Organic food in supermarkets

Edwardia

Big thanks to rufydoofyM for such informative posts and to everyone else who posts - this thread wouldn't have more than 80,000 views without you :T

rufydoofyM I/we have to agree on lots of your recommendations for example ham and leek tarts, Homity pies and houmous from Riverford, coleslaw and potato salad from Abel & Cole, Mackies vanilla ice cream and Waitrose frozen peas from Ocado.

Re: the Whole Earth corn flakes (which are gluten free), I get them for 1.48 from ASDA. OH prefers them to the Doves Farm corn flakes.

Mayonnaise.. Hellmann's doesn't do organic Riverford mayo seemed whipped and had lots of air bubbles. Sainsbury's and Tesco own brands seem a bit vinegary. So my recommendations are Simply Delicious organic mayonnaise (also the garlic one) 2.49 Ocado, 2.50 Sainsbury's for 300ml or Abel & Cole organic mayo 325ml 2.65

Tea.. Everyday tea from Clipper is good but IMO expensive. We have the Sainsbury's SO organic teabags 80 for £2. Tried the Morrisons ones recently and wouldn't recommend.

Kirri, I looked at https://www.eatwater.co.uk and their stuff isn't organic. Zero Noodles which I get from Holland & Barrett, are organic. I don't have any to hand to tell you who certifies them though.

Kirri

Great posts rufy! I love reading through opinions on products

rufydoofyM wrote: »

S
I'm open to recommendations on mayonnaise if someone can help.

I always liked Simply Delicious the best (esp the garlic one).

But recently moved onto Plamil organic (Olivers/Wholefoods), which is a very good substitute for anyone who wants egg free.

rufydoofyM wrote: »

Love the fact they stock Marriages flour as this seems to give the best results especially for bread making and OH who makes it by hand has tried so many different flours.

Has your OH tried Shipton Mill? It's really good for bread, only stock in independent shops and seems to be used by quite a lot of artisan/well known bakers. I love the larger 2.5kg bags too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002E2LT1G/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use Marriage's in plain and malted.
Doves Farm in malthouse/gram.
Duchy light brown in self raising (fantastic for sponge cakes)



I've got an Ocado order on the way - added in the G&B tasting collection... shouldn't have, esp on my budget, but special treat - and I only do a £40 order for 2 weeks of food so it has to last me, whatever I order on it... got a 99p delivery slot too which was handy.

Also trying a Clive's organic pie - a lot of the Higgidy stuff was out of stock and I just fancied one easy meal and noticed that Clive's did vegan items - it's GF as well, not that I need that, but had such good reviews I thought I'd try one. It's very hard to find organic vegan items apart from the scratch cook basics..

http://www.clivespies.co.uk/#products

Edwardia

Ecover ecological dishwasher tablets
- 25 tablets 2 for £7 Waitrose to 03/12 and on offer 3.76 (were 4.70) Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price 4.70 Abel & Cole, Ocado, Tesco, Waitrose
- 70 tablets on offer Abel & Cole 10.22 cheapest non-offer price 12.79 Abel & Cole, Ocado

Ecover ecological rinse aid for dishwashers 500ml cheapest non-offer price 3.20 Abel & Cole, Ocado, Waitrose.

Ecover washing up liquid pomegranate and lime
500ml £1 to 26/11 Sainsbury's or 2 for £2 Waitrose to 03/12

Ecover washing up liquid lemon and aloe vera
500ml 2 for £2 Waitrose to 03/12 or £1 to 26//11 Sainsbury's. Cheapest non-offer price 1.50 Ocado, Sainsbury's, Waitrose
1L 2.25 Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover washing up liquid camomile and marigold
1L 1.50 to 26/11 Sainsbury's and reduced to 1.80, Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price 2.25 Abel & Cole, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose
5L 9.50 Ocado

Ecover washing up liquid grapefruit & green tea 1L 2.29, Abel & Cole

Ecover ecological multi-surface cleaner 500ml was 2.24 now 1.79, Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price is £2 at Sainsbury's saving 24p on Abel & Cole, Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado prices.

