Shopping in health food stores, like Whole Foods market or Wild Oats, is becoming more and more popular as people discover the benefits of natural and organic foods versus conventional foods. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers purchased organic foods and beverages in 2005, up from about half in 2004, according to Consumer Reports. During the past decade, sales of organic foods have grown 20 percent or more annually.
No longer do you have to shop in out-of-the-way stores for organic foods. Major grocery chains like Safeway, Vons, Kroger, Fred Meyers, Ralphs, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Aldi's, and Albertsons are dedicating entire isles to organic foods. Costco has added organic eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables, and wild-caught salmon and tuna. Even Walmart, the world's biggest retailer, is responding to market forces. In 2006, Walmart doubled its organic offerings and developed a plan to encourage fisheries to adopt Marine Stewardship Council practices so that it could sell more wild-caught fish. Sam's Club, owned by Wal-Mart, also began offering "sensational low prices" on organic foods.
Wal-Mart's entry into the organic-food market could change the shopping landscape in years to come, but for now, many people balk at the cost of going organic. Organic fruits, vegetables, meats, and eggs are more expensive, anywhere from 25 to 200 percent, than "conventional" groceries.
Yes, organic foods are more expensive, but the taste and quality are far superior and much healthier for you and your family. eating organic foods greatly reduces your exposure to chemicals and pesticides prevalent to conventionally produced food. You can also save money by purchasing organically grown produce in season at farmer's markets and roadside stands, which are often cheaper than the supermarket. (Be sure to ask if the fruits and vegetables are organic and pesticide free.)
Eating organic food prepared at home is cheaper than taking the family to a fast-food stop like Burger King or a "fast casual" restaurant like Panera Bread. It's hard to get away for under $30 at a typical fast-food joint for a family of four, and the tab is closer for $40 for two parent and two kids at a fast casual restaurant. You could feed the family several scrumptious organic dinners, complete with grass-fed beef or wild-caught fish, for what it would cost to go out one evening at a quick-service restaurant. The family could dine an entire week on home-cooked organic food for the price of a sit-down meal at a well-appointed establishment with linen tablecloths, shiny silverware, and snooty waiters.
Eating organic food is less expensive than following a special diet or dietetic meal plan. Forbes magazine examined the weekly menus from the top ten most popular diets on the market: Atkins, Jenny Craig, Ornish, NutriSystem, Slim-Fast, South Beach, Subway (yes, the Jared diet of eating low-fat Subway sandwiches twice a day), Sugar Busters, Weight Watchers, and Zone. A week's worth of Jenny Craig supplied meals cost the most: $150.00 per week, the Subway sandwich diet was the least expensive at $79.00. But all ten diets were 50 percent more than the $65.00 that the average American spends on food weekly. Shopping for organic foods in health food or whole food stores provides the surest path to eating foods that God created.
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