Week 6: Consider Store-Brand Organics - 10 Easy Ways to Living Affordably Organic

Consider Store-Brands when Buying Organic

Most chain grocery stores, even your local mega mart and warehouse stores, are finally getting with the organic program and creating private label organic products. This is great news for your wallet. Here’s a run-down:

Stores that offer their own brand of organic foods

Kroger

Publix

Whole Foods

Trader Joe’s

Safeway

Albertsons

Costco

(and many more regional stores are getting into the act too...)

More reasons to consider store-brand organics:

Small ingredient list

Most store-brand organics generally have small ingredient lists. Case in point: Publix salsa has five ingredients.(And no additives that are unpronounceable! Yay!) Their ketchup has only 6 ingredients. (And no high-fructose corn syrup, which is added to just about everything these days.) Trader Joe's organic non-sweetened apple sauce has ONE ingredient. (Apples! Surprise!)

Large variety of products

Check out the bread section of your local mart and chances are good that they have store-brand organic bread available. (Kroger has a yummy organic flax seed organic bread.) Cruise the canned food section and find organic black beans, garbanzo beans, corn and more. Also look for pasta sauces, condiments and spreads. (Organic store-brand pastas are available too but I haven't found any that are wheat or whole grain.) Costco has a really nice organic brown rice that's inexpensive and tasty. Store-brand organic dairy is in abundance too, as well as eggs, butter and sometimes cheese. Even the baking aisle has some organic private label surprises like spices, oils, flours and sweeteners.

More value for your dollar

Most store-brand items are much less expensive than brand-name items. Choose a store-brand over a name-brand and 9 times out of 10 you’ll pay less.  Eggs?  Only $4./dozen for store-brand but pay nearly $7./dozen for name-brand.  How about milk?  Pay $6.50/gallon for name-brand and only $4.99/store-brand. The savings really add up. Of course, it’s tough to find coupons for store-brands while name-brand coupons are readily available in your Sunday paper but in the long run buying store-brands will save you big bucks.

Next up: My fave store-brand items, including recipes.

Organically yours,

Minde

What are YOUR favorite store-brand organics?