I’d love to eat only organic, but as you know, it’s usually SO expensive! And with a grocery budget of $35/wk, I can’t afford to buy much organic. If you are in the same situation, you don’t have to feel helpless. There is still something you can do to make your fruits and veggies much healthier. Here is a recipe for a produce spray that will do an excellent job of washing away the pesticides on your food, making them better for you and your family!

Produce Spray

*Makes about 2 Cups

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 20 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir slowly and carefully as the combination of vinegar and baking soda causes quite a bit of foaming. Once the bubbles have gone down, pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray on produce before eating. Let sit 10 minutes before rinsing well.

*NOTE: Don’t ever soak mushrooms in this solution, as they will only absorb it.

So, no more worrying about your children consuming a ton of terrible pesticides! Of course this won’t make them organic, nor will it get rid of 100% of the chemicals on the produce, BUT it’s a whole lot better than rinsing only with water! So, if you can’t buy organic, at least take this extra step and help make your food better for everyone!

When my husband and I decided to try to eat more organic foods (after the baby was born), I began looking around to try to figure out how we could afford it! As I was rummaging through web pages, I stumbled across this article at Bankrate.com. I’ve edited the article because of it’s length, so if you’d like to read the full article, go here. I hope that it gives you some ideas as well! Enjoy!

1. Do some research -You may have a lot more choices for organic food in your community than you realize
2. Shop at farmers’ markets

3. Buy a share in a community-supported agriculture program (CSA)

4. Join a co-op

5. Join a buying club

6. Buy in bulk

7. Buy big in-season.

8. In the off-season, buy preserved foods – they’ll taste fresher

9. Embrace the big freeze – freeze good deals when you get them

10. Shop sales - Grab store discount fliers at every opportunity

11. Clip coupons - Check store fliers, the Sunday newspaper and inside food packages

12. Grow your own - Start small. Carrots, radishes and beets are easy to grow

13. Shop online.

14. Mix and match - Join a co-op and shop at a local farmers’ market, etc.

15. Be flexible - Always shop with a list but never be afraid to snap up a good bargain when you see one

16. Rethink your food budget - Free up more dollars for organic food by trimming the fat from your conventional food budget

17. Ease into organic - Begin the transition to organic eating with some of your favorite foods

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