I can't help much with the meat and dairy because I don't buy meat or much dairy, but if you're also thinking about other items, see if you have an Aldi's near you, and maybe check out their selection of organic products and produce. Sometimes you have to hunt a little for it, but the prices are excellent and I've never had quality issues. I was there earlier today and bought organic

apples
spinach
salad mix
butter
honey
salsa (we weren't sure about this, but it was really good!)
cherry tomatoes

The selection varies a lot and sometimes things appear and disappear--I get the sense they're testing the waters on this. We've also seen a few kinds of organic cheese there from time to time and my mom in FL gets organic milk at hers, though I've not seen it around here. They often have random stuff too like organic cereal, pasta, snack stuff, and canned items. Like I said, it's not everything, but worth a look if one is close to you.

The other thing we took a long hard look at is where else we could cut our spending. Everyone looks to food because it seems like the most adjustable. You could reduce spending in other areas if clean eating is that important to you. Look at big ticket items - cut cable, use a pay as you go not-smart phone, eliminate a vehicle.

People have said it: very little meat, cheese, and dairy. We are on a strict budget. We do a CSA for our vegetables, and I freeze what we don't use right away for the non-CSA months. Summer = veggie heavy diet, Winter = grain/bean heavy diet. I shop at MOMs for bulk grains and beans, and the prices are much better than the grocery store. Beans are $1.29/lb or so, where as a bag of non-organic beans at the grocery are more, usually, depending on the type. If it comes in a package, I don't buy it.

I fall of the wagon, of course - my kid loves all sorts of packaged crap, and because it is already crap, I don't buy organic crap. He gets as much organic milk as he likes, but aside from that his "indulgences" are conventional.

On the blueberries...yes, very expensive and my son LOVES them. Try frozen. They are much less expensive, and my son loves them straight from the freezer, little frozen yummy treats.

And I totally, totally agree that it is much healthier to eat conventional fruits and veggies rather than cut back on fruit and veg so you can only eat them organically. Never do that. But if you avoid packaged things and meat, you might find you can afford organic milk for the kids and a pound or two of grass fed meat per week.

You may have to compromise with your produce selection. Berries are incredibly expensive. Bananas are not. Look at what is in season and what is on sale. Frozen fruit (and veggies) are usually frozen when they are ripe and are nutritious choices, plus they're not go bad right away.

Very true. Blueberries are $3-4/quart in season. $5-6/pint, or sometimes /half-pint, the rest of the year when they have to be flown in from god-knows-where. Same is true for other berries.

Buy what's in season in this area; it will be cheaper.

I second avoiding the dirty dozen and eating less meat/ dairy. I don't drink milk (not against it, just don't really care for it) so that's not an expense. I also don't buy all organic but I try to get a fair amount of stuff... Really depends on how much money I feel like spending that week.

You may have to compromise with your produce selection. Berries are incredibly expensive. Bananas are not. Look at what is in season and what is on sale. Frozen fruit (and veggies) are usually frozen when they are ripe and are nutritious choices, plus they're not go bad right away.

For veggies- sweet potatoes are cheap, carrots are so cheap. I love roasting vegetables - carrots, peppers, onions and potatoes- in the oven during the winter. So good. See what produce is offered at decent prices. Good luck!

Agree on eating much less meat and dairy to save. I found that buying at MOM's, I ended up spending about the same as my grocery trips to the regular grocery store. If I buy my grains etc in bulk it certainly reduces the cost. Also, less inclined to buy packaged organic cookies and those type products than I would be to just throw a few treats into my cart at the standard grocery store. My husband and I can make it a full week on all organic food from MOM's for about $150. Everyone's budget certainly varies but that includes food to make ourselves packed lunches, so it certainly feels like a good deal when we consider that it is all organic and unprocessed. Trader Joe's also seems to be a good value for organic fruits and some veggies from my experience.

I pretty much could have written this. I agree that (a) to save, cut meat and dairy way, way back, and (b) cut out all processed foods (or as near to all as you can). It's the stuff that comes in boxes, cellophane bags, and cans that kills you. (Your budget, anyway, though it's none too good for your health either.) Cut that stuff, and you'll be able to afford the produce, grains, beans, and a modest amount of meat.

If $600/month for a family, with work lunches, is too steep and you're trying to do it for half that, well, you're going to have some problems. (Though I'd think you'd run into those problems in the regular grocery store too. Meat and dairy aside, organic's not THAT much more expensive.)

If you want to eat as much meat as you want on $75/week, can't help you. You're in Smithfield/Oscar Meyer/factory farm territory.