To kick off 2009, I decided to swing into a detox program. For the past 21 days I have been caffeine free, body brushing, drinking ginger tea with freshly squeezed lemon, using aromatherapy, and (mostly) eating organic foods.
I was in heaven during my first trip of the year to Whole Foods. I peacefully strolled down the grocery aisles inhaling the smell of local food, natural food, and organic food. I stopped to smell the organic lemons, paused to sample to organic salsa, and lingered in the organic wine section dreaming about the valleys in which the organic grapes bathed in the sun. I was on a Whole Foods honeymoon (gag). My honeymoon was so much fun that I washed away the reality that my groceries cost more than $300 that week. I thought being organically healthy must simply be priceless.
My second trip of the year to Whole Foods still gave me a sense of connection with the Earth. I was proud of my decision to feed my body with organic love (why do I have the overwhelming urge to end yet another sentence with the word “gag”).
The honeymoon ended during my third trip when I started to question if this luxurious trip down organic lover’s lane made economic sense. I have been paying approximately 50% more at Whole Foods than I do at my local fruit market and grocery store. I started to question how I was prioritizing my values.
I now have five personal values battling to be on top of my list…
I value being Earth-friendly.
I value eating toxic-free foods.
I value making wise economic decisions.
I value not spending money frivolously.
I value life balance.
I asked myself three powerful questions to help me explore my options and determine my next move.
- How is purchasing organic food serving me?
- What matters the most in this moment?
- What do I need to do now?
(Who thought a simple choice of eating organic food would bring such an opportunity for self reflection?)
After answering these questions, I have decided to stop shopping at Whole Foods and to explore the organic options at my local grocery store. This will give me the opportunity to spend less money on groceries while still integrating organic foods into my diet.
This decision honors my desire to practice the art of life balance.
This is Your Moment!
What about you? Do you only eat organic food? Do you think conventional fruits and vegetables are filled with toxins? Can you rationalize spending so much more for organic foods? Are your eating habits aligned with your values?
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[…] H. Weckstein asks Natural Organic Food. Is There a Balance? posted at […]
Hi Stacey: I’m taking things one step at a time. I’ve stopped eating white bread, rice, and pasta, and have moved to whole grain. I also make sure that I eat three servings of fruit a day and five servings of vegetables. And drink lots of water. That’s where I’m at right now, but I plan to continue adding healthy foods to my diet as the year progresses. Also, I think you’re right: it’s important to eat healthy food, but you shouldn’t go broke in the process 🙂
Marelisa´s last blog post..31 Funny Videos, Books, Stories & Quotes
Stacey,
I know exactly what you mean – I stopped shopping at Whole Foods a while back – we buy organic at local stores (farmers markets) and Trader Joes.
Momgrind has a post about foods you should always eat organic.
We just cook at home a lot. Basic stuff such as milk/yogurt that are consumed in larger quantities are always organic. We also do not eat too much meat at all – so that is one less concern.
I am curious to hear from others!
Maya´s last blog post..Preparing to Believe in Yourself: The Science of Ditchiness
I have the same problem. I love organic foods but they are quite pricey.
What I do is once a week I take a trip outside town to the nearby farms.
They have wonderful produce stands by the side of the road and the prices are very affordable even cheaper on some items – oranges, avocadoes, nuts and strawberries etc.
I don’t know where you live but for the people living in LA – California take I 5 North by “Magic Mountain” and then 126 West towards the ocean.
Great blog! I really enjoyed it!
buddhaofhollywood´s last blog post..Enlightenment 104
Hi Stacey. I used to buy 80% organic foods… until I lost my job a while back. There are certain foods that are best bought organic such as peppers and strawberries for example. Meat is another item that has been recommended best to buy organic. If you are interested I can email you the list of foods that I have from my nutrition studies that are best bought organic.
Davina´s last blog post..How Curious Moments Add Value
Hi Stacey,
We eat some organic foods, although definitely not all. I have had a hard time justifying the added costs of some things – and because of that – we won’t get organic. Like Davina mentioned – for meat – especially beef – we buy locally from a farm in the area.
I guess, in the end, this is a tough one for me. I’d like to eat organically, yet the cost holds me back in many areas. Is that balance? I don’t know, maybe it depends on how you define balance…
Lance´s last blog post..As Real As It Gets
Yes indeed. I am very happy that you have chosen to. You will not regret it.
We are lucky that organic food is quite readily available and not very much more expensive than the commercial varieties. Unless something special is particularly needed for a party or some such occasion, we use only organic food.
rummuser´s last blog post..The “Cute” Patriarch.
I don’t eat organic foods for that reason….tight budget. I think you can eat a clean diet by reading labels and shopping around. Maybe someday in our future organic food will be available to everyone 😉
Annette´s last blog post..Finding Comfort in Something Other Than Food
I have access to a variety of grocery stores in my area including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Like you I cringe at the cost of my bill when I shop at Whole Foods. I do not always eat organic because I read somewhere that it’s not always necessary and, especially with canned or boxed goods, food is not always completely organic. I also don’t always go for all natural – have you ever stopped to read the ingredients on all natural products? I often don’t find them very natural!
