I know what you are thinking… organic and budget in the same sentence? No way. But, yes way!!! It is totally a possibility now that grocery stores like Aldi have started carrying organic products. The organic food industry is growing, and big grocery chains are listening. But, not all grocery stores that carry organic are affordable. So, let’s talk about how we can eat organically on a budget!
If you are anything like me (newly graduated, adulting for the first time, have a dog to feed) you may not want to blow $200 at Whole Foods every week. The good news is you don’t have to! Aldi provides a lot of basic organic products that can be the main items in your diet.
I am going to walk you through the organic products that Aldi sells and what I pick up on a weekly basis.
Produce is always a good place to start. Aldi has really stepped its game up in this department! Every week I am able to get my spinach, carrots, broccoli, green beans, bananas, strawberries, avocados- all ORGANIC! I mean $4.29 for 4 avocados, ya can’t beat it! And they have plenty more organic produce if the items I listed above aren’t your thing.
We definitely suggest buying organic everything when possible, but definitely buy organic when it comes to the dirty dozen!
THE 12 MOST CONTAMINATED FOODS ARE:
- CHERRIES
- GRAPES
- CELERY
- TOMATOES
- SWEET BELL PEPPERS
- AND POTATOES
- STRAWBERRIES
- SPINACH
- NECTARINES
- APPLES
- PEACHES
- PEARS
Aldi carries organic in most if these items, but not all of them. Make sure you read your labels and look for the USDA Certified Organic logo.
- Aldi has a wide-range of organic lettuce.
- Organic spinach for $2.49 is a crazyyyy good deal! If you go to Aldi for nothing else, go for the price of their spinach.
- Aldi started carrying organic chicken. Can I get an Amen!?!?! I was so happy when they added this to their lineup. I refuse to buy non-organic chicken and I would do my shopping at Aldi and then go grab some organic meat somewhere else. You aren’t going to find organic chicken any cheaper than what Aldi offers!
We definitely can’t forget about milk and eggs!
I have seen organic eggs at other stores for upwards of $7, and Aldi carries them for $3.49! I am someone who could eat eggs for every meal, but it is so important to me that they are organic. This price makes it easy to get 2 or 3 dozen and be set for the week!
Almond milk is my milk of choice and they have a few organic options. But, if regular milk is more up your alley, they have that as well!
One healthy life hack I love to follow is only shopping the perimeter of the store. At Aldi, this is slightly different, but the fresh foods are mostly on the perimeter of the store. If you go in knowing you are only going to shop from those areas, you won’t tempt yourself with all the sugar-filled processed junk that we don’t need in our lives.
Another way you can guarantee you will save money is by buying frozen fruits and veggies. Aldi carries organic frozen corn, broccoli, and many frozen fruits that are organic. Obviously, in a perfect world we would all love to buy the freshest food possible (and have the time to make it)- but life happens and having quick, organic, healthy options ready to go is a life-saver!
Nut butters are so practical and a great way to get in some healthy fats! Pair it with celery for a midday snack or get crafty and make some peanut butter sauce for some stir fry! Peanut butter and Almond butter especially can get super pricey. Aldi carries organic nut butter that is super affordable.
Some organic breakfast options like oatmeal are super easy and super cheap! You could make overnight oats for the week and eat breakfast for less than $2 each day.
Some other awesome organic goodness that Aldi offers:
- GTs Kombucha
- Organic Mac and Cheese… when you just need some comfort food.
- Coconut water for smoothies!
- Fruit snacks for the kiddo in your life, or you.. No judgement here!
- Black beans… did someone say Mexican food?!
I hope this was helpful and has maybe inspired you to think about adding more organic groceries into your weekly grocery shop! I know that sometimes it can seem like just another thing we should do for our bodies. But, I promise you your body will thank you in the short-term and long-term.
MACY VONDERSCHMIDT / @MINDFULLYMACY
I am a social media influencer/blogger part-time and full-time marketing professional. I love being a dog momma to Milo (Aussie) and little Harley (Tibetan Mastiff). After years of yo-yo dieting and 2+ hour workouts, I found a way to stay healthy and also sane. I strive to live a healthy life, but I never turn down ice cream- ever! My passion is inspiring women to live a life full of self-love and finding their bodies perfect resting place. I take a holistic approach to health and believe you have take care of your mind, body, and soul in order to truly live well. I spend my weekends buying fancy lattes, taking the pups on long walks on the rail trail, and creating content for my Instagram and Blog.
WWW.MINDFULLYMACY.COM