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I have not gone *totally* organic, but I am trying to eliminate HFCS (or as I like to call it, The Devil) from our diets, and I have bought directly from farms.
First of all, you'll have to do your research and find a grower/co-op/whatever that will work for you. I found a farm that did weekly shares, but you were never really sure what you were going to get. My biggest advice for going that route is to be VERY willing to try new things (i.e. beets, leeks, kale, chard - I don't know how much of this stuff you already eat, but I didn't eat any of it... and still don't, really). Otherwise, a lot of that food you get will go to waste. And there's nothing worse than wasting food!!
You can also buy from farmers' markets, which would eliminate getting stuff you either don't like or have no idea how to cook. You can get whatever you want, and you can buy from a variety of growers. I've found that using either of the above methods will save you a TON of money over just buying organic straight from the grocery store. Buying local, to me, trumps USDA Certified Organic any day - but you have to decide what works for you and what your priorities are.
If you're looking into pastured meat, you can also find ranchers that sell chickens or beeves that are raised on their natural diet, not grain. "They" say that this is healthier and, of course, better for the animals and their environment. Grocery stores sell free-range too but I find it harder to trust them. Maybe I'm just paranoid.
Some web sites that might help you:
Long comment is long. Sorry! Good luck =)
@Sage - That is MUCH help, thank you! I was curious if it was cheaper/better/no difference (other than locally supported) to go to Famer's Markets. Luckily, I have two very near my house that are open on Saturday mornings. I'm going to visit bother this week and see how I like them. I was curious about the weekly thing too, because I found two farms (one meat/animal and one vegetable/fruit) that do this for a monthly subscription - but like you said, it was random stuff and I live with a picky eater and have no clue how to cook beets! I'd much rather pick out what we'll eat rather than waste anything, so thank you for telling me that!
Do you buy pastured meat from ranchers? I'm really interested in this, because I don't trust the meat from the supermarket, either. Even if it says organic/grain fed/no antibiotics, whatever... I'd rather buy from a rancher but don't want to buy in bulk. Have you noticed a really big increase in your grocery bill since trying to eliminate HFCS or does it even out b/c you're not buying junk? I found a list of foods at the grocery (common labels) that are HFCS free, so that made me happy.
Thank you so much for your advice and the websites! Great information!
In college I used to buy from a co-op and one of the key things was willingness to eat in season. Eating local foods is the only real way, I think, to be sure food is "organic" and not just slapped with a label. And if you eat local, you're at the mercy of whatever was just harvested.
And chard isn't bad! :)
just wanted to say congrats on deciding to change your diet! organic diets are a great way to support local farmers and it's significantly healthier for the land and the animals :) It's definitely more expensive, though. In college after reading about horrors associated factory farms in my philosophy class, I wanted to go entirely organic...especially with animal products. But I wasn't really able to afford the diet because organic meat can be extremely costly. So I became a vegetarian but I do buy organic animal product like milk. Farmer's markets are a great way to buy locally! And co-ops are good especially if you can split the portions with several people but you do have to be willing to eat what's in season! There are also co-ops available for meat from local farmers. I guess it really depends on where you live.
It's more expensive, but totally worth it to make the change. One way to keep costs down is to buy certain items in bulk from food co-ops. It's amazing how many different meals you can get out of a sack of beans and a sack of rice. Dried fruits make awesome snacks, and rolled oats with raw sugar and dried cranberries is an excellent breakfast.
@whfields - thank you! I'm pretty excited to make the change, for several reasons. I guess I'm going to have to learn some new recipes to adjust to the seasonal vegetables.
@teaandtoast - I agree, I think it will be worth the expense! Good point about bulk - I hadn't thought of that.
Does anyone shop at Whole Foods? We have a subsidary near us (Harry's Farmers Market, which is owned by Whole Foods) and I feel sorta lost when I walk in there.