That said I do my best to stay away from foods containing high fructose corn syrup, trans fats and the like, but I’m not so strict about it. Like Marelisa, I do what I can to ensure I get enough fruits, veggies, grains and water in my diet, without going broke in the process!
We started to have milk delivery (and eggs, bread, etc) from a local farm – everything fresh, no chemicals and I feel good about that – supporting local farmers and eating well!
Trader Joe’s has great prices on certain foods, I go there more often.
I eat organic when possible, but I also try to shrink my carbon footprint by not eating meat, buying fewer processed foods, and using eggs and dairy sparingly. Organic is just one way to be kind to the earth and your health.
Maria | Never the Same River Twice´s last blog post..Carnival of Personal Development
It’s a great question. I don’t buy too many things organic, just of the reasons you mentioned. However, because I live in CA, I’m joining a CSA to get fresh organic produce at a better price.
I don’t eat too much meat, but again due to cost, I usually purchase what’s on sale at the local store.
It’s more important for my balance if I eat fruits and veggies, if I can get them organic at a price I can afford, I go for it. If not, I’m still going to eat my fruits and veggies.
LisaNewton´s last blog post..Travelin’ Local visits the East Coast
I love to buy organic. What I do is go to local farmer’s markets and other local health food stores to find the healthy food and products I desire at much more reasonable prices. Also, a couple of major grocery stores in the area have a very nice organic and whole food selection. Most times it means having to shop at more than one store to find the selction and price range you desire…but, it’s well worth it…:)
Tiko|Peace-Joy-Love´s last blog post..Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through a Day of Service
I eat organic when possible but I find in this economic times, I can rationalize the expense right now. I am sure it would be great to do this 24/7 but right now it is not in the cards. I think like your site title says, you need to create a balance. Try 50/50 for a while. Eat organic half the time will be more earth friendly than most, and you will still be honoring your financial needs as well. Trader Joe’s if you have one has better pricing than most- and if you are creative you can probably get out of there with some money left over in the food budget.
Jay´s last blog post..How to Imagine Like a Child
Baby steps Stacey, baby steps. Buying ‘some’ organic food, using the car ‘a little’ less when you can, reading the labels on products to avoid things like trans fats etc. As long as we do what we are able to from an economical, personal, professional point of view, we have already made a big difference. I love organic food: no need to wash it for minutes, it tastes better, it gives you a good conscience etc. But I do like stuff that does not come with an organic stamp on it. I try to buy local produce, but when I crave raspberries and it isn’t the season, or snow peas which just don’t grow here (they come from Kenya mostly and I wonder why they are called that), I usually don’t hold back from buying them. It’s all about balance. I guess that, as long as we do our best to think green and participate in the movement without having to go all gaga about it, we’re already a huge step ahead 🙂
Mindful Mimi´s last blog post..Information: a source of learning or a burden?
Thank you everyone for sharing your views on organic food. I learn so much from this community. I must rest my eyes now, but promise to reply to comments soon. Sending free organic hugs across the planet! Stacey
Marelisa – Thank you for sharing your steps towards healthy living. I have also moved to whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice.
Maya – I’ll have to check out Trader Joes, thanks for the suggestion. I’ll also be sure to read Vered’s post.
Budda of Hollywood – In the summer I have the option to buy locally but for now the land is covered w/ snow. Fresh oranges, avocadoes, nuts and strawberries in the middle of winter sounds glorious.
Davina – Thanks! I’d love to read your list of foods that should be organic. I can even add it to the bottom of this list (w/ link love to you).
Lance – I hear you. I question spending so much money on organic food, yet if I knew the non-organic food would one day harm me or my family, I’d find a way to pay for organic food. There are many ways to define the word balance. I think juggling organic food and your wallet is form of balance.
Rummuser – Thanks. I will be continuing to eat organic food, but will be more aware of where to best prices are in town.
Annette – It sounds as if you are comfortable with your decision. Cheers to your clean diet!
Stacey Shipman – I agree that we need to read the labels when things say “all natural”. Natural definitely doesn’t mean organic. Chicken fat is natural (all chickens have fat).
Maria – Thank you for helping me reframe my perspective. Your right, eating organic food is only one way for me to be kind to the Earth and to eat healthy.
Lisa – For the first two weeks of January I was only eating organic fruits and vegetables. Now I’m eating both and I’ll continue to eat fruits and vegetables that are not organic. I just pray my family is not consuming tons of deadly toxins from the non-organic fruits and vegetables.
Tiko – I am going to check out the major grocery store near me for organic produce. I hope to be pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, shopping at more than one store pulls me out of balance.
Jay – I’m also having a hard time rationalizing the expense. And I agree, some is better than none.
Hi Stacy!
