Is Organic Food Worth it?  What Are Our Options?
Through the eyes of two female college students

Abstract

How can one eat a healthy, natural diet that isn’t full of hormones, pesticides and chemicals?  Is buying organic food the answer?  If so, what options are available to college students and the general public?  Is it affordable to eat “right” in today’s environment?  Kirsten and I set out on a journey to discover how much it would cost to buy organic food from different sources.  Since the Whole Foods chain was the first thing that came to our minds when thinking about organic food, we decided to start comparing prices between our local Shop Rite and the Whole Foods chain.  After we started researching organic food online, we stumbled across a website called Local Harvest real food, real farmers, real community.  Local Harvest was concerned with both organic and natural foods, but the website really stresses the importance of buying your food from “local” farmers.  After inputting my zip code into the site, 7th Heaven Farm appeared in my search results, and from there I was directed to their website.  The next day we contacted one of the owners and set up an interview.  What we found after completing our research is that, the average college student/person does have choices when trying to buy healthy food, and whether it’s organic certified or natural, these foods are accessible to college students and the general public, but it may be a little harder to come by, it’s most likely to be double the price, and it seems as though if you are willing to make a commitment to a healthy organic and/or natural diet, you must make a lifestyle change as well.  It’s not about the convenience anymore, rather, it’s about making a commitment to the movement.