When it comes to eating organic, one of the best persons to listen to is Kris Carr. This wellness activist and best-selling author can give you first-hand experience.
Carr is actually a "cancer thriver." More than 5 years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare and slow-progressing type of cancer. Her doctor then recommended surgery that would remove some of her organs. She didn't want that. She made some thorough research and figured what she needed was a complete lifestyle change that included modifying her diet.
Ever since then, she's been drinking and eating plant-based, whole food. And for her article published in Huffington Post, she shared some tips so you too can also adopt her eating habits.
First, she confessed that shifting to whole foods can definitely increase your food budget as they're usually pricier than processed ones. Over time, however, as you learn how to budget, plan your meal, and decide which ones you enjoy eating, you'll have more control over your expenses.
One of her primary suggestions is to plan and budget, including rummaging the fridge and pantry for an inventory on good food that you might already have.
Carr is a big believer of buying in bulk as this lets you leverage the cost of the produce and helps you create shorter shopping lists next time.
When buying food, it's important to buy produce in season since they tend to be significantly cheaper. The best places to buy them are farmers' markets and CSAs (community-supported agriculture). If you're getting more than what you could eat before the produce gets damaged, you can tag a friend along with whom you can share the purchase.
You can also grow your own greens. A limited space is not an excuse thanks to urban gardening. In relation to that, she recommends reading materials like Urban Homestead and Urban Gardening for the Everyday Person.