Need help to get rolling!

mmandjsmom · #1 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 12:30 AM

I am having a few moms over to talk about "going green & organic". All of us are basically just getting rolling. Can anyone/everyone help us? Where do we start? We maybe know some of the basics, like drive less, shut off unused lights, buying locally saves money/ enviornmental resources, etc. Some of this most of us do due to $$$ reasons. One specific question is....what are the top 10 foods to buy organic vs regular? Where do you find organic food coupons? I have couponed on our sister site for over a year & don't want to give up all that savings.

Basically, HELP! The other moms are coming over October 30th.....What do I tell them? This was my idea!

kristen.c · #2 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 12:43 AM

It's great that you're looking to switch.

As far as finding coupons, one of the best ways to get coupons for products you want to buy is to contact the companies directly. I think that organic/natural companies are a lot more generous with sending out stuff to consumers since they tend to have a smaller target market. Lots of companies will even send free product coupons too.

You can also find coupons for products directly in the store. There are lots of free booklets that are available (Delicious Living magazine, Healthy Clippings, Mambo Sprouts, Whole Deal, Go Organic for Earth Day booklets, etc) at natural foods stores. If you have a natural foods market or a store that has a natural foods section go there and scan the aisles the same as you would at the regular grocery store. There are organic tearpads, peelies, hang tags, etc. Check out the database under the organic/natural category and you can see some of the coupons that are available. Also, if you do have a natural grocer, often times they will have a customer service or help desk that they can provide you coupons if you walk up and ask. I know one of my local natural stores will also give out samples/trial sizes of a lot of things if you ask.

In addition to contacting companies to ask for coupons, there are a lot of companies where you can sign up for their mailing list and they will send you coupons on a regular basis.

We also get coupons from inserts, though not nearly as many as we would like!

All in all, we stockpile, do triples, and shop pretty similarly to regular couponers. We do trains, trading, and barter with friends/family for coupons that they won't use.

One thing you can do to start small is to use the reusable shopping bags. Most stores give out a 5 or 10 cent discount now for each bag you bring in to use. It doesn't sound like much but the bags pay for themselves and every little bit counts, right?

And not to be overwhelming, but another piece of information I can share is to think about meals differently. Try different types of grains (try buying them from the bulk bins where they are usually a lot less expensive), beans, and proteins. Eat locally grown produce that you buy from the farmers market, farm stand, or on special at your local grocery store. Consider signing up for a CSA/co-op next year so that you have the freshest produce available. I don't eat a lot of pre-packaged or convenience foods and cook most things by hand. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's worth the savings and I can control what goes in my body.

Big kudos to you and let us know how we can help or if you have more questions. There is A LOT of information here to read through and it can be overwhelming to some!

kristen.c · #3 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 12:48 AM

Oh, and one big piece of information I forgot-- the dirty dozen! The dirty dozen is a list of produce items that you should try to purchase organic because they are the most tainted with pesticides. If you spend your money on these items first, you'll get a much bigger bang for your buck. Also, with organic produce I mentioned checking out locally grown produce-- a lot of farmers aren't certified organic but use sustainable and natural farming methods. If you ask about pesticides, often times you'll find that farms don't use them but don't have the money/desire to become organically certified.

Also dairy products and meat (especially beef) products are other biggies that you should try to buy organic so that you avoid the added hormones in the traditional products.

kristen.c · #4 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 01:01 AM

Some helpful links:

Buying Green - Organic and Natural - Organic Grocery Deals

Buying Guides - Organic Grocery Deals

http://www.organicgrocerydeals.com/f...rty-dozen.html

Index: Buyer's Guide to Produce

Environmental Working Group || foodnews.org (You can print a list of the dirty dozen here to hand out at your meeting.)

Contact Companies for Coupons! (A thread listing companies our members have contacted and what they sent.)

We also have a recipe forum here with lots of great meal ideas. Check out Fresh in Your Cart - Putting it all Together - Organic Grocery Deals or Hey good lookin'...Whatchya got cookin'? for meal ideas using organic products.

queenofthehivemomof5 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 05:29 AM

For me going green is about the environment and things that conserve enegy...can also save you money. So driving less, saves you gas money. Using CFL's saves me on the electric bill.

As far as organic goes - I focus on meat and dairy. Since where I live organic produce is not much of an option or a greener choice. (I did garden a bit this year but we had an early frost and it was not as sucessfull as I had hoped)

Every little step helps though.

Julie13 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 10:03 PM

Another 'green' thing where I also save money is by using cloth diapers. I don't use them exclusively, but enough that I definately save, especially if you use them on multiple kids.

And also don't be afraid to check out Whole Foods and other natural food stores. Even though WF has the nickname 'Whole Paycheck' I find many items there that are regularly (not on sale or with a coupon) quite a bit cheaper than at Kroger or Publix.

