samedi 8 mars 2014

Ways To Afford Healthier Food: Buy Grass-Fed Beef

By Jaclyn Hurley


Are you one of the many people who want to eat ethically and healthfully, but are not sure how to do so? If you have budgetary restrictions, that makes this task even more difficult. If you could buy grass-fed beef wholesale, that would probably be helpful, but you may not know how or where to come across these kinds of deals.

Why does it cost more to buy meat that is hormone free and produce that is sprayed with fewer chemicals? Why should processed food be more expensive than food in its natural state? Generally, it is because large companies that mass-produce food (and are also more likely to use chemicals and unnatural processing techniques) are able to cut costs, and therefor charge less and still make a profit.

The reason that smaller businesses and individual farmers have to charge more is that they have to make a profit that exceeds their production costs. Because this reason is logical and valid, people without financial restrictions are often willing to pay the extra money. The reason that their health and peace of mind are worth the higher cost.

For many people, however, this is simply not an option. When you are on a limited income, and especially if you have a family to feed, you probably have to place your budget at a higher priority than other factors. However, there may be some things you can do to stay within your budget and still eat more naturally.

One thing you can do is to choose particular items that you will only buy natural or organic. Even if you can't do that with everything, you can be picky with certain things. Meat is always a good idea, because of the hormones and antibiotics that are found in the conventional varieties, as well as the ethical issues surrounding mistreated animals. In terms of fruits and vegetables, it is safe to eat the conventional varieties of some, but not of all of them.

There is a list called "The Dirty Dozen Plus" that can help you with this. The name refers to certain fruits and veggies that are more likely to contain dangerous pesticides if they are not organically grown. These include spinach, bell peppers, nectarines, apples, celery, grapes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, potatoes and strawberries. These should be bought organic if possible.

There is some produce, however, that is safer to buy conventionally because it is less likely to be treated with harmful chemicals. This list, called the "Clean 15, " includes onions, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, asparagus, avocado, sweet peas, mangoes, eggplant, kiwi, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, papayas, grapefruit, and mushrooms.

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!




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire