Never say Never

That is one of my husbands favorite sayings... "Never Say Never".
I never thought we'd go Organic, but we are!  My husband and I would make jokes about 'organic' and 'in-organic' food.  Isn't all food 'organic'?
For a few years now Ive tried to stay away from high fructose corn syrup.  Then I stopped buying foods with MSG on the label.  (although we do love to get Chinese take out!)
A few months back I was talking with a co-worker of mine who is a dietitian.
She said "Do you know whats in peanut butter?"

I love PB!!  The hydrogenated oils in the PB make it essentially a 'Super Fat'!
Super Fat! I certainly don't need any of that! I already have enough regular fat hanging around...
So now Im addicted to natural peanut butter~
Then she mentioned that eggs from conventional farms have stress hormones and low nutrients.
In some places they cut off the beaks so they cant peck when they are in tight closed quarters.
So now they are stressed from not being able to peck, and that get transferred to us!
I don't know about you, but I don't need any more stress hormones! I'm good.
They also are fed not-so- nice foods and antibiotics to fight infections from being in too close.
Tip- You can tell if an egg is fresh by the way it sits up in the pan when you crack it.
And a healthy egg will have a nice deep orange to it. 
I now buy the cage-free chicken eggs when I can.  Like at the farmers market.
I have also bought the 'healthier' eggs at the local store...
click here for a good concise article on  types of eggs.
Our conversation then went on to milk products.  Not pretty.
I had no idea the milk industry was such a mess! 
Here is an article about organic milk.
My short conversation with her was very eye opening!
In general I'm trying to stay away from pesticides, dyes, preservatives,nitrites, and GMOs.
And when you go down that road pretty much the only way to ensure the foods don't have that stuff, you have to buy organic!
Definition of GMOs here
It can be challenging at times to stay within my budget, so I shop at BJ's.
They have a line of organic products that is their generic label.
They give coupon books every month to use.  and I'm not talking .50 cents here!
The coupons are for $2, $3, $4, etc...
AND you can use manufacturers coupons on top of the store coupon!
So Ive been searching online for the products I want coupons for and printing them off at home.
Another way I save money is by growing my own organic fruits and vegetables.
I have four 4x8 raised garden beds and another plot large enough for sprawling plants to grow.
(Currently I have cantaloupe there).  Raised beds really help keep down on weeds and pest control!
Ive never canned before, only froze, my veggies after blanching. 
But this year I plan on canning for the first time!
For meats, I try to buy vegetarian-fed, no hormones added, no antibiotics used, and uncured.
I do that because I don't want those chemicals passed down to my children or myself!
Antibiotics have a purpose but can cause yeast overgrowth in our bodies.
Yeast can cause behavioral problems, concentration issues, and immunity compromise in the gut.  Slowly over the past few years Ive been learning about yeast, I didn't learn all this over night!  In case some of you are wondering how does she know all this??
Ive found the best meat prices for 'healthy' meats at BJs also.
I also shop the organic meat counter at Wegmans looking for the meats that are discounted.
 The expiration date is close.  Our Wegmans also has $1 coupons around for their organic meats.
To save money on meat we buy a quarter Beefalo every fall.
 ( although we need to start getting a half!)

Another great website to find healthy growers in your area is Eat Wild.
(of course I had to put a nursing picture in this post)
That is where we found our beefalo dealer.
We have referred many families to our dealer and here is the info:

Beefalo, like their relatives the American Bison, thrive on the grasses and various legumes found in our pastures. We try to provide as much green grass, fresh air and sunshine as possible to our animals by employing rotational grazing to provide them with a fresh salad bar eating experience. This menu of grasses helps to provide our meat with more flavor and nutrition than found in conventional grain fed, feedlot beef from the supermarkets. Our animals are raised without implants, antibiotics, hormones and in most cases, no grain feeding. Various studies have shown that Beefalo is higher in protein, and lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than other meats and poultry. It is tender and tasty and cooks in less time than regular beef, with less shrinkage due to its lower fat content.

Our meats are processed in a USDA federally inspected packing house. They are dry aged in a cooler for two weeks to promote tenderness and a good eating experience. They are then cut and wrapped to your specifications and frozen, ready for your freezer and eating enjoyment. Available by the side, split half, or 50-pound mini pack.

If you have any questions or want information regarding current prices and available pick up dates, please phone us. We also offer a variety of handcrafted soaps made from Beefalo tallow and other fine oils.

Bennington Beefalo, Bob and Kathy Ott, 1990 Stedman Road, Attica NY 14011 (585) 591-2685.
E-mail: bobandkathyo@verizon.net