Eating Organic and going green is all the rage! To be environmentally responsible as well as setting ourselves up for optimal health and longevity is high on my priority list.
Our family has been making these conscious choices for almost six years and we are delving deeper and deeper as our family grows and we see more and more opportunity to achieve our goals.
Steering clear of household toxins is a big part of our journey as well. I’ve eliminated laundry detergent and that big bucket of various cleansers for windows counters surfaces and floors.
We’ve switched out soaps, deodorants, shampoos and toothpaste.
It’s a lifestyle. not a fad.
We are in it for the long haul and trust our choices will pay off in the end.
The Debate
COST!!! (a huge hurdle for most people is the expense)
The good news for this lifestyle is as some choices are a little more expensive others are the opposite and extreme money savings have been accomplished.
Organic food is pricier but the benefits are priceless! We’re talking staving off diabetes, cancers, depression, skin disorders like psoriasis and acne. We’re talking eating food that tastes as good as it looks. Eating more frequent smaller meals consisting of real whole raw fresh foods, not packaged, processed, pesticide laden “food products.”
I know a few years ago I would have laughed if someone told me baking soda and white vinegar would be the ONLY household products I would buy and use. But they are. In the laundry, in the shower, around the house. They are the only two ingredients I can now not live without. They have replaced expensive detergents, softeners, static sheets in the laundry. They have replaced, Windex, toilet cleaner, disinfectant in the bathrooms and kitchen. For the floors: steam! And the savings here is astronomical. I will go into more detail later.
Eating Organic
What is organic?
Organic foods and crops as well as livestock are raised, grown or produced without harmful chemicals, pesticides, GMO, hormones, or antibiotics.
Farmers and manufacturer’s have strict processes to earn their USDA sticker, they also incur fees and other costs to the government and third-party agencies to keep their Organic Status in good standing. This alone contributes to the higher cost in organic options.
There are Organic farmers who do not get certified and incur less costs however their product sits on the shelf without that little USDA sticker and consumers ultimately purchase the sticker.
In my price comparison below I compared regular everyday products to their organic counterparts. I am limited to what is available at my local supermarket and prices will obviously vary by store and even region. This is just to give you an idea of the cost difference between “conventional” and “organic” options. I compared a range of items from fresh produce to packaged goods and dairy products. At the time, the store did not have any organic meats available. I will update the chart as I gather more information.
Price differences:
RED indicates where organic costs more
BLUE indicates where there was no difference
GREEN indicates where organic costs less
| Item | Unit cost for conventional | Unit cost for Organic | Price Difference |
| Apples | 1.99 | 1.83 | 0.16 |
| Bananas | .59 | .89 | 0.30 |
| Popular Cereal | 4.95 | 4.57 | 0.38 |
| Baby food pouch | 6.39 | 6.41 | 0.02 |
| Butter | 4.69 | 5.99 | 1.30 |
| Cream cheese | 5.18 | 7.18 | 2.00 |
| Eggs | 18.25 | 41.58 | 23.33 |
| Greek yogurt | 3.77 | 6.01 | 2.24 |
| Romaine lettuce hearts | 3.55 | 3.99 | 0.44 |
| Whole Milk | 1.06 | 1.95 | 0.89 |
| Strawberries | 4.99 | 4.99 | 0.00 |
| Microwave popcorn | 6.05 | 4.43 | 1.62 |
| Raisins | 3.59 | 5.32 | 1.73 |
| Apple juice | 1.50 | 2.15 | 0.65 |
| Onions | .80 | 1.16 | 0.36 |
Based on the chart, it’s plain to see that organic does cost more in most cases but it is worth it. My philosophy is you’re going to pay anyway so why not do it without suffering.
See, either you pay now for organic or you pay later in hefty medical bills treatments and most importantly with your health and well-being. I am not a medical doctor or scientist so I won’t give you a list of studies and numbers. I will say that I have found a tremendous improvement in my own quality of life after making these changes.
The Challenge
Not sold on Organic yet??!?! I have a dare for you: pick one food item, preferably a fruit or vegetable you eat regularly, grapes for example. Buy and eat it organic ONLY, for two weeks (this is how long your taste buds and body will need to adjust) even if the conventional counterpart is on sale or FREE, strictly eat it organic for two weeks. When the two weeks is up, go back and taste the conventional version. Let your taste buds be the judge; then, tell me what you think.
Don’t get me wrong here, staying healthy isn’t just about eating organic, but it is a great start. It’s best to work on yourself from the inside out. Start with breathing. Simple meditation can work wonders for the body and soul. Gentle exercise is crucial to our health as well. I like walking, swimming and yoga. Our food of course, what we put in our bodies will ultimately become our bodies as we magically turn the food into cells. Another key component to our health is what we do on the outside, this is the soaps, detergents, products, lotions and even our clothes and sheets.
Our skin is our largest organ; I believe one of our most important organs. It is made up of billions of tiny catcher mitt like pores that absorb EVERYthing from our environment, seeping toxins straight into our blood stream. It would be safer to eat toxins and chemicals than to put them on our skin. At least by eating something, our digestive tract, stomach enzymes and immune system would be filtering processing and partially protecting us from any danger. The skin: toxins go right into the bloodstream!
All of these healthy lifestyle choices are of course personal preference and just what I’ve learned over the course of my journey. You may experience something different and completely disagree. I’d love to know what you’re take is. Comment below with your priorities when it comes to a healthy lifestyle.
Blog is where the Home is 