What’s the difference between organic and non-organic foods? The difference between organic and non-organic (conventional) food has to do with how food is produced. For example, organic food like vegetables, fruit, eggs, milk and meat is produced without: Synthetic (human-made) pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

Here are five ways you can eat organic on any budget.

1. Go Big Time. Shop the bulk aisles for organic beans and grains to save some cash.
2. Put it on Ice. You can use coupons to snag more deals in your grocery store’s frozen section.
3. Learn the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15.
4. Go Meatless on Mondays.
5. Grow Your Own.

Is organic food more nutritious than regular food? Organic foods are not healthier, per se, in terms of nutrients. You are still getting the same benefits in conventionally grown foods as you are in organic foods.

The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. While the regulations vary from country to country, in the U.S., organic crops must be grown must be grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, or bioengineered genes (GMOs).

Lifespan. Organic products usually don’t last as long as non-organic foods. This is because they don’t contain preservatives. Organic foods, especially produce, can go bad quicker.

Tips to increase shelf life of veggies Remove any rubber bands or any strings tying the vegetables before storing. Herbs like coriander and mint should be washed just before use. Chop off the roots and store. In case of root vegetables like radish, carrots and beets removing the leaves extends their shelf life.

Prices tend to be higher for organic than conventional products. The organic food supply is limited as compared to demand. Production costs for organic foods are typically higher because of greater labor input and because farmers don’t produce enough of a single product to lower the overall cost.

Organic milk lasts longer because producers use a different process to preserve it. According to the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the milk needs to stay fresh longer because organic products often have to travel farther to reach store shelves since it is not produced throughout the country.

According to Scientific American, organic milk lasts longer thanks to the process of ultrahigh temperature (UHT) treatment. This process kills any bacteria lurking in the milk, which believe it or not, is actually the key difference in why organic milk takes longer to expire.

Consumers of organic food give “better taste” as the major reason for purchasing organic fruits and vegetables. Second, the levels of some phenolic compounds are known to be higher in organic fruits and vegetables and third, many sellers, distributors and promoters of organic food claim that organic foods taste better.

Look for the word “organic” on vegetables or pieces of fruit, or on the sign above the organic produce display. The word “organic” may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Foods labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only organic ingredients.

If a multi-ingredient food is labeled organic, at least 95 percent of the ingredients are certified organic, excluding salt and water. The nonorganic items must be from a USDA list of approved additional ingredients. These also may have a USDA seal.

Those created from natural sources are often called organic products. But no matter whether they are created in a test tube or are derived from a plant, if they are labeled as killing a pest, they are a pesticide. That is the law. The bottom line is, organically produced fruits and vegetables may not be pesticide-free.