Buying organic food is relatively easy these days, as major grocery stores like Kroger and Meijer usually have an aisle dedicated to pesticide-free produce. Unfortunately, the price-tag tends to be higher than “normal” fruit and vegetables. So why bother buying organic? Simple: it’s better for you.

Most produce is injected with hormones and sprayed with pesticides and fertilizer, but organic food is naturally resistant to weather and pests. It’s straight-up Darwinism – only the strong survive! If you’re holding an organic Granny Smith apple in your left hand and a conventionally-grown Granny Smith apple in your right hand, chances are the apple in your left hand is not only free of poisons but is more nutritious than the one in your right.  This is because it’s grown on a tree planted in soil that hasn’t been depleted of nutrients as a result of chemical overload.  And organic food isn’t just better for you – no pesticides means less CFCs in the atmosphere and thus a healthier atmosphere.

For the more carnivorous, organic food is, contrary to popular belief, not just for vegetarians. Organic meat is available for purchase at relatively-common stores like Trader Joe’s and Hiller’s, and it comes from animals that have been fed with organic grains and haven’t been injected with growth hormones. Also, most organic farms allow their animals plenty of exercise and fresh air, unlike the horrific situations PETA details in their campaigns.

For Ann Arbor residents and University of Michigan students, eating organic food couldn’t be easier. The Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market, located in Kerrytown, sets up shop on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. (opening at 8:00 a.m. during the winter) to 3:00 p.m. year-round. May through December, it’s open on Wednesdays, too. Not all of the farmers sell organic produce, so make sure you check before assuming, and since it’s all local, you’re not going to find much more than apples and potatoes during the winter. But the produce is generally cheaper than what you’d find in a supermarket.

The People’s Food Co-op, also located in Kerrytown, on N. Fourth Ave., stocks a wide variety of organic goods. Their organic selection varies, but PFC focuses on food that is free of artificial ingredients, minimally processed/refined, and local and fair trade when available. So even if you’re not buying food that is certified organic, it’s going to be better for you than what you’d find at Meijer.

Kerrytown is the closest place to campus that has organic food, but a short bus ride will get students and Ann Arbor residents alike to Trader Joe’s (on E. Stadium) or Whole Foods Market (on Washtenaw). Both these stores claim to only sell products free of artificial and genetically modified ingredients. As an added bonus, they’re also a great place to go if you have food allergies as everything is clearly labeled. Trader Joe’s in particular has a great selection of gluten-free goods.

Students who are interested in organic food but don’t have the time to jump into it head-first might be interested in the student co-ops.* Several houses try to purchase only organic food, and dinners are usually eaten together Sunday through Thursdays, which makes it an easy way to incorporate a more natural diet into your lifestyle.

If you’re stuck in the dorms (by choice or otherwise), bug the cafeteria chefs for more organic options!

*Disclaimer – I live in a co-op, and I love it.

People's Food Co-op

(above image source)