Saving Money with Store Brand Organics

Posted by joy

10 Dec

Although I’m always trying to shift my grocery selections to organic products, sometimes my inner tightwad cannot handle the sticker shock—especially with the recent rise in food prices. Buying our produce through a Commmunity Supported Agriculture subscription and having our own raised bed garden has helped, but as a working mom, I depend on having some packaged products to feed my family.

Store brand organics have come to my rescue with quality, eco-friendly products at reasonable prices. I have found organic applesauce, crackers, and beans made by Western Family (a generic brand popular in the Pacific Northwest) at my local grocery store. Even chain stores such as Safeway and Fred Meyer also offer their own organic selections, including baby food.

Trader Joe’s is my dream store, providing endless shelves of store brand organics for reasonable prices. It’s a nice down-to-earth alternative to boutique grocery stores that always make me feel as though I’m spending my grocery money on their interior décor rather than my food.

So what’s not to love about store brand organics? Some people worry that generics can undercut companies who are struggling with a tough economy in a very niche market. Should we spend the extra money to support companies that care for the environment and consider it a contribution to green business?

What do you think? Do you buy store brand organics? Why or why not? Thanks for sharing your stories with us on Thrifty Green Thursday.

Don’t forget to enter our Baby Blend Tees giveaway by posting a comment on this post. It’s over on Monday, so get your comments in to win an adorable t-shirt for your baby or as a perfect holiday gift!

Do you have a eco-friendly, budget friendly tip to share? Just go here to find out how to jump into the Thrifty Green Thursday blog carnival this week!

Filed under: Living Simply, Product Reviews, Thrifty Green Thursday

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7 Responses for "Saving Money with Store Brand Organics"

Emily @ Little Home December 10th, 2008 at 7:35 pm 1
I like the 365 Everyday Value Brand (the Whole Foods store brand). It is pretty much the only brand I find reasonable there for our budget. I wish more conventional stores around here offered store brand organics! I’m jealous.
eileen December 10th, 2008 at 9:30 pm 2
Safeway has a ton of organic options now and I love it because it is walking distance from my house which makes it a win-win. I have used their free delivery coupons once in a while too which is so amazingly wonderful when you don’t have time to shop except for after kids are in bed and you’re stuck home.
Kathleen W. December 11th, 2008 at 8:51 am 3
I buy a lot of store brand organics from Wegmans and Trader Joes, and I haven’t considered the affect on other organic companies. I hate to sound selfish, but I was buying them out of concern for my family. I suppose it’s good to support organic farms in any way you can though.
Cathy December 11th, 2008 at 8:56 am 4
I try to buy as much organic as possible because it’s so important to our health and the environment. It is expensive, though. I miss Trader Joe’s–we don’t have one here in CO.
Sarah December 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am 5
I too buy organic as much as possible. Here in Fl there are very few store brand organics and no Trader Joe’s SAD SAD SAD!!! We just got a Whole Foods opened yesterday! I was so impressed with the price of their 365 brand and also with the price of their Earth’s Best organic snacks for toddlers and babies. I usually buy those at Super Target they are the cheapest but have found them on sale at Whole Foods to be even cheaper. They were on sale for And all the boxes had 55 cent coupons on them making them 1.72 a box!!! That was the best deal ever. You can also go to earth’s best.com and get coupons online. I have found to buy the name brand organic stuff when it is on sale at Whole Foods or the grocery store and using a manufacturer coupon can make it almost as cheap as conventional!!!
Jillian December 12th, 2008 at 5:11 pm 6
Our budget fits the 365 whole foods brand perfectly. But we do feel guilty about not supporting the other smaller companies. I know that they are businesses that need the support and i try to purchase them when we have a little leeway with money…but that doesn’t happen often.
Rachel February 6th, 2009 at 9:11 pm 7
We live off of the Trader Joe’s store brand organics and Henry’s (Wild Oats, owned, I think, or did Whole Foods buy it too?) brands. I’ve read lots of suggestions about local farmer’s markets being a great source for less expensive organic. I do love our farmer’s market and enjoy the fresh produce, although their prices are typically higher than I’d pay at Henry’s.