Does anyone manage the monthly challenge shopping organic?

greentomato

Yes I know what you mean! My baby loves beetroot but the nappies are a shock!!

I'm sure that organic veg tastes much stronger, I seem to use less herbs and other flavourings now we eat organic. Often the veg tastes delicious just as it is and doesn't need much else adding to it.

I had one other idea, if you have a veg box and find you have left-over vegetables at the end of the week that you don't know what to do with, you could always make a big load of roasted vegetables, or a mixed veg soup, or a big pot of veg stock. I've just got into making veg stock since I've realised how easy it is. They are all good ways of clearing out the veg drawers in the fridge!

Norbert_Colon

you could always make a big load of roasted vegetables, or a mixed veg soup, or a big pot of veg stock

Stew is also a good way to use them up, with meat or beans according to taste/finances.

SusanCarter

When I get to the end of the vegetables, I tend to make a "stew" or curry. Just chop it all up and throw it in the slow cooker with a bit of meat and seasoning. (And some kind of liquid obviously.)

You can make stock in the slow cooker too. Saves having to tend to a boiling pan.

Sarahsaver

Breakthrough! DD ate some of tonight's potatoes - new pots sliced and fried in a little oil, an onion, cumin, a dried chilli and a little salt and pepper, added a tomato chopped up towards the end, and a splash of water to stop it sticking.

spookycat_2

I just wanted to thank everyone for all their suggestions. I tried to press the thanks button but it won't work don't suppose anyone knows why?
Anyhoo, I went to Sainsbury's early yesterday morning when the lady was reducing the meat and got 2 HUGE organic chickens for half price! The fruit & veg bit also had a ton of organic veg reduced so I grabbed all that I could viably use in the next few days as well.
I'll let you know how I do with th chickens. I had a look at the bigbarn site and will visit one of the farms for meat next week.

Sarahsaver

I will get my self sorted out later and post the recipe/menu that have been asked for.
Had lunch today and chopped up a head of organic broccoli to go with our noodles and fish - it was SO tasty DS didnt want it then when he tasted it a very quick disappearing broccoli act ensued.
Also the green peppers we had in the veg box actually tasted of something unlike the bland pap thats been so common over recent years.
We have got an organic chicken for lunch tomorrow, I got 4 for £5!!!

thriftlady_2

Sarahsaver wrote:

We have got an organic chicken for lunch tomorrow, I got 4 for £5!!!

How the blimming heck did you do that ?!

Sarahsaver

I have ways and means LOL;)


There's a butchers in Leicester I use. They have the appearance of being one of these 'cheapo' places, well they ARE cheap but also quality which is very good, and never ceases to amaze me. Once I got 5 M&S 'roast in the tin' joints for a fiver, and another time when i wanted mince and he didn't have any, the butcher got a tray of steaks and minced them for me It's just a case of seeing what they have got. At xmas you can order capons from them too, which was good as once had a v.fussy relative who would only have that for xmas dinner :rolleyes: It's not all organic but they have had ducks before (2 for £6!) and most ducks have a better life than other farmed birds;)

Hollysan

This is a great thread. We eat largely organic, and it does mean that we spend more on food than we might, but I think we do OK considering there are four of us (two small ones). I have found that the answer to keeping the cost down is to be really organised and plan ahead. We have a box delivered every week, but I am lucky in that we can choose what we have, and so I can do a menu plan and then order accordingly. I get an email every week with the prices and the country of origin. I try to stick to local and seasonal, but will buy fruit out of season to ensure that my (fussy) children eat plenty of fruit, especially given they don't like green veg (must try the cabbage/smelly farts thing on my six year old son!).

Otherwise, we grow our own (small veg plot in the garden, greenhouse) and I set up a buying group with other local families who want to eat organic. We order monthly from a wholefood distributor and that takes care of pasta, rice, breadflour, toiletries, toilet roll etc. It works really well for us, but you do need room to store it. When you first start it takes a while to build up your 'stocks' because obviously it would be expensive to buy everthing you might use in one go.

I also cook and freeze, and make preserves etc, and find this is a good way of dealing with both the gluts and the days when I don't have time to cook. In the winter I stick to a fairly rigid menu plan based on 14 days at a time (less boring!) but with room for variations. In the summer it is down to what we have coming out of the garden. By this time of the year I can cut the veg box down to once a fortnight. I do use supermarkets, but mostly for things like dairy produce, although I do try and buy cheese and odd bits in the local shops as much as I can. I find it is best to avoid supermarkets as much as possible - I always spend more than I meant to!

Hollysan

doddsy

Hollysan wrote:

I set up a buying group with other local families who want to eat organic. We order monthly from a wholefood distributor and that takes care of pasta, rice, breadflour, toiletries, toilet roll etc. It works really well for us, but you do need room to store it. When you first start it takes a while to build up your 'stocks' because obviously it would be expensive to buy everthing you might use in one go.

Hollysan

Hollysan - can you explain how you went about this because it is something I have considered doing - any tips would be welcome
doddsy