Organic is the new buzz word when it comes to eating healthy.

For many families, the problem with going completely organic is the cost.

As began to look more into adding organic foods to my household, I looked around at stores such as The Fresh Market and Whole Foods to see what I could bring into our grocery selection.

I have also spoken with several nutritionist to help me determine what is best for my family when it comes to overall healthy eating.

Why Is Organic Beneficial?

Organic food is free of the pesticides and herbicides that the majority of our foods are sprayed with on a regular basis. In reality, only 2% of the amount sprayed is actually used to fight insects and relieve the crop of weeds.

Organic Labeling

The U.S. Department of Agriculture sets all of the guidelines for our organic labeling. There are several sites that are available for review to further understand organic labeling. Some products allude to being organic when they are not in the true sense of the word.

Creating An Organic Strategy

As much as I would like for everything that I feed to my family to be truly organic, we just can not afford to make the complete transition. So, our family is making small adjustments.

We will be getting more of our food from our local farmers markets. This has been an excellent way to meet the people that are actually growing the food that we are putting into our bodies.

I have learned a great deal about the mass production of food and what it takes to get food from the farm to our tables.

I am also looking at creating a patio garden for some of the easier vegetables and herbs to grow. I hope to write about this journey in future updates.

So far, I have seen some ready made pots at my local home and garden store that I plan to purchase over the next couple of weeks. I do not have a green thumb, so I am leaning on the staff at the home and garden shop to help me in my efforts to be successful as a patio gardener.

This will also be an excellent activity for my kids to get involved in.

Finally, I have signed up for the email newsletters from my local organic markets. If they have a Facebook page, I have also checked ‘LIKE' so that I am able to stay up-to-date with what they are offering for the week.

This has helped me to keep up with all of the sales in the area. This is also a great way to get some wonderful recipes to use with the food that is currently in season.

My advice on giving in to The Big O:

• Do a little research and do not take everything at face value.
• Talk to the staff at your local organic eateries and grocery stores.
• Continue to learn from those that have been growing organically for years.

Your health and your family's health are completely worth it!