How to Save on Organic Food at Winco

You can knock out most of your organic grocery list at Winco if you know where to look! Here's how to save on organic food at Winco.

When you think organic, typically expensive health food stores come to mind. When I started shopping at Winco, I was surprised to find that they have many organic options. I had basically given up on eating organic because I did not think I could afford it on a student budget. However, I was surprised to find that many organic items were in my reach at Winco. Rather than having a specific organic aisle like some supermarkets, they have their organic foods mixed in with like items and marked with blue stickers. I love this system because I can walk down the canned foods aisle, for example, and scan the shelves for blue stickers. Here are my tips on how to save on organic food at Winco.

How to Save on Organic Food at Winco

Organic Meat – This was the number one organic food I was certain I could not afford. I was surprised to find organic chicken and beef options at Winco for lower prices than almost anywhere else. The prices are already lower than most grocery stores, but I like to watch for meat that is close to the use/freeze by date – Winco will put a sticker on these with the sale price. The prices go way down even though it is super easy to just stick it in the freezer when you get home.

Organic Eggs and Milk – Winco carries several brands of organic milk. If you are dairy-free, you can also find organic soy milk and other milk alternatives in both the dairy and baking aisles. They are one of my favorite places to go for eggs because they carry both organic and cage-free eggs.

Produce – Winco does not carry much organic produce, besides packaged salads. However, you do not have to buy all of your produce organic – just the fruits and vegetables with high pesticide exposure. It cracks me up when I see organic spaghetti squash and bananas because these thick-skinned fruits require very little pesticide and you obviously would not want to eat the skin anyway. I buy vegetables from the Environmental Working Group's “Clean Fifteen” at Winco because of the low prices and buy the handful of “Dirty Dozen” items I need at other stores.

Pantry Staples – Winco is a great place to stock up on organic pantry staples. They have great deals on organic canned beans that cost right around a dollar. They also have a great selection of organic broths and soups, which you can usually find in the baking aisle. You might be surprised to find how many of your organic baking ingredients you can find at Winco if you scan the baking aisle for blue stickers!

Bulk-Food Staples – I love Winco's bulk food section because you can save big on a lot of health food items. My local Winco's bulk food section has organic brown rice, red quinoa, oatmeal, buckwheat, sugar, and some flours too. All of these items are expensive if you buy the packaged options available at most stores, but you can get the same amount for just a couple bucks in bulk.