Is Organic Milk Worth the Extra Cost?

The most common reason people don’t choose organic milk is because of the cost. Why is organic milk more expensive than non-organic milk – and is it with the extra cost?

Organic milk costs more to produce, making it more expensive for the consumer. Whether or not it’s worth the extra cost comes down to your lifestyle, personal preferences, budget, and perceived benefit from choosing organic milk.

We’ll explore all of these considerations in this article so you can decide for yourself!

What is organic milk?

Organic milk is produced from cows without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, and added hormones. The cows that produce organic milk aren’t treated with antibiotics or growth hormones (though the use of bovine growth hormone is rare these days due to consumer demand), and their feed wasn’t treated with pesticides or non-organic fertilizers.

If milk isn’t organic, it’s considered “conventional”, or “regular” milk. The cows that produce “regular” milk can be treated with antibiotics, and their feed might have been treated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Organic milk can be slightly higher in certain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, iron, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids (a type of antioxidant) compared to regular milk – but this will vary depending on the cow’s diet and other factors.

Is organic milk better?

Whether or not organic milk is “better” is a bit of a subjective question. 

Conventional milk is still a good source of nutrients like protein, calcium, and vitamin D, making it a nutrient-dense choice. Plus, the levels of things like added hormones and pesticides in regular milk are considered low and safe to consume. 

For instance, the use of bovine growth hormone (used to increase milk production in cows) is considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization, and National Institutes of Health. (Remember that this hormone is rarely used in cows anymore due to consumer demand.)

If you value organic foods due to your preferences and lifestyle, then you likely consider it “better” than regular milk. If you don’t see significant added value in choosing organic milk, then you probably don’t consider it to be better than regular milk.

Why is organic milk more expensive?

If it’s considered “healthier” by many, why doesn’t everyone choose organic milk? The typical reason is the cost.

To produce organic milk, the costs are much higher for dairy farmers and milk manufacturers compared to conventional milk. That added cost gets passed to you as the consumer.

Just how much more expensive is organic milk than regular milk? At the time this article was written, one gallon of Great Value (Walmart brand) non-organic 2% milk costs $2.92, while one gallon of Great Value Organic 2% milk costs $5.98 – which is over 50% more expensive than non-organic milk.

Is organic milk worth the extra cost?

The cost of organic products is a major barrier for many people. Even if you want to choose organic milk, your budget might be limiting you from doing so.

So is organic milk worth the extra cost? You probably want a definitive answer, but this type of thing is tricky and depends on a lot of factors! 

If eating an organic diet is very important to you, you’ll likely find a way to make it work for your budget. If organic foods don’t fit into your budget, or you don’t find value in choosing organic foods – then it’s not worth the added cost.

What if you want to choose organic foods and drinks but can’t justify spending more? Remember that there are plenty of nutrients in non-organic milk, AND potential trace levels of things like added hormones and other non-organic substances are low and considered safe to consume.

FAQs:

Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same