Food

Healthy Food For Your Family, For Less

PINECREST (CBS4) ― We all want to feed our families fruits and vegetables without chemicals or pesticides. But with food prices skyrocketing many are finding it even more difficult to buy organic produce at grocery stores. There is another way though, that you can buy organic produce at a savings thanks to one creative South Florida mom.

Every other week, Donna Kass' home is literally transformed into an organic produce market. With the help of some friends, she sorts weighs and bags the fruits and vegetables.

As the host of the Organic Produce Buying Club of South Florida's Pinecrest group, Kass receives a pallet full of certified organic produce every other week.

It then gets divided into 35 pound bags, one for each member at a cost of forty-three dollars.

Buying club member Robin Connell says it is a great deal. "I think it is cheaper than Whole Foods, Wild Oats, even Publix," Connell told CBS4's Liv Davalos.

Kass agrees. "It brings organics to I think everybody. It really makes it affordable."

That is exactly why Jayme Rosenbaum started the Organic Produce Buying Club in South Florida. She saw a need and decided to fill it.

"Some of my members would definitely not be able to buy organic produce unless we were around, so it makes me feel good," said Rosenbaum.

Frustrated with high prices and the quality of produce at local health food stores, Rosenbaum decided to cut out the middle man, buying straight from organic farms. It saves members up to thirty percent.

"A buying club buys in volume so with all the people pooling together their money, that keeps the prices low and passes along the savings to members," explained Rosenbaum.

And she says the idea has caught on fast. Groups have sprouted up all over Southeast Florida.

Her husband Howard Rosenbaum even had to quit his day job to help keep up with the demand. He says "Right now we have over fifty groups with fifteen members in each group.

For many it's not just the amount of produce for the price that makes this the way to shop. Members like Melita Calpakis say the difference is in the taste.

"At stores, the produce there just sits on the shelf for more than a week, the lettuce here when you bite into it, it's actually crisp," said Calpakis.

Click Here for more information on the Organic Produce Buying Club of South Florida, just visit their web site or send an e-mail to info@organicbuyingclubsofla.com.

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