Collegiate Times

On a typical trip to the grocery store, I used to look at the organic and "all natural" sections of the grocery store as nothing more than a few aisles down which I didn't have to push my cart.

I've never been big on "lightly salted" chips, organic pancake mix or "all natural" peanut butter, mostly because, I have to say, I eat chips largely for the salt; I was unaware that organic pancake mix existed; and the very sight of an inch of oil floating over that "all natural" peanut butter has never made me think, "Mmm, I'd like to spread that on my toast in the morning."

I have nothing against organic foods. In fact, they're probably healthier and maybe even taste better than the food many of us tend to eat, which we all know has been processed and pumped with chemicals for one reason or another, but I've never ventured to the organic aisles on my own.

So I ventured into "Nature's Place" (Food Lion) and "From Around the World" (Kroger), the organic sections at our local grocery stores. They have everything in there. I was amazed at the extensive variety stored in such a small section in each store. From natural chips (no preservatives, artificial flavors or artificial colors -- simply potatoes, expeller-pressed sunflower oil and sea salt) in flavors such as Island Jerk and Buffalo Bleu to veggie chips, chocolate covered soy nuts and sports drinks. And of course, I think there was one of everything organic. baby food, salsa, breakfast bars, cookies, toaster pastries, crackers, coffee, milk and other dairy products, brownies, pasta, spaghetti sauce, spices, frozen pizza and burritos, meatless meatballs, soy burgers and sausages, shaving cream, shampoo, lotion -- who knew there were organic and/or natural versions of practically everything in the entire store packed into a few aisles at the back end of the produce section?

But what exactly do the terms "organic" and "natural" mean? They are, in fact, slightly different. According to the "Nature's Place" section of Food Lion's Web site, "all natural" refers to "products that are free of synthetics, preservatives, and/or have undergone minimal processing." The word "organic" refers to a system of agriculture, which aims to strike a balance between nature and the farming process and uses methods that have a low impact on the environment. Soil must be free of prohibited substances for three years before foods grown in it can be certified as organic.

Both grocery stores also have a variety of frozen foods designed for active, but natural, lifestyles. In these areas, you'll find meatless alternatives, soy products, pastas, pizzas and frozen veggies.

The health and beauty items, such as shaving cream, shampoo, deodorant and lotion are nature-friendly in that they have not been tested on animals.

Both Kroger and Food Lion have fairly wide selections considering the small sections devoted to natural and organic foods, but each store offers slightly different options. Kroger has a wide variety of individual natural food products, such as peanut butters, sauces and mixes, while Food Lion seems to have more prepared foods, such as frozen pizzas, burritos, fries and pasta dinners.

However, one aspect both stores shared was price. Very simply (and perhaps a little ironically), you pay for the lack of pesticides, processing and chemicals. At both grocery stores, natural and organic foods were nearly twice as expensive as their traditional counterparts. So while organic foods might taste great and the health benefits are fairly obvious, the fact is that eating green will cost you some green.

But after wandering through the natural and organic food sections of the nearby grocery stores, perhaps I'll push my cart down those aisles after all. Beyond the health benefits, some of the food in those aisles is just plain different for a change because these sections also tend to include foreign cuisine. From Pad Thai noodles to pesto tortellini or even a Boca soy spicy chicken sandwich, I'll be the first to admit that more than a few foods in these once overlooked sections of the grocery stores seem well worth a try.

So in honor of Earth Day, which is now less than a month away, the Earth Day Network urges you to "Go Organic! For the planet, for your neighbors, for your family, for you."