Walking down the aisle with your grocery cart you have many choices to pick from. Do I want the organic milk that cost $4 per liter or do I want the non-organic milk that cost $2 per liter? This is the weekly routine for many Americans and one that go through with my family – deciding whether to go organic. It usually ends with going on the organic side because it is healthier. However, this is not the case anymore.

In the Dec.3 issue of TIME magazine, Dr Mehmet Oz argues in the article “What To Eat Now” that some of the most healthiest and tastiest food that is there is the most ordinary and also the least expensive. And after reading the article, I have to agree with Oz.

Oz stated that throughout the past decade, the rise of organic and local produces has branded it the premium price tag. While people in Clayton can probably afford all those goodies, but does that mean we want to spend more for our food but get the same nutritional value as non-organic food?

For example, between the regular eggs and cage free eggs, Oz stated there is no difference in nutrition at all between the two eggs expect the prices and the way the chickens are being confined. The average cage-free eggs cost around $3.29, and the average cost of regular egg is $1.69, which is a bargain. By choosing the regular egg, you can save $1.60.

In another example, Oz stated that their is no difference between the organic and regular peanut butter except that the organics peanut butter will most likely come in a glass as opposed to a plastic jar, and by choosing regular peanut butter will save you a average of $4. The regular peanut butter also comes with an average of 20 calories less than the organic peanut butter (just be cautious of the partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) that often come in regular brands).

In another study done in April of 2012 by dietitian Cathy Kapica of Tufts University about the cost of food of canned foods and their fresh counterparts, Kapica showed that canned foods always came on the top in terms of price.

This does not mean that choosing the canned food is always the right choice. Their is many factors that can make a canned produce become unhealthy, like sodium and BPA can liners. But take those out of the equation and you get a nutrition rich produce that is cheaper and tasty too. All you have to do is study the label.

In Clayton, we might not think that this is a big deal since we have the privilege of enjoying good and fresh foods often. However, this is revolutionary to people living in poverty and food stamps.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau done in 2010, 15.1 percent of Americans live in poverty based upon family income. And people who live in the most poverty-dense counties are most prone to obesity.

According to Feeding America, the average person on food stamp is about $33 per week. That does not leave many choices for healthy food which drives the purchase of processed foods, which are high in calories and fats.

In the end, it does not matter what you eat, what matters is the nutrition you are getting into your body. In Clayton, we might not think this is important, but I encourage you, the next time you go to the supermarket, pick the less expensive option. Not only it will still be nutritionally sound for your body, but you will save a couple of bucks too.