For related articles and information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page.

Everybody who cares about their health wants to eat organic, non-GMO foods, but the challenge is being able to afford it, right? Thanks to dwindling economic opportunities and job cuts almost everywhere, discretionary income is getting harder to come by for millions.

At the same time, eating foods laden with toxic pesticides or cancer-causing GMOs costs you a lot more in the long run due to hospital bills and severe health problems. Cancer treatments, after all, aren’t cheap. So what’s the real solution to eating healthy without spending a fortune?

Check out these five outstanding ways to save money on organic and non-GMO food right now:

#1) Buy organic food ingredients in bulk

It sounds simple but it really works: seek out organic food ingredients in bulk instead of in small packages.

You might be surprised to know that at least half the cost of small-quantity organic foods comes from the packaging and containers. By purchasing those same foods or ingredients in bulk quantities, you’ll find the cost per ounce (or cost per serving) can be drastically reduced, sometimes by as much as half.

This is especially true for organic grains like rice or quinoa, but it can also hold true on fresh produce such as carrots and apples, both of which stay well refrigerated for an extended period of time.

#2) Grow some of your own

Growing some of your own food may be easier than you think. Sprouting, for example, costs almost nothing but provides you with a high-value fresh source of greens for salads, smoothies and more.

Using nothing more than small containers in a window sill or balcony, you can also very easily grow a nice selection of culinary herbs such as cilantro and rosemary, both of which can be very costly on a per-ounce basis at the store.

Full-scale gardening might be out of your reach, but check out
container gardening and small-scale hydroponics for some really interesting approaches to growing abundant food on the cheap.