Ecover window and glass cleaner 500ml 2.65 Ocado only

Ecover oven and hob cleaner 500ml Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover all purpose cleaner lemon
- 500ml cheapest non-offer price 1.30 ASDA
- 1L was 2.65 now 2.12, Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price 2.50 Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover floor soap 1L 3.09, Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover 40 antibacterial wipes pomegranate and lime 1.85 ASDA reduce from 2.15 - cheapest non-offer price is £2 Sainsbury's

Ecover toilet cleaner pine fresh
- 750ml £1 Sainsbury's to 26/11 or 1.33 reduced from 1.69 Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price is Sainsbury's also at 1.50 saving 19p on Ocado, Waitrose and Tesco prices.
- 5L £11 Ocado only

Ecover triple action Ocean Waves toilet cleaner 750ml 1.69, Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover ecological limescale remover 500ml was 3.97 now 3.18, Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price 3.97 Abel & Cole saving 2p on Ocado price.

Ecover bathroom cleaner 500ml 2.24, Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover cream cleaner 500ml 1.28, Abel & Cole

Ecover liquid hand soap lavender and aloe vera
250ml 3.30 Ocado, Sainsbury's, Waitrose
1L refill 8.19, Abel& Cole
Ecover hand soap citrus and orange blossom 250ml 3.30 Ocado, Sainsbury's, Waitrose

Ecover shower gel lavender and aloe vera 250ml 3.5 Ocado, Waitrose
Ecover mizu cream shower gel with almond oil 250ml 4.49 Waitrose only

Ecover non-bio laundry gel 18 washes/630ml 3.50 to 26/11 Sainsbury's. Cheapest non-offer price £4 ASDA
Ecover bio laundry gel 18 washes/630ml cheapest non offer price £4 ASDA

Ecover non-biological laundry liquid concentrated
- 21 washes/750ml cheapest non offer price 5.40 Ocado, Waitrose.
- 28 washes/1L cheapest non offer £6 Ocado
- 42 washes/1.5L £6 to 26/11 Sainsbury's or 2 for £13 to 03/12 Waitrose

Ecover non bio liquid
17 washes/1.5L 4.57 Abel & Cole, Ocado, Tesco NB not concentrated
5L Abel & Cole14.99

Ecover Zero non bio liquid 1.5l was 6.99 now 5.89 Abel & Cole

Ecover laundry tablets 16 x 2 were 5.89 now 4.71, Abel & Cole. Cheapest non-offer price 5.89, Abel & Cole.

Ecover concentrated biological laundry powder 750g 3.50, Abel & Cole

Ecover non-biological washing powder
- 40 washes/3kg 12.50 Ocado, Waitrose
- 25 washes/1.88kg £6 to 26/11 Sainsbury's or 2 for £12 to 03/12 Waitrose.
- 10 washes/750g cheapest non-offer price 2.90 ASDA

Ecover Zero non bio laundry powder 750g 3.89 Abel & Cole

Ecover Under The Sun fabric softener
- 50 washes/1.5L any 2 for £4 to 03/12 Waitrose or 2.50 Sainsbury's to 26/11
- 25 washes/750ml £2 ASDA, Waitrose, Ocado

Ecover Among The Flowers fabric softener
- 25 washes/750ml £2 at Waitrose, Ocado, Sainsbury's and Tesco
- 50 washes/1.5L 2 for £4 Waitrose to 03/12. Cheapest non-offer price 2.95 ASDA

Ecover Zero fabric conditioner 750ml 1.92 Abel & Cole, Ocado

Ecover fabric softener 5L 9.99 Ocado

Ecover delicate washing liquid
11 washes/500ml cheapest non-offer price 1.65 ASDA
22 washes/1L 3.49 Ocado, Abel & Cole

