Shopping the Organic Food Store Near You

Organic food stores are cropping up all over the nation. Many big-chain retailers now feature an organic line of products available to the consumer, while specialty shops are appearing across the land. Chances are good that if you live in a mid-sized city or up there's one within biking distance, if not walking. But how to get the most use out of an organic food store?

Be A Street Smart Shopper

Many people believe that organic foods are healthier for them—it makes sense, since you're not putting chemicals that kill bugs inside your own body. But don't buy anything that catches your eye at your local organic foods store. That organic ice cream still contains fat and sugar, while those organic roast beef may make you sick if you eat it raw.

What's It Take To Be Organic?

With all the advertising these days, it's hard to know what's what when you buy anything. This is especially true when you're walking down the aisles of a food store. Most Organic food has had to be certified since1990, with the Organic Foods Act passed by Congress. More recently, cuts of meat have been certifiable by the USDA as organic. These are the labels you want to look for.

When a food with several ingredients, like a cereal, is labeled organic, that means that 90% of the contents pass organic standards. If you see something in the organic food store that says, "made with organic ingredients" you can safely bet that over 70% of the ingredients are organic. Finally, if only a few of the ingredients are organic, food producers are permitted to show which ones on the packaging.

Organic Produce: The Secret Is In The PLU

Organic produce reputedly tastes better than conventional. Many people find that adhering to more natural growing processes and keeping the field or orchard as free of chemicals as possible is simply the best way to manifest great fruit. In fact, that is why many three- and four- star restaurants insist on organic produce only in making their dishes.

If something in an organic food store is claimed to be organic, there's a simple way you can confirm this. Look at the sticker. This should have a four- or five-digit number on it, the PLU. Four is for conventional items, while a five-digit number beginning with 9 is for organic produce. But watch out! PLU's can come in five digits beginning with an eight, in which case the item is genetically-modified.