Running Buddies: organic shopping

When I started this running blog in January, I was excited about the idea of motivating myself and others to a healthier lifestyle through running. At that same time, I decided I wanted to start feeding my family better. My husband immediately wrinkled his nose up at the very thought of what that might mean… Three months later, not much about our life has changed…except that I’m shopping smarter, we’re eating better, my kid’s are none the wiser (about what they are eating, anyway), and my husband is on board with the whole thing! Ahhhhhhh…the sweet little seeds of change.

So, why did I wait so long to make nutrition a priority in our lifestyle? After all, I did live in Eugene, Oregon for several years (granola capital of the world!... I think.) and Colorado Springs, Colorado (voted healthiest city in the Country by Outside magazine in 2009). Two reasons.

1) Money.
2) MONEY!

I thought buying organic/healthier foods would be too expensive. In general, healthier products (better cuts of meat, organic vegetables and whole grain products) are more expensive. But, when I finally got serious about making healthier shopping choices, I discovered that it is possible to buy better, healthier foods and not ‘break the bank.’ In fact, most of the big grocery store chains have their own organic brands that are much less expensive than the national brands. I also researched the most important produce items to buy organic (those that generally contain more pesticides) and those that are okay to buy conventionally-grown. Here’s the EWG’s quick reference sheet that you can download for yourself: http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

It has been a challenge for me to familiarize myself with what seems to be a culture all its own! But, it has also been a lot of fun. The best part…we are trying new foods. New, really good foods!! Here are my top three finds so far:

3) 100% whole grain tortillas: Same price as regular flour tortillas but with a lot more flavor! Why didn't I buy these a long time ago?

2) Smart Chicken ground chicken: I cannot rave enough about this product. You can use it anywhere you would use ground beef. We have put it in tacos, spaghetti, chili & enchiladas. Even my skeptical husband, who again wrinkled his nose up at me the first time he saw me browning it (his face is going to stay like that if he doesn't stop it), will rave about it now! I buy it in the “chub” pack for $1.59/lbs at my regular grocery store. That’s cheaper than the leanest ground beef! Here’s a link to their website if you want to find a store near you. http://pages.smartchicken.com/pages/default.aspx

1) Seeds of Change Greek Feta Vinaigrette salad dressing: It is awesome, amazing, marvelous, terrific, wonderful and super good! You should really go and buy it, right now! I bought it on sale this week for $2.47!! Read about it here:
http://www.seedsofchangefoods.com/our_foods/category.aspx?id=salad_dressing

Love at first taste!

Every grocery trip is an adventure for me now. What’s better for an OCD driven runner than the challenge of eating better and saving money? I’m just wondering, what should I try next? Leave me a comment or email me (mailto:myrunningbuddies@hotmail.com). Point me down an aisle and I am sooo there! Give me a coupon and I am sooo there, even faster!!