I often get comments that eating an "organic" diet is too expensive for the average family. In this article I want to dispel this myth to some extent and help those of you who are ready for change this January to get started!

1. Get a Quality Foods Card today! This is not just your average collect points type of card. This card allows the buyer to create their own in- store special every day of the week. Apply for the card then carry it with you constantly. Every time you are in Quality Foods take one of your favourite food items (they must be bar coded) and "blip it" with the machine. Ask their staff to show you how it works. Once blipped this new price will show up at the front till. You are allowed four of this single item per day. Using this technique I rarely pay more than $2.50 per tetra pack of Almond Breeze almond milk. We have developed a list of foods that we want at that store and whenever we are driving by we pop in to take advantage of this daily special. They sell our favourite Organic Hemp Plus Granola by Nature's Path, organic olive oil, organic tomatoe sauces, Millionaire Sardines, organic teas, Vita Organic Omega 3 eggs, organic canola oil, Amy's organic soups, organic ginger ale, organic pomegranate juice and a few organic fruits and vegetables. 

2. Keep on eye on the Save On Foods flyer. They often have certified organic chicken and beef on sale. These of course freeze well. 

3. Thrifty Foods Alex Campbell meat is a close second to certified organic meat. There are no antibiotics, growth promotants or animal by products added and their meat is traceable and raised with environmental stewardship. Thrifty Foods also have very good organic produce. 

4. Superstore is also developing a large stock of organic foods including vegetables and packaged foods. Check out their Presidents Choice brands as well. They come with a money back satisfaction guarantee and are of high quality. Lately we have found good prices on Organic Virgin Olive oil, organic tomato sauces and organic butter which also freezes well. 

5. To keep your precious organic produce fresh invest in "Evert-Fresh green bags". These bags available in various sizes keep produce fresh twice as long as regular bags. They are washable and reused and available at 1-800-567-3034 and just tell them that they aren't available at stores in Campbell River and they will ship them to you. 

6. Get your organic produce delivered to your door! By ordering a box once every two weeks you will keep yourself well stocked. Contact Audrey's organics on Quadra Island 285-2114 or Small Potatoes 250-383-7969 www.spud.ca 

7. Healthway Vitamins Plus in Campbell River and Quadra Foods on Quadra Island are also two good sources of organic foods of all types and they carry hard to find foods such as 100% rice wraps. 

8. Eating out: recently I found out that Pattison Organic Farms is supplying the Riptide Marine Pub and a lot of their food is organic. 

9. An update on low mercury level tuna: Heidi's Seafood here in town and St. Jeans in Nanaimo, sells the small sized albacore tuna which is low in mercury. Other tuna, albacore or not, may have high levels of mercury.

Happy New Year and may 2007 be full of healthy changes for you!