I’ve been beating the “organic drum” for quite a while now, and I’m especially dogmatic about it when it comes to strawberries. This fruit is high on the list of the 10 foods to be sure to buy in organic form—they are SO susceptible to absorbing herbicides and pesticides deep into the flesh. Just washing them doesn’t remove the damage.

That said, let’s talk about how to afford organic—strawberries and all else. Organic’s reputation is that of being PRICEY—right? This is true in a sense, and I definitely sympathize when it comes to tight food budget concerns. When money is tight, healthy food seems like one of the first things to be slashed from the budget. Thus we need a few tips on how be able to buy organic foods, even when times are tough. Here are four great suggestions from one of my favorite sites, Care2:

1) Find a Local CSA (community supported agriculture program) — while sometimes having a high price up front, when broken down you’re paying far less each week for organic produce. Some CSAs will even allow you to work on the farm in exchange for a reduced fee. Local Harvest is a great place to start, if you don’t know how to find a CSA in your area.

2) Visit your Farmer’s Market. These can also be found on Local Harvest, and they are another great way to score cheap, unpackaged organic produce. In fact, more and more farmers markets are accepting food stamps, making local, organic produce more accessible.

When you buy directly from a farmer, you’re cutting out all of those costs associated with shipping the produce and running a grocery store, and the prices for those veggies will reflect that. You can also try popping in close to the end of the day. The selection won’t be as good, but many times farmers will drop prices at the end of the day to get rid of remaining stock.

3) Grow your own. Even if all you have is a small space, it’s possible to grow at least some of your own food. Vertical gardening is a great way to maximize food-growing space. If you’re looking for small space gardening inspiration, I highly recommend Urban Organic Gardener (www.UrbanOrganicGardener.com). Author and gardener, Mike Lieberman, has been growing his own food for years: first on his tiny NY fire escape and now on his LA balcony. His site is loaded with how-tos and excellent tips to avoid money- and time-consuming mistakes.

Care2’s final suggestion: 4) Maximize what you have. A lot of the food we buy ends up wasted, and that’s essentially lost money. One thing I am doing is buying less at a time to minimize waste. If eating leftovers isn’t your favorite thing, look at some ways to revamp leftover food to make it last and ensure that nothing goes to waste. To stretch that food budget even further, you can even cook with food scraps! Creating soups and all variations on fried rice are just two approaches to thrifty meal management.

And I would like to add a 5th tip: Buy less processed and junk foods and you’ll automatically have extra money to spend on wholesome and safe organic produce. The trade-off for me is that I spend a little more time in the kitchen baking lots of cookies, cakes, and other snacks from scratch. (See my “Pauper’s Granola” recipe below—we eat this instead of store-bought cold cereals, and this change alone has netted me a lot of extra organic food money!) But the comfort I have knowing the produce we’re eating is safe and healthy makes this time expenditure work it.

If the budget is tight, easing into organic eating might be the best approach, starting with some of your favorite foods. Pick a product or two that you decide you really notice a difference in taste and that really excites you. For instance, I started with strawberries, greens, and celery. The taste difference is truly noticeable. Families with young children may want to start by buying organic baby food and dairy products. But whatever you and your family eat the most of, this is the best place to start.

Finally, another good place to start easing into organic eating is to substitute organic foods for conventional foods with the highest levels of pesticide residues. These include apples, apricots, peaches, pears, red raspberries, strawberries, spinach, peppers, celery and potatoes.

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Pauper's Granola

10 -12 C old fashioned oats
1 C unsweetened coconut
3 – 4 C raisins
1 C healthy oil
4 C water
1 ½ C peanut butter (I prefer old fashioned — I buy it on sale)
¾ C brown sugar, packed
2 tsp vanilla extract

In large roasting pan mix oats and coconut. Meanwhile, place water and raisins in large pan; bring to boil and cook just until water is sweetened from raisin juice. Turn heat to medium and add oil, peanut butter, and brown sugar. When peanut butter and brown sugar are melted and mixed into water/oil mixture, remove pan from heat and add vanilla. Pour mixture from pan over all the oats and coconut. Mix thoroughly until oats and coconut are coated well. Roast at 250 degree until granola is toasty brown and crisp—perhaps two or three hours. Watch this closely so it doesn’t burn. You will need to turn it frequently to ensure even roasting and drying.

NOTES: This granola has no salt, for health reasons. The peanut butter seems to provide plenty of salt, so no extra salt is called for. Obviously you can add as many extra ingredients as you wish, however, the cost stays low as is because all you’re using is oats, coconut, raisins, and some peanut butter for protein.

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