I prefer organics as well.
Here’s a tiip the number one highest benefit for you in organics is the drinks; milk and juice and tea…etc.
So start that first. Watch the markets near year for their sales on organic foods and at whole foods Buy what’s on sale if its within you budget. Actuallty I found many times I could buy organics cheaper than regular foods sometimes which actually amazed me. I’ve always preferred organics but like you the affordabilty kept me away. The prices are getting better al the time now since more people are buying them. Costco is carrying more of organics too. Also take a trip to whole foods and check out the products they carry that aren’t organic they are the highest quality brands. The other rule is to pick items that have five or less ingredients excludung those who have vitamins to fortify. Those products are fine.
I could go on with much more about just check for msg and a list of the things…but I have to go..
Great Post!
Diane
I like the way you expose your thought process.
I plan to dig more deeply. When I do, I’ll be studying Dr. Joel Fhurman.
He has a simple premise:
“The more nutrient dense food you consume, the faster your health will improve. Fat will melt away, the need for medication will lessen, and you’ll reverse the disease process.”
It’s not so much his premise that I care about though. It’s the results. I know some colleagues that have experienced amazing results by focusing on nutrition density.
J.D. Meier´s last blog post..Avoid Mental Burnout
Diane – I am buying organic milk, organic tea, and organic apple juice. Thank you for all of your wisdom and passion around this topic.
J.D. – I love the concept of nutrition density (I love all the concepts you share on this blog). I did read that organic food is not more nutritious than conventional food. I hope you write a post of your findings so I can learn from your insights.
Hi Stacey, I have been controlling my food for the past 3 years, for example : less cholesterol and less sugar, but for organic foods, I eat when possible, like Maria and Jay. However, your article has reminded me about the importance of organic foods. I’ll try to consume more organic as I can.
Thanks for sharing, Stacey.
Arswino´s last blog post..Sacrifice Play
Great questions. We have been through the same thing as you. We have landed somewhere in the middle. We found that we could drive ourselves crazy trying to accomplish it all. I think we do what works now economically and for convenience. It might not be up to others standards, but it works for us.
I’ve been away for a while. Great to see you’re still writing!
Arswino – Thank you for sharing. All of the comments on this post (including yours) remind me that I’m doing a lot for my body in addition to eating organic food (such as less cholesterol, less sugar, less artificial sweeteners, etc).
B. Wilde – Looks like I’m landing somewhere in the middle (in balance) too. It’s great to have you back contributing to the conversation!
Hi Stacey – I hear you when you speak of the cost of organic foods. We have a Whole Foods close by and I can’t bring myself to do all of my shopping there. I like to cook, so I make a lot of meals from scratch. I like knowing what we’re eating so will try to stay clear of things with preservatives in them, but I’m not a die hard organic buyer.
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Barbara – I’m reverting back to cooking from scratch and truly enjoy the experience. It takes more time, but seems to worth the effort. Quick meals using the microwave seemed great at first, but now I’m craving fresh foods again.
Since most places we shop at such as the local farmers market and local stores ONLY carry organic, it’s so much easier to eat all organic produce. Even the produce stores that carry a lot of conventional have a lot of organic that doesn’t cost much more than conventional. Living in the California Bay Area, it’s very easy to eat a mostly organic diet due to the wide variety of produce that grows in the area and the high demand for such foods.
Places like Whole Foods are for when it’s late and all of the other stores are shut down (WF stays open until 10:00) or when we’re traveling and that’s all that’s available in the area.
For me, its very important to eat mostly organic foods due to some past (and current) help challenges that could be exacerbated by toxins. Though we cant eliminate EVERYTHING and we do eat out sometimes, we do what we can most of the time.
Carla´s last blog post..Is it too late?
Correction: “health” not “help challenges” 🙂
Carla´s last blog post..Is it too late?
We eat mostly organic as far as produce – most of it is provided through a local coop, and therefore affordable. We actually privilege local over organic, but then again there is a lot of organic production in our area (Lake County, California).
There are however some foods I don’t necessarily seek organic. My Lactaid milk, for instance. Or wine. Or beer. Or bananas (even though the last ones I bought were organic). We privilege grassfed beef and bison, but it’s not easy finding organic chicken or pork.
Carla – You are fortunate to live close to local organic farms. I want to eliminate as much toxins from my family’s diet as possible and will continue to find my balance.
Arnaud – Thank you for sharing how you incorporate organic foods into your diet.
This is my first time here. I have to say…what an interesting post, Stacey!
I still haven’t made the shift over to organic foods, and the main reason is for the one you’ve realised yourself: the price!
Take for example, the average weekly food bill for a family is $200. Paying an extra 50% is pretty much out of the question. It’s over $5,000/year!!
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Melanie – Welcome to CreateaBalance.com! I agree that it is difficult to add 50% to your grocery bill. I have been cutting back on other expenses and now select some (but not all) organic foods. Thanks for sharing!