Good for you! You should be really proud for what you are doing for your body and the environment! I have also made changes in our food consumption to eliminate HFCS and eat more organic. Farm shares are great. Instead of buying artificial sweetners to satisfy any sweet cravings, I recommend experimenting with Honey, Brown Rice Syrup and Pure Maple Syrup. You may also want to think about investing in a chest freezer if you have the space, that way you can purchase local foods when they are bountiful and freeze them for the colder months. Spinach, Chard and Kale freeze really well and can be added to almost anything to boost the nutritional content.
I miss Harry's! One way to avoid spending your entire paycheck is to stick to the outside aisles - where the fresh produce, dairy and meats are. Avoid the inner aisles with packaged foods and bottled beverages. So tasty, but also so $$$.
You can also split your shopping up - which is what we do. Fruit (and sometimes meat) from Whole Foods, veggies from the weekly Farmer's Market and cereal, etc. from Trader Joe's. It's time consuming, but you do save money.
Oh! Honey and agave syrups are good sugar substitutes.
Laylabelle, since you said the Harry's is near you, I'm pretty sure I know where you're at. Harry's is by far the best grocery store for organics in your neck of the woods. If you're every down towards Atlanta, check out Dekalb Farmer's Market. It's pretty awesome. I eat mostly organic right now, and it is expensive, but after a month, you will notice a difference in the way you feel!
I forgot about Trader Joes! We finally have those here.
Yes, I'm very excited about this! Good to know about the natural sweeteners, I will definitely give them a try. This is such great info, thank you ladies!
By the way, what two farms are you talking about? (My BF lives up your way, and I'd love to check 'em out)
@Miss Biner - there are two near me! One near work (Roswell) and one in Marietta, which is closer to my home. I'm so glad to know that others are doing this and that they really feel the difference. I really think that this will resolve so many of my health issues. I did improve when I eliminated most carbs, but didn't feel good about the chemicals I was putting in my body.
If you are interested in a farm share (which we have and love - personally, I prefer not having to pick out my veggies for the week and being forced to try new stuff), you will want to search for "Community Supported Agriculture" (CSA) programs.
have you looked into joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) in your area? they have become very popular in upstate ny, you just have to be willing to eat what they give you each week!
I buy about 95% organic (sometimes treats don't come in organic version and I have my weaknesses) and am completely vegan. I didn't eat a lot of HFCS to begin with, so naturally stay away from it.
Changing my diet changed my life. I firmly believe "you are what you eat." Yes, organic food is expensive but I am quantifiably healthier (i.e. I don't get sick anymore - haven't had a cold in years) and have way more energy. I don't have any information about organic certification, but I'm sure it's easily available on the internet. My take is that if some products slip through the cracks of certification, at least the majority of what I'm eating is likely organic. Which is better than not making the effort and eating food that's almost certainly full of chemicals. Eventually, the more people buy organic food, the more reliable the certification process will become.
Good luck! I'm sorry I don't have anything more concrete to offer, but think you're making a wonderful decision. Your body will get used to the different foods, and soon you won't crave the bad stuff anymore. I have a few good recipes for healthy high-energy snacks - let me know if you'd like them.
@Miss Biner - there is one in Marietta Square, and one in downtown Canton. I read more about them, and they're only open from May - November. :( So I guess I'll have to wait until May.
@historienne - Thank you! That is probably what I'll have to do since the farmers markets in my area aren't open year round, which is a bummer!
Awwwww I loved Harry's when I was little! it was the best store EVER. I've been pretty good at eliminating the HFCS but I really need to get back into the habit of eating things like, oh, I dunno, fruit. And vegetables. I've been a huge slacker in that department as of late.
@KM - isn't Harry's the best? The one in Roswell is literally five seconds away from my office, which is dangerous!
I found a list of foods that are known to be HFCS free, but I guess I'd better look up all of the different names for it. Someone told me it can be named five different things! Ugh... stupid HFCS.
Good for you for making this choice!
I'm not totally organic at the moment. We buy organic dairy and berries. And I generally buy my beauty products and lotions and cleansers from places that don't load them up with junk. However, when we become pregnant, we're going totally organic.
