Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Buying Grass-Fed Beef Wholesale And Other Ways To Afford Healthier Food

By Jaclyn Hurley


We hear often about the benefits of eating healthily and ethically, but we often do not receive practical advice about how to do it. People with disposable income can afford to drop extra money on food labeled "organic" and "all natural." However, if you have a limited food budget, this is more difficult, and it is not always easy to find grass-fed beef wholesale, or organic produce that fits your financial needs.

It seems ironic that food that is less processed and meat that is not pumped full of hormones often cost more than their over processed counterparts. One of the reasons for this is that the over processed food and meat is often produced by large companies. These companies take lots of cost-cutting measures that reduce their production costs, allowing them to charge less for their food.

Independent farmers and small companies have to charge more, because their production costs are often higher and they still need to make a profit. If you are able to pay higher costs, it is definitely worthwhile to buy from these companies. The peace of mind you gain from knowing that your food is natural and healthful I worth the extra cost.

For people with a limited income, however, this may not be possible. When you have to feed a family, or even an individual, on a small budget, you cannot afford to make concessions in the cost department. This does not mean that you can't ever choose healthier options, though. Here are a few suggestions that might help.

First of all, you can choose certain items to be picky about. You may not be able to buy everything organic and all natural, but you can probably afford to buy a few things that way. Meat is a good thing to prioritize this way, because of the health issues involved with eating hormones and the ethical issues involved with supporting the inhumane treatment of animals. Also, certain vegetables and fruits are more likely to be contaminated with pesticides than others.

There is a list that has circulated the internet called "The Dirty Dozen Plus." This list details the produce that is most likely to be contaminated with pesticides, and that should always be bought organic. It includes cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, potatoes, strawberries, nectarines, cucumbers, bell peppers, grapes, spinach, peaches, apples, and celery. All of these are good things to prioritize for organic shopping.

Some veggies and fruits, however, are less likely to be dangerous, and are therefore safer to buy in their conventionally grown varieties. These "Clean 15" are papayas, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, grapefruit, cantaloupe, sweet peas, mangoes, kiwi, avocado, pineapples, asparagus, sweet corn, onions, and cabbage.

In addition to following these lists, you can also seek out lower cost natural and organic foods. You may be able to order some foods wholesale online. You also may be able to purchase them at a farmers' market for a lower cost than you would at the supermarket. Some states offer double value on food stamps at farmers' markets; find out if your state has this policy. Finally, seek out food co-ops and wholesale markets. These are not always easy to find, and they do not always have lower prices, but they are worth exploring!




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