the scrimpyDeal

Even though it’s a drag, it’s way easier and cheaper to eat a bunch of processed junk from the Brigham Circle Stop and Shop than navigate Whole Foods and pay out the you-know-what for a small (reusable canvas, anyone?) bag of organic vegetables. In this economy, it’s hard to justify paying more for seemingly the SAME thing. It’s really not the same, though, which I’ll go into later (eating organic and whole foods is worth the extra and many times doesn’t even have to be extra).

My point is this – through a ton of research I’ve done, I’ve found a lot of ways we here in Boston can live Whole Foods on a Stop and Shop budget without being typical smug Whole Foods (WF) customers. You know, the ones with the piles of out-of-season fresh produce and the precut vegetables and fruit? Never in my life did I think I’d be a WF devotee, I was Trader Joe’s (TJ) through and through! Hardcore! However, with a little commitment and effort, you really can eat healthier (and cheaper!) by buying from both stores (aaaand WF is sooo much closer to me in the North End).

I’ve spent countless hours online and at grocery stores comparing everything – prices, nutrition, and overall value in Boston. I figured it’d be helpful to create a resource for all of us Bostonians looking to live on a budget in a healthy way. By working healthy foods into your diet little by little, you can improve your overall health, lose weight, and save money. (I almost just had a heart attack as the birthday banner I hung for my boyfriend fell from the ceiling – I don’t know what I thought it was – but apparently my heart thought it was something quite dangerous…I digress…)

Although some would consider me to be a bit "crunchy", people who actually fancy themselves "crunchy" may not agree.

• I don't eat all organic, but 100% try to when it comes to high-pesticide residue foods.
  
• I don't cloth diaper my baby, but that's just because I really can't, I don't have a washer and there's no diaper services in Boston - but i DO make my own disposable and reusable baby wipes. I bake my own bread, but my flour is still not organic.
  
• I only use Dr. Bronner's all-natural/vegan/organic soap for my body and hair, but I wear Chanel foundation.
  
• I drink out of my SIGG stainless steel bottle, but I use a Brita filter on my faucet...no fancy reverse osmosis for me.
  

ANYWAYS! The point is that while not being 100% au-naturel, I'm trying to be more natural and organic, and trying to do that on an extremely tight budget. I hope that you can take some helpful hints away from this blog. Some people feel overwhelmed at all the choices we have to make between processed and natural, but I'm here to help you realize that natural doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg in Boston, nor does it have to be all-or-nothing. I hope to help Bostonians on a budget by researching real-time price information so that you can make informed decisions. I believe you'll find that with a little effort, your dollar goes a bit further here in the city.

If there's something in the city you'd like me to check out, or have any questions, just let me know! I'd be happy to help you explore the city, and will probably learn something new myself.

Happy Reading!
xo
Taylor