OrganicFoods

What do you get when an economist digs into America's food culture? If the economist is Tyler Cowan, you get "An Economist Gets Lunch," in which he offers some surprising culprits for our eating woes, and some clever ways to get the best meals for less.

Buying organic can be confusing, especially if you're trying to prioritize on a frugal food budget. Should you spend extra on pesticide-free fruits and veggies? Or hormone- and antibiotic-free meat? We went to the experts to find out how to maximize the health value of your organic food budget.

Last year, grocery sales were up a modest 1.8%, yet sales of organic items more than doubled that growth rate, up 4.4%. Clearly, we're shopping differently. But are we even sure what an "organic" or "all natural" label means? It's more complicated than you might think.

The halo effect is in play whenever you see a person with a pocket protector and thick glasses and assume he's intelligent. It's a common human judgment error to presume that certain characteristics go together; blondes and joie d' vivre, tans and athleticism, dreadlocks and a fondness for jam-band...

Thanks to the recession, more Americans are interested in growing their own vegetables. Bad timing, according to an Associated Press report that seeds for some popular veggies might be in short supply this spring. However, I had the chance to speak by phone with George Ball, chairman of the...