Real Food on a Budget

When thinking about shopping for wholesome and natural foods, one thing that turns a lot of people off is cost. Despite the somewhat higher price tags on many organic and nutrient dense foods though, it's important to not look only at the initial cost when shopping. Not only is there value in the payoffs you'll receive in greater health (read: less medical bills, less pharmaceuticals), but a lot of whole foods can be stretched for greater value. Whole, fresh vegetable remnants can be made into stock for soups. Cores and peels from fruits can be put in the compost to enrich your garden soil. Bones from animal carcasses can be used to make broth. When you purchase your foods in a ready-to-eat state you lose all of these benefits that can greatly reduce your grocery bill.

Aside from the savings in money, this will also go to great lengths to save the planet (less packaging is needed for whole foods) and your health.

For a family of three, living in the Boise, Idaho area, we have a grocery budget of about $80 a week. The most expensive item on our shopping list is probably raw milk, which we buy a gallon of per week ($5.99).
We purchase one chicken per week, from Peaceful Belly Farms or Double XL Farms. Both of these are small local farms that I have researched, and they treat their animals in a humane and respectable fashion. The chicken costs about $12-$14 and provides us with at least six servings (usually one meal each of chicken and a side, and then leftovers go into things such as stirfry, pasta, or salads). The bones are then used for making bone broth, which we use in soups, or to cook rice or lentils. This turns that one chicken into several meals and is extremely nutritious and cost effective.
Organic fruit and vegetables may seem like expensive purchases, but I cannot stress enough the difference in quality between conventional produce and organic produce (if you would like access to an interesting study on this topic, have a look here). Understandably though, cost is a factor in our decisions. If you cannot afford all organic, it is important to at least look at the "Dirty Dozen List" and choose organic from that column, and conventional for the rest. The Dirty Dozen highlights the 12 produce items most contaminated by pesticides, as well as the 12 least contaminated.
Another current higher cost item on my list is Ezekiel bread. I have taken to usually only consuming grains that have been sprouted (although, I'm only human! I do indulge in the occasional brownie, cookie, or bit of baguette), or soaked. I do have a bread maker at home, but I have yet to find sprouted flour, or try sprouting my own flour. I consume bread sparingly, but when I do, Ezekiel is my current go-to. It can run about $5.00 a loaf, but I often find it on sale for about $3.50 and will buy a few loaves for the freezer.

Additionally, CSAs, and local farmers can really be your friend when it comes to finding affordable produce and food items. Often, buying "direct from the source" brings lower prices. Also, you will find that many smaller farms cannot afford the high cost of being certified organic - but they still may use organic practices. This is a great way to get pesticide free produce at a lower cost. Local Harvest is a great resource for locating local suppliers. Nothing beats being able to meet and talk with the people that produce the food you consume.