Deciding whether to buy organic groceries can have a significant impact on your wallet. Data shows many people are still willing to spend more for the type of food they buy.
Maria Barrata shops organic — and she does it for herself and her dog. She currently spends about $100 more per week on organic items.
"I want what's healthiest inside my body ... and even for my dog, I shop organic."
Data from LendingTree.com shows organic produce and vegetables cost 59% more than non-organic food. But Barrata says the price tag doesn't deter her.
"It's more expensive, but if it's actually organic, it's worth the price."
A study by WorldMetrics.org shows 63% of people share that sentiment and are willing to pay more for organic food. The biggest driver: 81% of people believe organic food is healthier.
Christopher Heslin, director of the Positive Choice Integrated Wellness Center for Kaiser Permanente, says shoppers should look for the USDA organic symbol to confirm a product is legitimate.
"If you're wanting to shop organic you want to make sure that it does have this USDA organic symbol on it that just basically certifies that it went through the rigorous process for it to actually be organic."
For those who don't want to spend the extra money, Heslin says there are other ways to eat healthy. He suggests looking for produce and vegetables that have an outer layer, which tend to be less expensive and can help minimize exposure to chemicals.
"Bananas, pineapples, avocados, things like that, cabbages where you're going to peel off that outer layer like in onions."
Heslin also recommends checking the frozen food section for items that are out of season, where shoppers can often find better deals — including on organic options.
"These are both organic blueberries. This is the fresh blueberry pack right now out of season, very expensive. There are frozen blueberries, also organic; you get more for your money."
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