For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page.

Eating healthy in today’s world on a tight budget can be tricky, especially since the organic label — that is, foods grown how they used to be grown before the days of chemical pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) — often carries with it a higher price tag. But there are ways to provide the best quality foods for your family without breaking the bank.

The group Only Organic, which advocates for safer food production through organic cultivation methods, has come up with some helpful tips for getting the best bang for your buck when shopping for clean food. If you play it smart, incorporating more organic food into your everyday diet can actually become a cheaper alternative to the standard American diet.

1) Watch for sales and shop around. It might take a little more effort, but finding the best deals among several different grocery stores can cut your food bills substantially. Find which products are available for the best prices at individual stores and hit up each one of them on your regular grocery trip. You might be surprised how much you can save!

2) Buy in bulk. Believe it or not, many healthy grocers provide bulk or case discounts on a variety of products. For non-perishable items, stocking up on these can save quite a bit of money in the long run. For perishables, getting a few friends together to buy regularly and split can provide savings of 10 percent or more, depending on the store.

3) Use coupons. Coupon shopping isn’t just for conventional grocery stores anymore, as many healthy and organic stores now offer coupon books, often at the entrance or on a little carousel at the service desk. Many organic manufacturers also offer coupons directly on their websites or through email, providing savings that may not be widely advertised.

4) Shop private labels. Many stores now carry private-label or “generic” organic brands that are cheaper than the big names. And as organics increase in popularity, this will only become more widespread. Just be sure to carefully read the ingredients labels to look for unhealthy offenders like refined sugar and processed flour, which may be hiding.