Guest guest Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 Hi, Just wondering what people's position is on buying organic produce from a big chain crogery store like Giant, Acme, etc, versus a small, local, non-chain health food store or market. I know some will say wherever I can get organic, local produce that hasn't been shipped very far would be best, but both my grocery store and the health food store I go to ship most of their produce from Florida, California, and the like. The health food store *just* started carrying local organic, but only at random times during the week, when the farmers get it in, I guess. The major brand the chain grocery store stocks, I noticed, is Nature's Promise, which is USDA organic. The thing is that a half pint of organic blueberries at the health food store is $4, but at the grocery store is $2.50. They have several other pieces of produce that are a better value, for the money anyway. I was just wondering if I am sacrificing anything by buying from the grocery store. Thanks! PS. I went into the doctor's today and had lost about 20 pounds since the last time I had been there, told them it was because I turned vegan (it's too difficult to explain raw foodism to most people, even health 'professionals'). The nurse looked at me wide-eyed and told me that if I didn't get protein from a plant source I'd get very sick. Hehe. I just nodded.. it's too much to fight, you know? I know what's right for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 IMHO it is best to get it from the source like a CSA, then the local co-op, then whatever works. I don't actually do the CSA thing as I have never gotten my act together at the right time of the year to sign up for it. I primarily shop at our co-op as 99% of it's product is organic (for some reason their young coconuts aren't :-(), they buy fair trade whenever possible, they have a nice selection and are cheaper than just about any place around here. I avoid WholeFoods (they were part of the lobby that just weakened the organic standard, most of their product isn't organic, and alot of their produce is waxed). Occasionaly I will get things at the big chains, but only if I am there for some other products that the co-op doesn't carry and I am out of something they have or they have a particaularly good price on bananas that day. Getting the organic produce as close to home is the best, the rest is just a question of ethics, convenience and finances. -Mike --- jem_3000 <jem_1000 wrote: > Hi, > > Just wondering what people's position is on buying organic produce > from a big chain crogery store like Giant, Acme, etc, versus a small, > local, non-chain health food store or market. I know some will say > wherever I can get organic, local produce that hasn't been shipped > very far would be best, but both my grocery store and the health food > store I go to ship most of their produce from Florida, California, > and > the like. The health food store *just* started carrying local > organic, > but only at random times during the week, when the farmers get it in, > I guess. The major brand the chain grocery store stocks, I noticed, > is > Nature's Promise, which is USDA organic. The thing is that a half > pint > of organic blueberries at the health food store is $4, but at the > grocery store is $2.50. They have several other pieces of produce > that > are a better value, for the money anyway. I was just wondering if I > am > sacrificing anything by buying from the grocery store. > > Thanks! > > PS. I went into the doctor's today and had lost about 20 pounds since > the last time I had been there, told them it was because I turned > vegan (it's too difficult to explain raw foodism to most people, even > health 'professionals'). The nurse looked at me wide-eyed and told me > that if I didn't get protein from a plant source I'd get very sick. > Hehe. I just nodded.. it's too much to fight, you know? I know what's > right for me. > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 I am just kidding here - but you should take her the pages in the book The China Study and show her the proof that plants have the best protein for our bodies. Not worth the fight - I know, I know. Judy On 6/15/06, jem_3000 <jem_1000 wrote: > > Hi, > > Just wondering what people's position is on buying organic produce > from a big chain crogery store like Giant, Acme, etc, versus a small, > local, non-chain health food store or market. I know some will say > wherever I can get organic, local produce that hasn't been shipped > very far would be best, but both my grocery store and the health food > store I go to ship most of their produce from Florida, California, and > the like. The health food store *just* started carrying local organic, > but only at random times during the week, when the farmers get it in, > I guess. The major brand the chain grocery store stocks, I noticed, is > Nature's Promise, which is USDA organic. The thing is that a half pint > of organic blueberries at the health food store is $4, but at the > grocery store is $2.50. They have several other pieces of produce that > are a better value, for the money anyway. I was just wondering if I am > sacrificing anything by buying from the grocery store. > > Thanks! > > PS. I went into the doctor's today and had lost about 20 pounds since > the last time I had been there, told them it was because I turned > vegan (it's too difficult to explain raw foodism to most people, even > health 'professionals'). The nurse looked at me wide-eyed and told me > that if I didn't get protein from a plant source I'd get very sick. > Hehe. I just nodded.. it's too much to fight, you know? I know what's > right for me. