Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half! with Stephanie Nelson, The Coupon Mom
As Seen On:

Supermarket Shopper Column

by Stephanie Nelson

October 2007

How to Find Organic Coupons

 

As shoppers become more selective in making healthy choices at the supermarket, many shoppers are opting for organic grocery products.  In the past, organic shoppers had to make a special trip to buy organic foods, as they were only available at specialty natural and health food markets.  Today, almost every type of grocery store and supermarket has a selection of organic foods as shopper demand for organic food increases.
 

To stay competitive, traditional supermarkets have increased their selection of natural and organic foods. This makes sense, since most shoppers buy some organic items but also need traditional grocery staples.  Being able to buy everything they need at one store is a convenience every shopper appreciates. 
 

One of the challenges to becoming an organic shopper is finding affordable options.  Most organic grocery products are more expensive than their non-organic options.  If a household is buying just a few organic items each week, the impact on their household’s grocery spending is minimal.  However, making a complete conversion to buying only organic dairy, meat, cereals, snacks, juices and produce will definitely impact a household’s grocery budget. 
 

The good news for organic shoppers is that there are a fair amount of coupons available for organic foods.  For example, companies like Mambo Sprouts provide coupons to shoppers in two different ways.  First, they provide shoppers with a coupon booklet distributed in about 1,000 retail outlets four times a year. Additionally, the booklets are mailed three times a year to 385,000 health, natural, and organic product consumers in the metro and suburban areas of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver/Boulder, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. A special holiday booklet is produced and distributed in Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats during the busy holiday season. Shoppers can also print coupons directly from the Mambo Sprouts website.
 

Do a search of your favorite organic food manufacturers’ websites to find organic coupons.  You can easily print coupons for dairy products and yogurts from Stonyfield Farms at www.stonyfield.com.  Look for the coupon and promotion sections to find more printable coupons at sites like www.organicvalley.com, www.scojuice.com , www.colemannatural.com .  
 

Individual health food stores also have printable coupon sites for many natural products.  You can print these “health ecoupons” at any natural food store website and use them locally.  I found a great coupon section at www.shopnaturesoasis.com, which is actually a health food store in Durango, Colorado.  But their coupons are for national brands, so you can use them at any store that carries these products. I found these easily by doing a search for “organic coupons.”  Search these terms and more to make sure you are taking advantage of the coupon savings available for your favorite organic products. 
 

You should also sign up for the email newsletter or traditional newsletter of your favorite natural and organic food stores.  You will receive news of special promotions, coupons, and perhaps educational seminars held at the store.   
 

Contact organic food manufacturers directly to request that coupons be mailed to you.  If you send a polite email with your address, you may be pleasantly surprised.  You can also call the toll-free phone numbers listed on the sites to request coupons. 
 

Once a year, many organic food manufacturers join together to raise awareness of organic foods during Earth Day in April called “Go Organic.”  The sponsoring organization distributes a generous coupon booklet in retail stores filled with coupons for organic foods.  You can learn more about organic food choices at their website www.organicearthday.org.  Watch for the free coupon booklet in April! 
 

 Source:  Supermarket Shopper, a United Media feature