Good luck!

OHeather · #7 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 12:07 AM

Kristen has covered the grocery side of it well, so I am going to give ideas on another aspect of your questions.

You can start by polling your friends about what they already know and do in there lifes to help reduce their impact/footprint. If someone takes notes at the meeting, like you would at a normal meeting, then you can send it via email after your night has finished.

Then you can ask what everyone would like to know. Assign each person a list of things to find out for the next meeting of the minds and talk about it then. This is when you would ask, "What did you learn?" (This is the typical K-W-L chart that most teachers use when broaching new subjects with students).

Continue the 2nd meeting like you did the 1st with what do you know, and what would you like to know. Always come back to the what you learned part though.

mmandjsmom · #8 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 12:27 AM

Wow! What a wealth of info that can be found on here! Thanks for all the help! Keep these tips coming!!!!

jujubee · #9 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 01:50 AM

You can really make a theme of "green shopping" when the gals come over.

Give each gal a reusable tote, but don’t buy them. Instead, go around your home and closets and pull out any old tote bags that you have that will be suitable for using (and reusing!) on shopping trips. Print out some of the info above and especially the dirty dozen list, and/or print a shopping list on the backside of some old papers you might otherwise toss. Put the info/list right in their shopping bags so they'll always have the info right on hand when they're out and get confused on which produce is best to buy organic, and which is ok to buy conventional.

If you have a Whole Foods nearby, you could grab a coupon book for each tote, or you could print (again, on backsides :) ) some of the many organic printable coupons that are in the database. Then you could let them pick which coupons they want/will use.

You could also go through your local store and make your own price list comparing organic vs conventional foods. You might be surprised to see that the cost is only slightly higher. Bring out your price list at the meet up and discuss it.

I think it's fair to remind hardcore couponers that you're not going to see the same steep discounts that you've become accustomed to. To offset this, make a priority list of the foods you would like to purchase organic, despite the cost, and stick to the list. As you get better at deal searching those items and working the higher cost from that into your budget, slowly add on more items. For instance, start with organic produce...then move on to organic dairy, esp milk...then move up to meat which will presumably be your biggest cost. If you do it in baby steps, you're less likely to become overwhelmed with the increase in food cost.

That isn't to say, of course, that there aren't good deals on organic foods. Quite contrary. You just have to work a little harder to find them.

What stores do you have nearby? Do you have a Big Lots? If so, you’ll be amazed at the good deals you can get on organic non-perishables. See our Big Lots thread here. Target also carries a good variety of organic foods. What other stores might you have that you can look for organics at? You might be surprised at what you’ll find. Give each gal a store to “shop organic” as homework, and then report back the findings at the next meet up.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. Take pictures. :D This might be our first OGD Green House Party! :D

Julie13 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 02:30 PM

If you do have a Whole Foods nearby, you could have one of your meetings there and go on one their "value tours" of the store. If you look on their website you can see when they are offered and watch a little video about them. It's basically a tour of the store showing you about their 365 home brand and how you can save money shopping there.

mmandjsmom · #11 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 03:21 PM

How wonderful is Whole Foods? I have one that is not exactly close....about 1/2 an hour away, I think. Is it worth it?

Also, I'm not too sure that my get-together will continue to meet. We all see eachother at other activities (We are all part of a moms group) and probably just chat casually via email & when we see each other.

Julie13 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 08:38 PM

Mine is about 1/2 hour away as well and there are just some things that I can't get anywhere else and while I'm there I buy the items that are cheaper there than at other places. Definately worth it for me. Plus, I team up with my sister and we get things for each other if one of us is going. It will be doube worth going when the Trader Joe's opens next to it next month. Woo hoo! Can't wait!

BabyLuvSunshine · #13 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 06:47 PM

I ventured to my first Publix greenwise last night just to look around and see what it was all about. It was not as expensive as I thought. A little more pricey yes but it wasn't $5.00 for an apple! I know this sounds silly but I think this was my biggest hold back in the beginning I was afraid I could not afford the lifestyle.

jujubee · #14 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BabyLuvSunshine

I ventured to my first Publix greenwise last night just to look around and see what it was all about. It was not as expensive as I thought. A little more pricey yes but it wasn't $5.00 for an apple! I know this sounds silly but I think this was my biggest hold back in the beginning I was afraid I could not afford the lifestyle.

I'm glad you saw that for yourself! I think a lot of people just assume it's too expensive to eat healthier or choose organic so they dismiss the idea without even trying. It's the #1 reason why I commit myself to this site - to spread the word that you CAN afford it if you WANT it. Buying organics on a budget just means prioritizing your shopping a little differently, that's all.