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 There are no CSAs in my area and very few things that are labeled " organic " at the grocery stores. The co-op I belong to gets its produce from CA and FL. I have to use a lot of commercial produce which, I know, is not as nutritious as organic. It's like Dr. Doug G. says, though, it's better to eat commercial raw than organic cooked. Tommie http://www.rawburchard.blogspot.com rawfood , Mike Elliot <mmelliot wrote: > > IMHO it is best to get it from the source like a CSA, then the local > co-op, then whatever works. I don't actually do the CSA thing as I have > never gotten my act together at the right time of the year to sign up > for it. I primarily shop at our co-op as 99% of it's product is organic > (for some reason their young coconuts aren't :-(), they buy fair trade > whenever possible, they have a nice selection and are cheaper than just > about any place around here. I avoid WholeFoods (they were part of the > lobby that just weakened the organic standard, most of their product > isn't organic, and alot of their produce is waxed). Occasionaly I will > get things at the big chains, but only if I am there for some other > products that the co-op doesn't carry and I am out of something they > have or they have a particaularly good price on bananas that day. > > Getting the organic produce as close to home is the best, the rest is > just a question of ethics, convenience and finances. > > -Mike > > --- jem_3000 <jem_1000 wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > Just wondering what people's position is on buying organic produce > > from a big chain crogery store like Giant, Acme, etc, versus a small, > > local, non-chain health food store or market. I know some will say > > wherever I can get organic, local produce that hasn't been shipped > > very far would be best, but both my grocery store and the health food > > store I go to ship most of their produce from Florida, California, > > and > > the like. The health food store *just* started carrying local > > organic, > > but only at random times during the week, when the farmers get it in, > > I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 There are no specific health-food stores where I live, but I live in an area of California where there are a lot of large and small organic farmers. So I can visit the farmers market in town and pick up organic there during the summer, if my schedule allows. Otherwise I buy at a chain. Our local paper just ran an article about how chains such as Wal-Mart will be carrying organic produce and therefore driving the prices down so the farmers will get hurt. One thing the article mentioned was that the big organic farms like Earthbound Farms (they are headquartered near here) do still adhere to all the organic principals so no claim was made that produce from big farms/big stores was not as good. I guess it would be more of a matter of the shipping time and it sounds like in your case there wouldn't be much difference between the health food or chain stores. I'll be moving back to my hometown in PA early in the fall and I've been wondering how this will affect my ability to buy organic. There is actually a big health food store there, though, and I've seen organic produce in at least one local chain. I'm sure it will all be a lot more expensive than I'm used to though, and not as fresh. And I agree, the pricing is a big concern. At this point I would have to go with the lower prices at the chains unless I found out the product wasn't as good (ie older). Some organinc things are just way too expensive no matter where you find them. Strawberries for example. They are my very favorite fruit and they are grown extensively in my area. I normally buy flats at roadside stands but have been avoiding them this year since they're not organic. I know they use something to sterilize the soil before planting them that is so lethal that inhaling just a little bit causes a quick death. It's hard to believe this doesn't somehow enter the plants or fruit during the growing cycle. When I find organic ones they are so expensive that I can't justify buying them. Congrats on the weight loss! I have a significant amount of weight to lose, and while I was motivated to begin this type of eating due to other health factors, am really looking forward to getting back in shape. It's good to hear success stories. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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