So I go back and forth between organic. On one hand I want the best for my kids don't I?
I didn't eat a lot of store bought stuff when I was growing up. We had a garden where my mom canned everything and we ate that over the winter. We grew everything from potatoes, carrots, lettuce, green peppers, corn, popcorn (I remember blisters from getting the corn off the cobb that summer!), onions, tomatoes, green beans, peas, you name it. My mom made pickles, spaghetti sauce, canned the beans, etc.
Everyone gardened when I was little, or it seemed that way anyway. And since my dad didn't use sprays, it was organic, before things organic ws hip.
And my parents would buy a half of a grain fed steer that he hand picked every year. My dad would pick out the one he wanted and when it got to a certain weight, it would be divided into steaks, ground chuck, roasts, etc.
We didn't eat out alot, only on vacation really. Plus my mom cooked from scratch as much as possible. Back then, she did it to save money, as a family of six, it was expensive to eat out. So we ate homemade pizzas and pretzels.
I too love to cook and bake from scratch, more so than the average person I would guess. I try not to use or buy too many processed convenience foods.
Before I got pregnant with our 4th, I was convinced organic was the way to go. But we went through atleast a half gallon of milk at a meal and that only counted two kids as the third drinks soy milk. so it was getting to be that I was spending atleast 40 dollars a week just on milk.
I tried to buy as much organic as possible. But have you priced organic roasts at the grocery store? Wow.
So I have simply tried to feed my family as much home cooked meals as possible, with wholesome ingredients. And I will buy organic when it is on sale and the price is close to non organic.
But I think it is crazy to pay for organic convenience food. When you can make your own from your organic wheat flower and organic sucanat for so much cheaper. And really, how healthy is a chocolate chip cookie? Over a made at home cookie from scratch?
So my question is this, do you buy organic or not organic?
This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.
Mainly organic, Toby hunts so we always have a deer or two in the freezer which I use instead of beef in chills etc... I buy Organic veggies and fruits and sometimes regular Bananas because the skin is so think on them it doesn't matter too much. A lot of what I buy like pastas etc are organic as well as gluten-free. I can not make GF bread worth a penny so we buy it from a shop in Miamisburg, Sinfully Gluten-Free. The best GF bread and Pizza crusts.
ReplyDeleteI know our shopping bill is much higher than if I bought regular stuff but the way I see it it is an investment in the future.
Well, I do some of both. We try to grow what we can, buy grass fed meat in bulk and cook from scratch. If I can afford organic, I get it. Carrots it is almost the same so I always get organic carrots. Other food items, I try to stock up on when it is on sale, just like non-organic. I feel strongly that we should be moving to an all organic diet, but can't afford it so I just do what we can. I would say that we only eat maybe 20% organic. It is just so expensive.
ReplyDeleteAs for milk - I have heard that the organic is not even that great for you, because it has been ultra high pasturized or something like that. Which kills more of the good stuff..
Po, that is great, but unfortanately, feeing 6 people it just isn't in our budget. I am glad you have found a way to not only eat organic but provide gluten free products for Toby. That is awesome.
ReplyDeleteJennifer--I basically do the same thing, if the organic prices is similar, then I will buy it. And I have never heard of that before about organic. I will have to do some research!
Kroger's' PS organic milk in the gallon jug is Pasteurized not ultra-pasteurized, that's the one I get. I get my eggs from Schaeffer's which also sells organic beef, pork, lamb and they also process all Toby's deer. In the summer I get a lot of my produce from home grown farms like West Chester Farmer's market or Barn n Bunk. I haven't tried the plantation down the road yet but will see what they have to offer this year. Do you do the farmer's markets? There is a cattle farm that does organic meats near you I think.
ReplyDeleteSuch a debate! I only buy organic if I go to the market 45 minutes away,so I don't always buy organic. I agree that you should focus on eating healthy and buy organic only if budget allows. My girls do not eat as healthy as I, but I do try to bake for them often instead of buying prepackaged stuff (I do buy Cheerios and Goldfish).
ReplyDeleteYou asked about the Wheatgrass. It can only be juiced with a special juicer. It has many health benefits (just google it). I have been juicing it for a year and love it. It just makes me feel good!