Got Milk? The Debate Whether to Go Organic

There is a real balancing act when you mix kids with a budget. Most of us have finite resources, so at different stages it might be helping your child buy a used Ford Focus versus a new BMW, Montclair State versus Drew U., shopping at Aeropostale versus Abercrombie, or, at my daughter’s age, organic milk versus non-organic milk.

When I got the go-ahead for my daughter to start on cow’s milk, my husband and I decided we would always try to buy organic milk. We reasoned that our daughter, a milk fiend, gets a great deal of her calories from milk and that given the fact that there are certain emerging sciences like using growth hormones to increase milk, we would rather err on the side of caution. 

What is organic milk?

Certified organic milk contains no pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. Many brands of milk, such as Walmart’s privately labeled Great Value brand, pledge only that they are growth-hormone free.

There are dissenting views as to whether organic milk is preferable. According to the National Dairy Council's website, “The definition of organic milk refers to farm management practices, not to the milk itself. Stringent government standards ensure that both organic milk and regular milk are wholesome, safe and nutritious.”

A study published in January in The Journal of Dairy Science concluded that, “Organic milk had higher concentrations of beneficial fatty acids (FA) than conventional milk, including total polyunsaturated fatty acids.”

Levels of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat, which some studies have indicated boosts heart health, averaged more than 57 percent higher. Amounts of conjugated linolenic acid, which other studies have linked to cancer prevention, weight control and reducing cholesterol, were one-third higher in organic varieties.

 Pricing organic milk at local stores

Although I’m aware of milk prices where I usually shop, I thought it would be interesting to look at all of the local circulars and perform a cost-comparsion.

Here is a quick rundown of prices for a half-gallon of organic milk, which I compared from various circulars and online sites of local grocery stores:

• $2.99—Woodstock Farms Organic Milk available at Grassroots Natural Market, Denville
• $3.69—ShopRite organic milk (store brand), available at ShopRite in Parsippany and Morris Plains
• $3.69—Nature’s Promise organics milk at Stop & Shop, Morris Plains
• $3.99—Horizon organic available at Pathmark in Parsippany

The best deal I’ve found so far is $5.69 for a whole gallon at ShopRite (most stores do not sell organic milk by the gallon), which is about 30 percent less than buying two half-gallons from ShopRite and 40 percent less than the most expensive listed price at Pathmark.  A non-organic gallon of ShopRite’s milk is only $3.79, a bit more than 30 percent less than ShopRite’s organic gallon.

Sometimes frugal is equated with cheap, which is not necessarily true. Frugal can be buying a product that you prefer, but looking around to find the best price for that specific item.

Let me know your thoughts. I’m interested in whether you think organic milk is worth the extra money and whether you are brand or store loyal when it comes to purchasing this or other organic products.