Ecover laundry bleach 400g 1.93 Abel & Cole, 1.99 Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover stain remover 200ml 3.05 Ocado, Waitrose

Ecover lemon tree room fragrance 13.89 Ocado

Ecover lavender room fragrance 13.89 Ocado

Kirri

!!!!!!, got dishwasher tablets full price in the Ocado order... but I only had 2 left. Some good prices there ^ may get some more of those and the fabric conditioner as probably passing Waitrose later in the week.

smallblueplanet

@Edwardia:


Just been looking at kindle version of Rick Stein's India (49p atm) and saw that there is a gluten free flatbread recipe: Millet and Fenugreek flatbread. Sounds tasty - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-India-Stein/dp/1849905789/ref=cm_rdp_product - check second picture from top to see the recipe, which says for gluten free use all millet flour.

rufydoofyM

Thanks Kirri and Edwardia for the info on mayo, I'll be adding simply to my Ocado order.

How I love the way we shop now. OH and I both have health issues and sometimes we are unable to leave the house for days. Although I love to wander the supermarket looking for bargains and it's like an escape sometimes I have found Ocado just as productive. Just recently I've found so many baby things and kitchen bits at 75% off so my appetite for a bargain has been truly satisfied:D and of course my step daughter is chuffed to bits with all the lovely things for our new DGD.

Why people insist that Waitrose and Ocado are too expensive to consider is beyond me. I wish they would look beyond the myth. I'm sure our neighbours have the wrong impression of us. We have Sainsburys, Tosco, Waitrose and Aldi and Iceland all within walking distance (not that we can walk that far) but use Ocado.

Edwardia, we haven't tried the Sainsburys tea, but we only buy the Clipper on offer and so pay £3.72 for 160 tea bags and when the offer was on early this year I stocked up with about 12 boxes over several shops. That's a years supply ! when ever it's on offer again I just replace what we have used and so never pay full price. This principle works well with both coffee and flour too amongst other things including meat that goes into the freezer and enables us to eat organic.

Kirri thanks for reminding me about Shipton flour. I recall seeing it mentioned on the thread a while back, but hadn't looked into it properly. Although I only buy the flour on offer from Ocado and A and C it looks like I shall be putting in an order for delivery as no where locally stocks it to my knowledge and it will save me lugging it back from the shops and more importantly it works out a bit cheaper. Have you tried their fresh yeast ? I always get it from Ocado but the price has gone up and down recently and is £1.80 for 4 x 50g. We just don't like dried yeast and the results are never as good.

Now we have succeeded in going organic food wise I have been turning my attention more towards toiletries and cleaning products. We would like to find an affordable toothpaste that is fluoride free and has no nasties like SLS. Can anyone suggest one ?

Also are there any other chemicals or processes that we should try to avoid ?

Does anyone here have recommendations for baby products ? DD is on a very limited income as a single mum and knows how important we see organic and how anti GM we are and although we try to pass on our knowledge we know little about baby related things.

Perhaps I should de lurk more often and I would write fewer essays:o

So glad you didn't leave us Edwardia and came back. Have you set up a blog yet as I'm sure you mentioned it way back or have I got it wrong ? I also remember you asking about organic shops etc in Norfolk, did you manage to find any good ones to share ?

smallblueplanet

rufydoofyM wrote: »

Edwardia, we haven't tried the Sainsburys tea, but we only buy the Clipper on offer and so pay £3.72 for 160 tea bags and when the offer was on early this year I stocked up with about 12 boxes over several shops. That's a years supply ! when ever it's on offer again I just replace what we have used and so never pay full price. This principle works well with both coffee and flour too amongst other things including meat that goes into the freezer and enables us to eat organic.

