CortLong]

I prefer to purchase organic foods, but I'm too lazy most of the time.

The closest stores to me don't carry much and I have to drive across town to whole foods if I want to buy some. It's also obviously more expensive.

Show me studies, give me facts, etc to help persuade me to buy organic and make the *slightly* longer trip and pay more. I think I just need some motivation.

[GoodWillHunter]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ Check this site out. It will tell you all you need to know. Good luck.

[Benandjacksma]

I'm working on a book called The Food Revolution by John Robbins. It's a good place to start.

I have trouble buying all organic because of $$, but I do as much as I can, and if we buy dairy, it is organic. We are a family of new vegetarians because of Robbin's books, and I'm working on organic eating and more vegan type meals. Read everything you can.

[melissa17s]

Request organic foods at the stores you usually shop at. This may help save money and driving time. I have done that often at one of the chain store we sometimes go to, and as long as they have a supplier that cna get it, they stock it... Ask for the produce manager or the store manager, but not just any clerk. The more people ask for and demand it, the more mainstream organic will become, and that will also help make it more affordable.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

You might also try to support local farmers, which could may be and even better choice than imported organics ~ depending on your motivation. OR (even better)...grow your own!

[Viola]

Well, here is an article I read last year that I liked. It might be considered inflammatory by some, but it reinforced in my mind the importance of choosing non-gmo organic foods or locally grown foods as much as possible.

Marcia and Rankin insist I read a book called Fateful Harvest by a Seattle Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Duff Wilson. He writes about the then-mayor of Quincy, Wash., Patty Martin, and her quest to uncover a surprising and nauseating secret: Waste from chemical plants, foundries, steel mills, and even radioactive cleanup sites containing everything from cadmium to arsenic to lead was being spread and sprayed upon farms across America. A successful trade industry was developed between the companies that produce hazardous wastes, the fertilizer companies and the farmers.

http://www.newsreview.com/issues/ren...5-29/cover.asp

[Marni]

I ONLY eat non-organic if I am at a restaurant, or on vacation where a healthfood store is not within an hour's drive.

I spend 2 to 3x the amount of other families I know (who shop on-orgaic) on grocercies. However, I justify the cost by telling myself (and others) that it is my one "splurge item" in life. DH and I live frugally in every other aspect -- we don't go to bars, we don't eat out a lot, we don't buy designer labels, etc. So, I am HAPPY to fill my shopping cart with pricey organic veggies and hormone-free meat because it is money well-spent to assure that I keeping my family as non-toxic as possible.

[Yin Yang]

see this videoclip: www.themeatrix.com
I hope that's good enough reason

[4cornersmamma]

When you feed your family something that is organic (especially local sustainable items) you know that you are not only using your family dollar to make a statement to the big chains, but you are supporting your local ecconomy and the RIGHT way to grow produce.
Not only that but non-organic foods are produced on land that has been stripped of its rich mineral deposits from overuse. It has been treated with several chemicals not only to grow in depleted soil, but to grow abnormally large.
To add insult to injury, quite a bit of the produce is also genetically alltered to be larger, or bigger or to grow without seeds. This often makes it less tasty and enables this poor thing to last on a grocery produce stand a lot longer. Genetically altering fruits and vegitables often makes them a lot more susceptable to disease and insects which in turn the non-organic farmer has to spray them with yet more chemicals in order to maintain his crop. I notice that you are pregnant, please, please take the extra drive, spend the extra money. Dont' put that horrible stuff into your children or yourself.

Money saving tips:
*I found that when I make things from scratch and buy organic, it equals out to my old grocery bill of non-organic food.
*Check out the price of organic cream and butter. If cream is cheaper- put it in your mixer until it turns to butter and butter milk.
*Instead of buying expensive bread, buy the flour you like and make bread yourself. I make 6 loaves about every month and freeze the other loaves until I need them.
*shop the farmers market or do your own garden! Freeze or lacto-ferment extra veggies and fruit for those times in the winter when you need them.

[pinky]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the nutrient content of organic produce is higher, because the soil is more enriched.

[beanma]

http://www.foodnews.org/reportcard.php

[CortLong]

Thanks mamas!!!!! We're now about 90% organic.

[daisymommy]

OH MY GOSH!!! I just read the article about the toxic waste, radioactive waste, mining metals, etc. being "recycled" as fertilizer. I am dumb founded! I honestly didn't think pesticides were that bad. You made a believer out of me! I'm buying orgain next time I shop!

[NatureMama3]

Originally Posted by pinky

Another thing to keep in mind is that the nutrient content of organic produce is higher, because the soil is more enriched.

That and also because the foods are picked at ripeness, not weeks to months prior to ripeness to allow for shipping time.

Try this: get some "standard" broccoli and some organic broccoli. Get some "standard" carrots and some organic carrots. Eat them side by side.

You'll be converted.

Definitely agree with the tips on cooking from scratch and baking from scratch. We've cut our food bill WHILE going organic/vegan (just need to hop back on that last wagon :LOL).

I honestly didn't think pesticides were that bad.

They really are. They disrupt endocrine processes and can trigger cancer.

[Yin Yang]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mamato...&.dnm=1b95.jpg

[beanma]

pavlina -- how depressing. i think i know where that photo was taken. ugh!

[4cornersmamma]

Pavlina, thanks for the link!

[carlasher]

I have PCOS and Endometriosis and eating organic meat, milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, sour cream, eggs, etc has helped a lot. Part of the reason my hormones were so screwed up was partly because of all of the hormones in our foods.

I am just talking about hormones in non-organic food alone without even going into pesticides, preservatives, and everything else that made my "illnesses" worse.

To me organic is a way of life I dont have much of a choice but to do.

[3girlsmommy]

We are at about 90% organic and are spending about the same or a little bit less. We found a vegetable co-op that we pay a set amount at the beginning of the season and then the produce is doled out as it ripens. Not only are we eating fresher veggies we are eating a bigger variety because it's in our basket. My dh actually tried kale a couple of weeks ago. We also eat organic free range meats as well. I found a lady at the farmers market that sells all this fantastic free range meat for a very good price. I feel good that my girls getting none hormone laced meats and pesticide produce and I'm supporting local farmers. Now if I could just find a local organic dairy I'd be happy. Thankfully my kids don't drink a lot of milk so $6.00 a gallon isn't too bad.

Oh and thanks for the butter tip. I'll have to look into that. Butter is one thing we haven't switched yet because it's $6.00 for 4 sticks of butter and my dh had a FIT!