Is organic worth the expense?

While hubby and I were shopping for our Slow Food Sunday dinner this morning, we noticed how many organic products are now in our grocery stores, compared to just a few years ago. This seems like a hopeful sign, doesn't it? People must be voting more and more with their wallet to send a message to the conglomerate food producers in this country. Fabulous!

"But how do you know if it's for real and not marketing?" my husband asked. "I just get the feeling we're paying a third more for things that aren't necessarily any better for us."

There are numerous reasons why I like to buy organic products. I believe it tastes better, it's better for our environment and, most importantly, it's a better life for the animals that end up on my plate. True, buying organic is expensive, and a cart full of organic food, environmentally friendly cleaning products, and recycled paper towels, really (really!) adds up quick. So my solution is to prioritize. The staples on any shopping list are always the items I try to buy organic whenever possible: meat, dairy and produce.

But how do you know if it's real and not marketing? I knew there were regulations in place, but didn't know enough of the specifics to educate my husband on it. So I shot an email to our resident food expert, Alison Held. She suggested I keep the dirty dozen in mind when I shop and to learn more about organic food certification here.

Now I can feel more comfortable about how I'm spending my money.