Kirri thanks for reminding me about Shipton flour. I recall seeing it mentioned on the thread a while back, but hadn't looked into it properly. Although I only buy the flour on offer from Ocado and A and C it looks like I shall be putting in an order for delivery as no where locally stocks it to my knowledge and it will save me lugging it back from the shops and more importantly it works out a bit cheaper. Have you tried their fresh yeast ? I always get it from Ocado but the price has gone up and down recently and is £1.80 for 4 x 50g. We just don't like dried yeast and the results are never as good.

Now we have succeeded in going organic food wise I have been turning my attention more towards toiletries and cleaning products. We would like to find an affordable toothpaste that is fluoride free and has no nasties like SLS. Can anyone suggest one ?

Also are there any other chemicals or processes that we should try to avoid ?

After reading the past few posts, to add:


Sainsbury's do their own brand organic cornflakes.


Waitrose bread flour is also very good. Tbh even Mr T's organic white bread flour is good.
Edit - @RufydoofM meant to say, why not try making sourdough bread (and other baked goodies), it's incredibly easy to make and keep a sourdough starter (in the fridge)>

For toothpaste we started with Weleda varieties but have decided to stick with Green People's choices for now as they are more 'normal' flavours. But recommend you try Weleda too.

Edwardia

smallblueplanet I like the Weleda salt toothpaste but difficult to get here, that's why I switched to Euthymol. But Johnson & Johnson is moving the manufacturing facilities and Euthymol won't be available until 2014. Have tried ASDA, Sainsbury's x2, Ocado, Morrisons - all sold out. I need to do more research.

Thanks for the recipelink will put it in my new gluten free bookmark folder

OH prefers the Whole Earth corn flakes 375g from ASDA 1.48 to the Sainsbury's SO organic 375g 1.19 although obviously they are cheaper. I've had a couple of mouthfuls and the Whole Earth ones taste more like Kellogg's to me. Weetabix does an organic version..but no organic version of Kellogg's corn flakes as yet.

Cheerios.. which was my all-time favourite cereal prior to diabetes, doesn't come in so many varieties this side of the pond. We get non GM across Europe which upsets Americans because General Mills, the manufacturer, refuses to go GM free in the USA. If anyone reading buys imported non-organic cereals from the USA via Tesco, Ocado or Amazon please be aware they may well contain GM. Ocado is responsible and does label them, I don't know whether others do.

rufydoofyM wish twelve boxs of 160 teabags would last us a year.. no chance with teapot husband and frequent teapot visiting mother. :eek:

I do have my own website but er it still hasn't gotten beyond the first page yet because I've not had time.

At the moment I'm cataloguing a book collection which took me twelve hours just putting down title author publisher year and edition/printing :mad::o It's all got to be described and photographed yet as well.

Think I'll have to make working on the website my NY resolution.

We were supposed to be going to Norfolk in September to visit one of my cousins but OH changed jobs so that trip is delayed to 2014.

On a more positive note GP has been nagging me to test my blood glucose and so far it's been completely normal. I'm getting side effects from drugs though so I'm girding my loins to do battle and get them cut

smallblueplanet

Edwardia wrote: »

smallblueplanet I like the Weleda salt toothpaste but difficult to get here...

How about from Amazon, tis where I get mine from...


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weleda-Toothpaste-Banded-other-Price/dp/B00E19DIDM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384024024&sr=8-1&keywords=weleda+salt+toothpaste


Need to add something to take it over £10 but they do lots of organic groceries and 'health' stuff.

Kirri

I knew there was fairly reasonable selection of organic/natural toiletries on Ocado ie Green People but just saw in the book that came with my order today that Weleda, Neal's Yard, Burt's Bees and Dr Hauschka are also stocked! I love Dr H..

5 things out of stock that I wanted today, 4 were taken off my order before placing and 1 was subbed tonight, bit poor stock control - they subbed a normal lettuce for an organic romaine (they could have given me organic little gem given all food ordered was organic..). My G&B tasting selection was all in the bottom of a carrier, box sellotape removed on one side and everything out of the box :mad: As much as I like Ocado their packing side is so poor.