Organic food

DonnaP

Hi

After a long time debating, I have decided to go for it and move us (me, OH, and 5 year old twin DD's) over to organic produce. :j

We already have organic dairy produce and I intend to replace any other non organic products with organic ones as they run out.

It won't be 100% organic (probably be about 70-80% of our diet), but will be realistic allowing for meals out, kids weekly school dinner and parties etc.

I am also taking on an allotment this year, which will help.

I am going to keep a weekly record of food expenditure just to see how much it costs, because I still want to get best value for money. I will be continuing to bake as much from scratch as possible.

Has anyone got any tips for me?

Donna

Rowan9

No tips but I'll be watching with interest! I sometimes get an organic veggie box and do enjoy it. I never know if the enjoyment comes from the taste or the excitement of coming home from work to see it safely tucked in my garage! Well, one little tip which I'm sure you'll know anyway - use everything!! Read the don't throw it away thread as well.
Good luck
w

greenbee

Have a look out for local producers selling at the farm gate. I have a local organic market garden which has a shop with an honesty box. It's MUCH cheaper for me to buy organic veg than it is to buy ordinary stuff from the supermarkets. They also buy in some stock in the lean months, freeze soft fruit in the summer, make jam and raise a few cattle whose meat is then sold fresh when they're butchered with the remainder frozen and available throughout the year.

Independent health food shops are also good for organic pulses/pasta/rice and usually stock a lot more variety than the supermarkets.

In fact, keeping out of the supermarkets is probably the best way to control your spending. The only thing I do buy regularly there is fruit juice.

Good luck!

lindadykes

Over the past couple of years I have gradually introduced more and more organic foods, and I reckon our diet is now around 8o% organic. It can be hard to source all the products that you might want in an organic version, but if it's not organic I read the labels and won't buy anything with additives.

My biggest tip is to bake your own bread. I buy organic bread flour and use Doves quick yeast for convenience as I work full time, but ideally would use fresh yeast and or sourdough. I usually use my Kenwood for the kneading, and find I can make up a batch of bread while I prepare the evening meal. I have also had quite good results with the New York Times no knead bread recipe, it does take 24 hrs from start to finish, but very little of that is your time.

Checkout the reduced sections of the supermarkets, you will often find organic meat and veg reduced there.

As other posters have said make sure you use up everything, if you are going to pay £10 or there about for a chicken, you need to get the most from it.

I have to say we think our diet is beginning to show benefits, both DH and myself get a lot less aches and pains now, and we generally feel healthier. Plus neither of us has gone down with any major virus this winter, just the threat of a cold which then disappeared in a day or two. The food does taste better too, I find it hard to accept inferior food at inflated prices when we eat out now, though we do still have the occasional takeaway - and enjoy them very much when we do.

Just take it a step at a time and when you can't eat organic for whatever reason, don't fret - just do it as much as you can and I am sure you will begin to notice the difference.

Good Luck!

[Deleted User]

My dh and I have been pretty well organic for 40 years, starting with belonging to a wholefood cooperative. I would second the above post re not to fret if you can`t eat all organic eg lots of veg is better than little veg

I bought my flour in bulk from shiptons and store it all in lock and lock boxes in a cool place. I don`t always buy organic things like butter as it is way too expensive. I buy a rachels organic yoghurt and then make my own. It is swings and roundabouts and depends on what you can afford. My last organic chicken was superb and cost £15 but did several meals and made the most wonderful soups

I have found a local box man who will get all my veg and fruit and meat and my local farmers market is a very good source too. Re meat, it is about stretching it out more

Our children were brought up organically and they are all healthy adults. My dh and I are very well considering we are in our 60s.We are out on our bikes later, to get some shopping. Let`s just say that I am a grey haired granny of ample build who lives in a hilly area in s wales and I can manage well on my bike and don`t take any medications. I put it all down to past eating patterns as we are what we eat

Bitsy_Beans

I'd love to be able to eat Organic but price is too high (my local farm shop seels local produce but not Organic). I know people argue about the health benefits but for me the issue is taste. Organic stuff just tastes nicer - I LOVE organic carrots, they win hands down over the others any day.
Good luck, will be interested to see the costings.

puss14

I eat a lot of organic produce and would be 100% organic if I could afford it. I frequent farmers markets which often have reasonably priced organic fruit and veg, but most of my produce is what I harvest from my garden. I think it's important to steer clear of 'packaged processed' products such as biscuits, health bars etc and bake your own as these are products you are paying a major premium on. Good luck.

Calephetos

We have a veg box, shared with the neighbours, and have found it very handy. It gets delivered for free, and means fewer things to carry home on the bus or bike, and fewer trips to nip out for things (except that they hardly ever do mushrooms - and try spliting a bag of 10 mushrooms between two households usefully!!) However, we eat mostly vegetarian, and even so, we're always left with things like parsnips at the end of the week.

There is a cost premium, but I think we probably save on not having to go shopping so often. I'd know for sure if OH would keep receipts and remember to tell me when he's bought things...

We've been getting on-offer organic milk from S'burys recently - 2 x 4l for £3, which is cheaper by about 6p than their 'normal' 4l milk. One in the fridge, one in the freezer. Along with the bread machine, the box delivery and buying in bulk for the store cupboard every 6wks or so with friends who can drive a shared car, shopping is a lot easier, and far less frequent!

Seakay

Use the supermarket for the reduced section and the free fresh yeast if it does it and you want to make your own bread etc. As others have said, a supermarket at normal price can rarely beat an independent or buying in bulk through the Internet when it comes to prices.
You'll find some threads on the Green and Ethical board which have more ideas about getting together with neighbours to order dry goods in bulk, and thoughts on box schemes.
As you get into the allotment you'll get more used to seasonal cookery, which is one of the main changes that people make when they are trying to be bothj organic and thrifty.
Don't forget that wild game, while it may not be fed organic food, is about as free range as you can get and can be a cheaper meat choice in season. Pheasant is out of season now but was sold at our Farmers' Market for £5 or £6 a brace whereas the same weight of organic chicken would be £8 or £10. Wild rabbits are being sold for £3 each at the moment.

Patchwork_Quilt

We're drinking organic milk at the moment for two reasons

1) The difference between free range and organic eggs
2) I'm worried that supermarkets are compromising on quality to make up for people's more thrifty shopping habits, so I'm not confident their own brand stuff is as good as it used to be

freebiequennie

I have a code for abel and cole for a free mixed organic fruit and veg box if you spend £20 runs out 31st march if you want it send me a PM.

they sell meat, veg, dairy, cleaning stuff etc etc