This is what I recommend: March yourself over to the Consumer Reports website. Consumer Reports is a non-profit organization that does heavy scientific research into consumer products, including food. They've done research on the level of pesticides on any type of produce you can imagine, and they tell you specifically which ones you should buy organic and which ones it would be a waste to buy organic.
For example, berries have a very thin skin and can absorb anything that's sprayed upon them, so berries should be organic. Same with spinach. However, things like bananas, avocados, cantaloupe, or produce with a very thick skin, they discovered that virtually no pesticide made it through the skin, and to buy organic in these things would be wasteful.
Just my $.02. Good luck!
@Ms. Brew - I just read about Food Inc. yesterday, I can't wait to see it... I hope it's at Blockbuster, I canceled my Netflix membership. :/
@eureka - (btw, your name always cracks me up!) thank you for that great info! I didn't know Consumer Reports also investigated food! I will certainly do some research on there.
@eureka - Organic bananas may not contain pesticides, but the difference in taste is night and day. Seriously - organic bananas are amazing. I haven't noticed a difference in avocados and don't eat cantalope. Good to know about Consumer Reports, though. Hadn't thought to look there for this kind of info.
@laylabelle - the choice to go organic/HCFS-free/local is a great one. Definitely shop the farmer's market, join a CSA, or shop at the local co-op. Like Bubbly, changing my diet changed my life. Definitely worthwhile.
like others, we haven't gone totally organic yet, but are trying to get there. it's hard at first, but you make it work. it does cost more to eat organic, grass-fed, free-range stuff, but it's worth it. if you eat out less the cost difference is minimal. i would start with farmer's markets and buy local/fresh. if you want more choices, you can always go to Whole Foods or something and find foods you enjoy and then see if you can buy it direct. a lot of places that produce organic foods sell directly to consumers. goodluck and happy, healthy eating!
I live in a totally organic and HFCS free household. I also pretty much clean everything with soap/water , lemon, baking soda, or vinegar. My SO is ALLERGIC TO CORN, it has been a bit of a struggle to deal with but our health has improved drastically. Corn is in everything, if you google corn allergy/intolerance there is an array of resources for you. Also, I am allergic to soy and various chemicals in food. It may seem intimidating at first but it is rather easy to do, just make sure you read the ingreidents list or use simple ingriedients in at home recipes. You will be surprised how good you feel and how creative you can get in the kitchen. Wholefoods is actually pretty affordable, thier store brand 365 is very good and compares with the prices of 'regular' grocery stores.
I'm HFCS free (when I can control it, obviously if I eat at a resturant I have no control over that). I also don't eat hydrogentated oils or unfermented soy products. I feel a lot healthier since changing my diet to weed out some of the junk.
Nina Planck's book "Real Food" is also really helpful and informative about cleaning up your diet. http://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-What-Eat-Why/dp/1596913428
I've been trying really hard to eat clean (Tosca Reno has an excellent book on it), but since I'm a college student I can't buy a ton of organic foods since I have a very limited budget for groceries. So, if I want to be healthy, I stick to the farmer's market. Much of it is locally grown, and still pretty affordable.
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I'm wanting to go HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) free and on a certified organic diet. I've had some health issues that seem to stem from a food intolerance and eliminating sugars has helped a bit, but the problem is that I'm just replacing HFCS with artificial sweeteners (buying foods/drinks made with Splenda, etc). I don't seem to have a problem with real sugar, in moderation. Well, at least I don't think I do, but that's part of the reason I want to try this - to see if it makes a difference.
And either way, I just want to go back to eating as clean and naturally as possible because, why not? Home cooked food tastes better, IMO, as do natural ingredients.
My concern is a.) finding food that REALLY is certified organic, not just slapped with a label in the grocery store to sound more enticing. I realize that to do this, I mainly need to buy direct from the grower/farm/farmers market/co-op. Have any of you done this? And b.) the cost is probably going to sky rocket, but I'm hoping it will be offset by the fact that we won't be eating out.
Has anyone had experience with either going HFCS free, going certified organic, or buying directly from farms/growers/co-ops and have any advice they can share?