I had to type this up for another board but I figured it could be used here as well.
Get a big Freezer - this will save you more money in the long run then anything
Order a 1/2 a pig and 1/4 beef from a local organic or free range producer. When you order a 1/4 or 1/2 an animal then you get a selection of cuts - from your Prime Bib roasts down to your ribs and stew meats you always have variety - and ANY cut can be made tast fantastic
Buy fruits and Vegies in Season and put in the freezer, pulling them out when you need them. Fresh frozen foods are just as healthy as fresh, and better then canned, without the extra effort
You could easily spend the cost of a big freezer in canning supplies and still have to do a pile of work.
Buy in bulk, for grains buy right from an organic mill - they are way cheaper because they haven't been shipped to you high end stores and had a fancy sticker stuck on them. Alot of the mills also carry beans and lentals and such.
Also the large quantities you get the better the price. So get the 25lb bag of flour and the 20lb bag of oatmeal, Grains and Flours are best kept in the freezer as well, it keeps them fresh and keeps bugs out.
Avoid expensive organic knock offs, you can make a great granola cereal at home with very little effort. Cake mixes can be made in lage batches at home - just put all the dry stuff together and when you need to make a cake then just scoop out the amount needed and add the eggs and liquid.
Focus your organic buying on foods that are highest in contaminants that you dont want, ie
vegtables that you arn't going to peel - lettuce, tomatos, celerys, peaches , grapes, potatos -you get the picture
grains and flours - organic grains are often FAR less prosseds then conventional grains. They also tend to taste better.
Meats and Dairy - you definatly want to try and get organic here or at very least antibiotic free.
Get a big Freezer - this will save you more money in the long run then anything
Order a 1/2 a pig and 1/4 beef from a local organic or free range producer. When you order a 1/4 or 1/2 an animal then you get a selection of cuts - from your Prime Bib roasts down to your ribs and stew meats you always have variety - and ANY cut can be made tast fantastic
Buy fruits and Vegies in Season and put in the freezer, pulling them out when you need them. Fresh frozen foods are just as healthy as fresh, and better then canned, without the extra effort
You could easily spend the cost of a big freezer in canning supplies and still have to do a pile of work.
Buy in bulk, for grains buy right from an organic mill - they are way cheaper because they haven't been shipped to you high end stores and had a fancy sticker stuck on them. Alot of the mills also carry beans and lentals and such.
Also the large quantities you get the better the price. So get the 25lb bag of flour and the 20lb bag of oatmeal, Grains and Flours are best kept in the freezer as well, it keeps them fresh and keeps bugs out.
Avoid expensive organic knock offs, you can make a great granola cereal at home with very little effort. Cake mixes can be made in lage batches at home - just put all the dry stuff together and when you need to make a cake then just scoop out the amount needed and add the eggs and liquid.
Focus your organic buying on foods that are highest in contaminants that you dont want, ie
vegtables that you arn't going to peel - lettuce, tomatos, celerys, peaches , grapes, potatos -you get the picture
grains and flours - organic grains are often FAR less prosseds then conventional grains. They also tend to taste better.
Meats and Dairy - you definatly want to try and get organic here or at very least antibiotic free.
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