Organic food in supermarkets

GemDoll

Edwardia wrote: »

I sometimes buy organic veg boxes from Ocado and have been very happy with them. I use Abel & Cole and Riverford both almost every week but they don't stuff the boxes full like Ocado so I choose what I want. The organic cherries from Riverford have been fantastic.

When I go into supermarkets, it's really for a limited number of items now.

ASDA for organic Extra Virgin olive oil, organic tinned tomatoes and organic Weetabix.

Lidl for organic Fairtrade bananas, additive free prosciutto di Parma (1.99 Lidl, 2.65 Sainsbury's) and organic Heinz biscotti for OH

Sainsbury's for organic seeded wholemeal rolls and Respect organic carrot cake for OH, Taste The Difference wild Pacific salmon, Sainsbury's SO organic teabags £2 for 80, organic veg when I run out

Though I really like Waitrose, Ocado has a much bigger range of organic Waitrose stuff than my nearest store in next town.

Lilac in my garden has burst into flower for second time this year which hasn't happened before. Runner beans have flowers. :DGrapes useless about 4 bunches total However lots of figs !! :T
Herbs have done really well except mint which got a virus then mildew

Ocado sent me an eVoucher for up to £10 off chocolates to celebrate my first anniversary with them this month. They have Ecover stuff on offer at the moment.

Riverford small fruit bag is 3.75 and OH often gets one for work. He gave up on Graze boxes so I buy him stuff and I think it works out cheaper though not as fancy.

How much is the organic olive oil in Asda?
Thank you.

GemDoll

At suggestions of who I should try first for my organic stuff?
Riverfood?
Abel and cole?
Or organic stuff from Ocado?

Kirri

Tried a new item this week - the spicy lentil pasty from Riverford is really good! Don't normally buy ready made stuff but have builders in so lack of kitchen some days..

No complaints on Riverford stuff this week, everything very good though didn't buy too much.

Kirri

GemDoll wrote: »

At suggestions of who I should try first for my organic stuff?
Riverfood?
Abel and cole?
Or organic stuff from Ocado?

Just my view:

I prefer Riverford or A&C for the fact minimum order is only £12.50 ish and delivery is either free (R) or 99p (A&C). Ocado minimum is £40 with cheapest delivery slot £2.99 so rules it out mostly for me as a weekly thing.

Ocado do have a massive selection though. Apart from the veg box I presume most of the organic veg is in plastic? (some is from A&C/R but they take it back next delivery.
Abel & Cole next best selection - have nearly everything I need food wise. Prices seem mostly cheaper than Ocado and a bit cheaper than Riverford.
Riverford - maybe shortest/most ethical supply chain? (they have their own farms) Smaller selection (especially in dried wholefoods) but great stuff produced from the Riverford Kitchen.

Abel & Cole do a free recipe book on first order and offer on boxes. Riverford have an offer usually but harder to find.
Ocado veg box is on offer roughly every 2 months it seems.


Also Farmaround - have 50% off offer on first box and milk/eggs. Great animal welfare on Cow/Egg Nation products but veg/fruit does come in a bag rather than a box. Prices generally bit higher on non veg stuff.

Edwardia

Blurb from ASDA and Sainsbury's on organic food and recipes.

http://health.asda.com/products/ourbrands/organics-and-wholefoods.aspx

http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/products-values/sainsbury%27s-so-organic/

http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/products-values/responsible-sourcing/organic-food/

re organic Extra Virgin olive oil ASDA was 2.48 for 500ml but according to mysupermarket ASDA, Sainsbury's and Tesco all 2.50 now.

If you have a Smart Pass with Ocado you get free delivery and 10% off organic veg boxes. I'm happy with Ocado ones, don't have every wk depends what's in them. I had a veg box from A&C and was unimpressed. Haven't had one from Riverford yet.

I like to choose my own veg and try them from different places and I would advocate doing that before trying a box.

I raved about Duchy Originals organic free range eggs until I tried Abel & Cole's. I lurve A&C globe artichokes, loathe em from Riverford. Think Riverford cherries and mushrooms are fantastic.

Much of it is individual taste. On the other hand why pay 3.09 for organic Weetabix at Ocado and Waitrose or 2.99 at Sainsbury's when you can buy them at ASDA for 2.68

I ordered from Farmaround and my order didn't arrive. Never again.

Edwardia

Had to go to Tesco Friday as my mother promised to get some Tesco ham (apologies Kirri) for a friend and drop it in on her rtn journey.

Very little fresh organic despite it being a 24/7 store. Did spot own brand tetrapack organic chopped tomatoes for 75p but Tesco has Napolina organic chopped tomatoes 400g tin reduced from 1.35 to 67p to 03/09. Tesco also had an organic three tin value pack of Green Giant sweetcorn as well.

Bought some Trawfic frozen wild salmon from Lidl recently and have to say it was better than I expected.

Weetabix organic flakes

http://www.luxebc.com/food-and-groceries-c1/breakfast-c2/cereal-c525/organic-crispy-flakes-fibre-12-oz-340-g-p22448?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=weetabix-organic-crispy-flakes-amp-fibre-12-oz-340-g-size-2-x-7-4-x-size-2-x-7-4-x-10-2-inches-wet-06704&utm_campaign=product+listing+ads#22448

Edwardia

For a treat or a gift.. organic preserves from Highgrove

http://www.highgroveshop.com/food/preserves/p-0/ps-0/

Kirri

Edwardia wrote: »

I ordered from Farmaround and my order didn't arrive. Never again.

Think you were unlucky. I've only had 2 orders but both turned up, around the same time both times. I love their Cow Nation/Egg Nation products too (being a guilty veggie...) Their facebook page is worth checking out for anyone interested in ordering or other animal welfare issues relating to the above brands.

Farmaround have two tiers of delivery, for anyone who hasn't used them, the standard charge (£1.80 ish or something??) for areas covered by their own drivers and they now also do an overnight more expensive courier option for the rest of the country.

Kirri

Has anyone tried the Padron peppers from Riverford?

GemDoll

Thank you for the advice everyone on what box to go for.

Has anyone noticed that you can get organic tetra pack kidney beans and chick peas in Tesco's for 57p? I also use their organic tetra pack chopped tomatoes.

I also like Waitrose organic peanut butter which is £1.99 so it's cheaper than the whole earth stuff.
http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-168674-Waitrose+thick+%26+crunchy+peanut+butter

Also like Waitrose organic muesli which is £2.79

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-164474-Waitrose+LOVE+life+muesli