Organic Food for Less

Organic foods may be healthier for you, but not for your wallet. They typically cost at least 25 percent more—and sometimes up to twice as much—as their conventionally grown counterparts. But here are some ways to eat chemical-free for less:

• Buy your organics at one of the country’s 5,000 farmers’ market­s. “The produce is grown locally, so it’s fresher and less expensive because there’s no middleman or shipping costs,” says Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association. Find a market near you at www.localharvest.org.
  
  

• Join a club. You can find prices that rival—or sometimes beat—those for conventionally grown foods through groups known as CSAs (for community supported agriculture), food co-ops and direct-buying clubs, notes Cummins. The Organic Consumers Association maintains a database to help you find local options.
  
  

• Print and save. Printable discounts for organic foods are available at some coupon websites, including MamboSprouts and RetailMeNot. It’s also worth checking the websites of organic food retailers, such as the organic baby food company Earth’s Best and the co-op Organic Valley.

Sid Kirchheimer writes about health and consumer issues.