“Eating organic is for hipsters and the rich”: false. “Eating organic takes too much time”: also false. It is indeed quite possible to combine an organic diet with a tight budget.
Here are some easy tips to follow to eat organic without breaking the bank:
Reduce your meat consumption
Of course, meat (and even fish) is essential for some people’s diets, but reducing consumption will allow you to save money. By adopting a flexitarian diet – that is, eating meat occasionally – you can eat organic meat but less often – because, let’s be honest, although it is better, organic meat is still much more expensive.
Buy your products in bulk
Most organic stores and increasingly conventional supermarkets offer organic products in bulk. This way, you can choose exactly the amount you need, which is more practical and avoids potential waste. Bulk products have less packaging, and less packaging means cheaper prices.
Avoid eating ready-made meals
In the vast majority of cases, cooking your own meals is cheaper than buying ready-made meals at the supermarket. Even when cooking with organic products, it will cost you less than buying a ready-made dish, whether it’s organic or not.
Sure, cooking naturally takes more time than reheating a dish you bought at the supermarket, but you can prepare them in advance and freeze them, then just microwave them when you want to eat.
Favor short supply chains and consume local and seasonal products
Eating organic is good. But eating organic while respecting the environment and our producers is even better. It is better to favor local products that are often much better than those you buy at the supermarket that have traveled around the world.
Favoring short supply chains, meaning buying products with few intermediaries between the producer and the consumer, is also cheaper.
In Nice, for example, it is very easy to buy organic products at markets. Every day except Monday, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can buy your fruits and vegetables, as well as a few local products, on the Cours Saleya. You can also find all these products at the Libération market, every day except Monday, from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
To go even further
Whether you want to eat even better by including more organic products in your diet, or want to take your commitments further by adopting a more environmentally friendly diet, these three tips should interest you. These solutions, however, do require a bit more of your free time, but don’t worry, you won’t be overwhelmed.
Join a cooperative supermarket
A cooperative supermarket is a store where you can find organic products at affordable prices, between 20 and 40% cheaper than in traditional organic stores.
In Nice, this cooperative and participatory supermarket is the Nice Coop, located at 42 Rue Vernier. The store operates on a very simple principle: it is a cooperative created by consumers, for consumers. In practice, to have access to the products, you must be a member (membership costs €20 and is free for low-income individuals). Each member then commits to contributing a bit to keep the project alive, requiring a participation of 3 hours per month.
Join an online organic grocery store
An online organic grocery store allows you to buy products 25 to 50% cheaper than in a traditional organic store. This is the case for the online grocery Aurore Market, which delivers over 3,000 products throughout France. The reason for the low prices? The shop sells its products at purchase prices and is funded through a monthly or annual membership system of €60 per year. However, this membership is quickly recouped, and you can save up to €200 per year.
This online grocery isn’t limited to food products; you can also find beauty products, cleaning products, or even products for babies and children.
Grow your own garden
This last solution is certainly much less accessible because it requires time, maintenance, and above all, space to cultivate. However, if you have these three elements, then go for it, you’ll be sure to have organic vegetables, with the added satisfaction of having grown them yourself!
You see, saving money on your food budget is quite compatible with an organic diet! You can start with some of the easy-to-apply tips, and if you have the time, desire, and good enough organization, you can go even further.
