Organic food in supermarkets

Quasar

Not been here for a while. Hi peeps :hello:

I was in Morrisons earlier, for what organic stuff I could find there (a tad cheaper than elsewhere). I got carrots, potatoes, milk and apples.

The apple pack was not priced nor had a barcode so the checkout operator called the duty manager (no less) who happened to be nearby. He looked at the pack and said 99p. I told him they were organic apples and the pack must be worth at least £2 - 'cause I'm an honest lass, you see. He said as the pack was not priced he could not risk overcharging me so he was happy to undercharge me, and 99p it was.

I could have kicked myself because I nearly got two packs then decided on one for now. Couldn't go back as it would be obvious I was after more discount.

Half price organic apples. No complaints.

Fire_Fox

Edwardia wrote: »

Er Fire Fox.. rats don't like herbs. Peppermint, spearmint and citronella especially.

Salad wash - the one I use since organic veg isn't always prewashed. I'm sure there must be others.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bentley-Organic-Salad-Fruit-Wash/dp/B003VJXXJW

I can understand that don't like mint much myself. You don't think I'd get a murine dirty protest? They freak me out, leaving greasy marks on walls and being incontinent.

Funnily enough I ordered some Veggie Wash a while back but it didn't arrive, must chase a refund. So that Bentley is literally just "Aqua, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Aloe Vera Powder *" now that I like if so.

sophlowe45

Hi Quasar,

I have read from page 1 to 43 of this thread so far.

I noticed you posted about organic olive oil and that you only buy a good quality one, can you recommend a good olive oil for me?

I read this article saying a lot of olive oils are diluted with other oils, I read this article a few weeks ago and since then have not replaced my bottle of olive oil. (Filippo Bertolli extra virgin olive oil, often on offer at half price).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/04/olive-oil-real-thing

• Try to buy oils only from this year's harvest – look for bottles with a date of harvest. Failing that, look at the "best by" date which should be two years after an oil was bottled.
• Find a seller who stores it in clean, temperature-controlled stainless steel containers topped with an inert gas such as nitrogen to keep oxygen at bay, and bottles it as they sell it. Ask to taste it before buying. (Really??)

Most commonly, it seems, extra virgin oil is mixed with a lower grade olive oil, often not from the same country. Sometimes, another vegetable oil such as colza or canola is used. The resulting blend is then chemically coloured, flavoured and deodorised, and sold as extra-virgin to a producer. Almost any brand can, in theory, be susceptible: major names such as Bertolli (then owned by Unilever) have found themselves in court having to argue, successfully in this instance, that they had themselves been defrauded by their supplier.

I have to say, in many cases companies may be defrauded by their supplier but sometimes everyone knows what is going on and turns a blind eye.

P.S you also posted about kefir? Are you still making and drinking this? I think I can buy some from Ebay.

Quasar

sophlowe45 wrote: »

Hi Quasar,

I have read from page 1 to 43 of this thread so far.

I noticed you posted about organic olive oil and that you only buy a good quality one, can you recommend a good olive oil for me?

I read this article saying a lot of olive oils are diluted with other oils, I read this article a few weeks ago and since then have not replaced my bottle of olive oil. (Filippo Bertolli extra virgin olive oil, often on offer at half price).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jan/04/olive-oil-real-thing


Most commonly, it seems, extra virgin oil is mixed with a lower grade olive oil, often not from the same country. Sometimes, another vegetable oil such as colza or canola is used. The resulting blend is then chemically coloured, flavoured and deodorised, and sold as extra-virgin to a producer. Almost any brand can, in theory, be susceptible: major names such as Bertolli (then owned by Unilever) have found themselves in court having to argue, successfully in this instance, that they had themselves been defrauded by their supplier.

I have to say, in many cases companies may be defrauded by their supplier but sometimes everyone knows what is going on and turns a blind eye.

