Sure, eating local, organic [0] foods will have long-term payoffs, from a healthier you to a healthier planet. But you don't have to add up your medical bills over the long term to see the savings from sustainable dining! Here are some tips to save green NOW while eating green.

>>  Eating sustainably and ethically can be done on a budget [1] — even on a seriously limited budget, according to Siobhan Phillips, In a Salon article, Siobhan writes about her and her husband's decision to go SOLE — sustainable, organic, local or ethical foods — on just $248, the food stamp minimum in her hometown.

>> Save money on pantry staples [2] by making it yourself — sometimes. In a Slate article, Jennifer Reese shows you why it’s cheaper to make your own bagels — but not your cream cheese. Read it to find out which staples will show you the savings — then concentrate your eco-culinary skills on making those yummies.

>> Watch The Future of Food [3] for free on Hulu.com! This documentary "offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade,” according to the description.

Photo by Creative Nickie [4]