#1 -- Selectivly buy organic.  Buy organic produce that is traditionally high in pesticides and skip organic on produce low in pesticides.  For example, bananas naturally take very little if any pesitcides so often times non-organic bananas really are organic.  In my opionion it's not the worth the extra money to buy a certified organic banana.  

Low in Pesticides

• Onions
• Broccoli
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Tomatoes
• Squash & Pumpkin
• Cucumber
• Melons
• Raspberries

High in Pesticides

• Peaches
• Apples
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Lettuce & Spinach
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Carrotts & Parsnips

#2 -- Buy in Bulk.  Fill up your cart in the bulk section with nuts, rice, oatmeal, pancake mix, cereal, beans and lots of other goodies for a fraction of the price.  Also, you can get great deals at places like Costco and Sam's Club.  Consider purchasing bulk items and then splitting them up amoung friends.  Get 2 or 3 friends to go in together on a few cases of different items that all of you need.  Your able to save money without having to store a lifetime supply of ketchup.

#3 -- Make beans & rice a staple in your house.  They are delicious, nutritious, easy to make and cheap!  Just buy organic long-grain brown rice in the bulk section along with your favorite beans (black or red are good ones to start with).  Soaking and preparing beans is probably easier than you think.  Actual hands-on time is minimal.

Preparing Beans

• Sort - pull out debris
• Rinse
• Cover with room temperature water
• Soak for 8-10 hours (over night)
• Rinse
• Cook with fresh water, oil and any type of seasoning
• Bring to a boil
• Reduce Heat
• Cover & Simmer for 30 min. to 3 hours depending on type of bean -- SEE BEAN GUIDE 

Keep a container of prepared beans and rice in your refridgerator and you can whip up a meal in no time.

What to make with your Beans & Rice:

• Fiesta
• HayStacks
• Tacos
• Three Bean Salad
• Cowboy Caviar

#4 -- Consider making your own bread.  It's quite easy, more nutritious than store bought and a fraction of the cost.  You can make a healthy loaf of bread at home for 25-50 cents.  To save time, make a batch of bread and freeze it.  Click here for a super easy receipe and instructions.

#5 -- Plan your meals for the week and base them off the advertised specials.  Also, keep a list of "staples", items that you like to always have on hand.  Each week check to see if any of your "staples" are on special, stock up when they are.  This way you are never paying full price for your "staples".

#6 -- Go to your local famer's market.  You will be supporting local farmers, saving money and getting more nutritious food.  Food that is picked before it's ripe is less nutrient dense than food that is picked when ripe.  You can also stock up on items like large jars of honey.  Studies indicate that eating honey that is local is healthier plus it's much cheaper to buy it in bulk from your local farmer's market.

#7 -- Consider joining a farm share.  You will get a delivery every week (or so) of freshly picked fruits and vegtables in season from a local farm in your area.  It's convenient, inexpensive, nutritious and delicious.  To find a local farm share in MN or WI visit -- http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/csa.html#guide

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