How to stay organic & fresh without spending too much green?

Are you as nervous about the economy as I am? All of these uncertainties about Wall Street and the impact on the economy and job security have got me rattled. My family is trying to cut back everywhere, and it's made grocery shopping a real challenge. I look at the milk section. I could spend hours looking at the milk section. Do I spend $7 on a gallon of organic milk or half that on a gallon of non-organic, rBST-free milk. Do I continue to spend $5/dozen on the local, pasture-raised chicken eggs from the farmer's market, or do I go with the so-called 'free-range' eggs for $2.50/dozen at the grocery store? I try to focus on the long-term impacts: definitely want to support local and organic farmers and definitely want to feed my family the healthiest food possible. Knowing that I could probably slice my grocery bill in half, though, does make it tempting to choose the less expensive options.

One bright spot: a friend is giving us his upright freezer for free. So I can justify a trip to the distant bakery outlet where our expensive sandwich bread is discounted and buy up ten loaves at once. When that organic chicken is on sale, we can load up. Cutting back on our consumption of meat would definitely help us save money. And given the amount of organic yogurt we eat around here, I think it's finally time to try making our own. But, at the end of October our CSA program will be over for the year, and I'll be back to paying a premium for veggies at the grocery store. It's a real juggle.

Are you feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Are you making any trade-offs? What are your best tips for feeding your family the freshest, healthiest food possible without breaking the bank?

[And, hey, Portlanders. Have you been wanting to try out New Seasons' home delivery? If you click on their ad on our sidebar, you can try your first delivery for FREE. It's typically $9.95. Give it a try! I've used this service a ton, and I do find that when I shop online I can save money because I'm not tempted to impulsively buy stuff we don't really need. Plus, while I'm shopping online I can check the pantry and fridge to see what we already have.]