Buying Organic is Not a Luxury

There is a common misconception out there that buying organic products is only for the wealthy or for hippies. I'm out of work, certainly not wealthy and not a hippie (although some like to joke that I am).

The thing is, organic food is REAL food. I agree that it costs more than conventional food but the money missing from the price equals the nutrients missing from the food. Conventional food is produced with numerous pesticides and chemicals used to push crops to grow faster and bigger than the next. Our meat and dairy is loaded with hormones to increase production. Those presticides, chemicals and hormones are like poison to humans. They lower our immune system, increase allergies and mess with our own hormone production and digestive system.

We are very spoiled by sales, cheap produce and manufacturers coupons. The sales and coupons are almost never for organic food. If we could learn to buy local, organic products and try our best to buy seasonal produce, it wouldn't hurt our wallets. Don't expect to buy cheap organic tomatoes in the middle of the winter when they are a summer crop. There are books and websites to help guide us like seasonalchef.com, The Food Network, Simply in Season and The Local Food Pocket Cookbook.

Another important point I'd like to make is that we are a nation of overconsumption. We eat too much, buy too much stuff and live in houses that are way too large for our needs. Maybe the reason we think organic food is too expensive is because we want to buy too much of it? Buy just what we need and it doesn't cost so much afterall.

If we stop thinking of organic food as a luxury and start seeing it as real food we might have a new perspective and realize the cost is worth the benefits.