Bertolli and Berio are Italian but not the best quality, not by far. I do not stick to any one particular brand because it is difficult to find the same since I get it in really good health food stores and they have several kinds, but all very expensive. The one I have at the moment is called Clementi and costs £15 per 1litre bottle. I haven't seen it anywhere except in the Wholefood Shop in Kensington, London.

Waitrose do some good Italian extra virgin olive oil. This is one product where more expensive IS best, provided you read the label and are reassured that it is all from olives from the same area, cold pressed and organic.

sophlowe45

Will look for it next time I am on High Street Kensington. I think i am going to have to go ASAP.

What do you mean when you say really good health food stores (rather than just health food stores?)

Theres a health food shop near Euston on marchmont street that is meant to be good, i cannot remember the name but it begins with A. Found it Alara. I have never been to it, but the only reason i know it exists is by seeing people carrying their carrier bags which have their name and address on them. Are shops like Alara what you mean by really good health food stores?

http://www.alarashop.com/Home

Quasar

sophlowe45 wrote: »

Will look for it next time I am on High Street Kensington. I think i am going to have to go ASAP.

What do you mean when you say really good health food stores (rather than just health food stores?)

Theres a health food shop near Euston on marchmont street that is meant to be good, i cannot remember the name but it begins with A. Found it Alara. I have never been to it, but the only reason i know it exists is by seeing people carrying their carrier bags which have their name and address on them. Are shops like Alara what you mean by really good health food stores?

http://www.alarashop.com/Home

I mean those with a wide range of products. Many health food stores do not sell e.v olive oil - at least not the one on my hight street.

There is also a small chain called As Nature Intended. They are small supermarket type of stores and carry a good selection of general foods. I get some veggies in there, my coconut oil and various stuff. They do fairly good olive oil too.

http://www.asnatureintended.uk.com/

Thanks for your link. I know where Marchmont Street is and will have a look when I'm around there in my work travels.

sophlowe45

I have bookmarked so many links from this thread, I can't remember most of them.

I think Kirri posted about her experience of going to As Nature Intended (near the start of the the thread i think) and buying a lot of stuff that is not easily available elsewhere.

Doesn't look like Alara sell olive oil but Planet Organic do.

Quasar

sophlowe45 wrote: »

I have bookmarked so many links from this thread, I can't remember most of them.

I think Kirri posted about her experience of going to As Nature Intended (near the start of the the thread i think) and buying a lot of stuff that is not easily available elsewhere.

Doesn't look like Alara sell olive oil but Planet Organic do.

Yes, they do have a surprising range of everything. I love their dried kale flakes - yummy. Their vitamins etc. range is also quite good, and what they do not carry on the premises they are happy to order.

Their Ealing branch is the closest to me and I visit regularly. Last time they had packs of 4 organic beets, for just £1 each so I got two. They have nigari tofu, that is tofu made with just magnesium chloride instead of calcium chloride, and have also a variety made with both. I used to buy my kefir there, before another health food shop's owner gave me some of her kefir grains for me to make my own.

Kirri

Yep I love As Nature Intended, I used to use the Chiswick store then tried the Balham store (used to be one in Sheen but it closed down years ago).

Also use http://www.oliverswholefoods.co.uk/ in Kew and this is where I used to go when I first started buying organic a decade ago and still use it. This is a very good example of a 'good health shop', it's more so a full on mini organic (mostly) shop.

Most 'health shops' just seem to have a handful of foods and toiletries though

Quasar

Kirri wrote: »

Yep I love As Nature Intended, I used to use the Chiswick store then tried the Balham store (used to be one in Sheen but it closed down years ago).

Also use http://www.oliverswholefoods.co.uk/ in Kew and this is where I used to go when I first started buying organic a decade ago and still use it. This is a very good example of a 'good health shop', it's more so a full on mini organic (mostly) shop.

Most 'health shops' just seem to have a handful of foods and toiletries though

Is that the one just outside Kew Gardens Station? If so, I go there occasionally too. Only three stops on the overground for me.