organic meat

biglass

Hi, all.Forgive me if this has been discussed before on OS,but does anyone find the cost of buying organic meat possible on a OS budget?(if that's what you want to try and do ,that is).I bought the New English Kitchen and loved it and it reinforced my desire to eat organic meat ;so I ordered some.Have to say the cheaper cuts of beef disappointing(shin beef ) others great(sausages and mince)Tried to make a £13 chicken last several meals-didn't work too well with my lot!! I am happy to eat more veggie,OH and 2 kids not!! Steaks,roasts and chicken breasts extortionate,so I didn't even order them-and that was the cheapest supplier I could find!
Just wondered if others trying to go organic found it prohibitively expensive?

Strepsy

Yes, it is diffictult. My main concern is for it to be free range as I'm veggie but do buy a little meat for the rest of the family. You can get bargains though. Today from Asda I got hubby a pack of 3 big pork chops, outdoor reared that were reduced to £2.30. Some of Tesco's stuff isn't bad, I occasionally get hubby and kids the free range (can't remember if they're organic) turkey steaks which are only marginally more expensive than the normal ones. Got some reduced beef mince cheap from there too the other night. I generally look out for what's on offer and if I see something good, freeze it.

I don't want to bother buying the normal stuff anymore because when there're 2 cats who don't even smell the chicken you're cooking and don't want to eat it when it's done, there's got to be something wrong.

Cat72

It is hard to buy organic meat at a reasonable price. I found Asda were quite good priced for beef and lamb ,sausages are only £1.98 for 6 which is cheap compared to others. Tescos bacon is an ok price too. However I mostly cook with chicken for my OH ( Im a veggie ) and find it really dear. I have found two solutions to this their is the next best thing- Marks and spencers sells free range chicken thats gm free and sometimes have it on specal price. Also it depends on what area you stay in but I stay in Lanarkshire near an organic butcher, who sells at farmers markets. Not only is he very knowledgable about his meat, and helpful, but it is a lot cheaper than anywhere else.They have a web site but the prices are dearer there, so maybe see if there are any butchers near you and any good farmer markets. I always thought the farmer markets were dearer but hey I was wrong plus it gave me a chance to speak to the butcher ,which put my mind at rest. Here is a link to local meat producers maybeyou will find someone there - http://www.alotoforganics.co.uk/cats/organic-meat.php

Lillibet_2

I get my organic free range meat from a local butcher. He can literally tell you the number of the animal it came from & what day it was slaughtered, how long it has been hung for, he has a sheet telling youwhich feed was used etc. Never paid £13 for a chicken though, the most I have paid was just under £7 & that was HUGE:eek: , I normally pay around £5 & stretch it out for 2 dinners with lots of veg etc.

Organic meat is fab but not supermarket organic, after tasting our butchers meat even top of the range supermarket meat tastes like pap to us now:p & it's more expensive! My butcher sells 12 organic drum sticks for £1, Tesco charge £3 for 2

I love shin of beef, it makes the best beef burginon (sp?) in the slow cooker, shoulder of lamb makes fab Morroccan casserol (again itn eh slow cooker) & those drumsticks make a chicken chasseur. I think you need to be very friendly with your slow cooker to really do organic meat on a budget.

HTH;)

GardenMillie

I've managed to pick up some great organic meat bargains by shopping near closing time - I got a pack of two organic rump steaks for 29p when I called into Mr Tesco one Saturday evening.

Otherwise I go for the organic mince and stretch it out with tinned tomatoes and veg.:D

pinkparrott

Hi
I am trying to buy organic things but also trying to save money, I got a organic free range chicken from Waitrose yesterday for 5.90 and that fed 4 for sunday lunch and my oh sandwiches today and have just used the rest in a risotto now (as well as boilong the carcass for the stock!) .
Have you tried your local farmers markets, as some small independent farmers sell at these and they are some times better quality and value than the bigger supermarkets.
Personally i am trying to buy organic meat, dairy and eggs as i think this is more importnat than the fruit and veg that you often peel etc. but it just means that i dont cook meals with meat as much, and try other veggie / pasta/ rice recipies instead.
For me its quality not quantity on this issue.

Numpty_2

Try finding a good local butcher or farm. Especially if you buy in bulk you can get good savings - normally a hole chicken is about £6-7 (big one, lasts two of us 3/4 meals), steaks and sausages are good value. You can also find out where the food has come from.

TBH - the "organic" stamp from most supermarkets isnt worth the paper it's written on, and free range is far more important than organic. There's plenty of weblinks on this (cant think of any at the moment) - look for soil association free range for the best quality

lynzpower

anyone know anywhere to buy organic meat ( not supermarkets!) in london. IN fact im not too bothered about organic, but free range is important to me.

But I cannot spend my half my weeks budget on one chicken! these are the london prices Ive seen, jsut cant justify it im afriad, right now.

ka7e

I have recently switched from buying supermarket meat to shopping at a local butcher's. It's more expensive, but the quality is amazing. The meat I usually buy (chicken and pork) is firm and succulent, and doesn't release loads of water when cooked! The taste is much more intense, too.
Look for "outdoor reared" pork if you can't afford totally organic.
When I cook their sausages there is absolutely no fat released, so they don't shrink.

Bargain_Rzl

Take a look at Curry Queen's wonderful post in THIS thread! She hasn't been seen in these parts for months, but is known for managing to shop for fantastic-quality meats on a benefits budget.

Dustykitten

Lillibet wrote:

I get my organic free range meat from a local butcher. He can literally tell you the number of the animal it came from & what day it was slaughtered, how long it has been hung for, he has a sheet telling youwhich feed was used etc. Never paid £13 for a chicken though, the most I have paid was just under £7 & that was HUGE:eek: , I normally pay around £5 & stretch it out for 2 dinners with lots of veg etc.

Organic meat is fab but not supermarket organic, after tasting our butchers meat even top of the range supermarket meat tastes like pap to us now:p & it's more expensive! My butcher sells 12 organic drum sticks for £1, Tesco charge £3 for 2

I love shin of beef, it makes the best beef burginon (sp?) in the slow cooker, shoulder of lamb makes fab Morroccan casserol (again itn eh slow cooker) & those drumsticks make a chicken chasseur. I think you need to be very friendly with your slow cooker to really do organic meat on a budget.

HTH;)

This sounds great value. I have bought organic meat from lots of places over the years and do find it expensive. Like others I always look for the bargins in supermarkets but their meat is not as tasty as butcher organic - can you post the name and address of yours for if I am passing that way - thanks