Paige Wolf is a mom and the author of "Spit That Out: The Overly Informed Parent's Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt."
"You will pay more for organic food, but it's worth it," Wolf says. "I'm not going to say that you can walk out of Whole Foods saving 80% on your bill, but you can certainly save 20%-25%."
You may not find coupons for organic products in the Sunday newspaper, but they do exist.
"Almost every manufacturer does have coupons" Wolf says. "You just have to know how to get to them. If you sign up on brand manufacturers' sites, you can get coupons with newsletters, and also check their social media, because they're posting special deals and coupons all the time."
Paige also gets coupons from websites including Recyclebank, Mambo Sprouts.com and Organic Deals.com.
Before shopping at Whole Foods, she matches her coupons with deals in the weekly circular.
In beauty products, she picks up Kiss My Face wash. It was priced at $4.99, but she used a $2.00 coupon. At a final price of $2.99, the cost was comparable to a conventional brand, like Softsoap. But Wolf says, "It's much better for your body and better for the planet."
In the cereal aisle, she uses a $2 coupon for Kashi that's on sale for $3.59, bringing the cost down to $1.59.
Wolf also buys whole chickens, which are less expensive than parts, bulk beans, grains and nuts, and she says -- in certain cases -- you can save by buying conventional produce.
The key, Wolf says, is remembering the "Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean 15." "The dirty dozen, you should always buy organic if possible," she says. "The clean 15, are things with less pestcide residue so, if you need to buy them conventional, it's a little bit better."
You can get a iPhone app or printout a wallet card that lists the produce categories if you click here.
Wolf also suggests joining a Community Shared Agriculture program to get seasonal fresh produce throughout the year. And she says you can freeze items you want to save for out-of-season use.
