Ethical on a budget

samsampotts

Hi all:wave:

I've been lurking around the MSE site for a while now and have decided to start a thread based on the changes I am making to my lifestyle. My partner and I have always been concerned about ensuring we live as ethically as possible but many people say its virtually impossible on a budget - so I decided its about time I foud out if it can be done! I am going to keep a record of my progress along with menu plans, recipes, sources for the products I buy etc and hope that other people will join in so we can share tips and ideas!

I am using the term ETHICAL rather than ORGANIC - this is because organic products can be extremely expensive and I think we have to realistic here - I am much more concerned about ensuring the food and other products I buy is as local as possible, that the producers have been treated fairly and given a good price, that there is as little packaging as possible, that animals have been treated with respect and that all chemicals, additives etc (nasty stuff) in any product I buy is kept to an absolute minimum or eliminated all together.

With this in mind I am starting my new lifestlye by sorting out our food (one step at a time!). I won't be wasting any of the food I already have in the house as I think this would be going against my beliefs, so even if it isn't 'ethical', I will use it up and replace it with more ethical products in the future. This is going to be a gradual process! I'll be back soon with my first shopping list and menu plan!:T

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samsampotts

I should probably give you an idea of my food budget - for myself and my partner and our two dogs (they are very tiny and don't cost much to feed!) I am budgeting £280 per month for food and household cleaning products plus basic personal care stuff like shampoo, toothpaste soap and deoderant.

samsampotts

Ok: I have found a great ethical online shop which is local to me so delivers free! https://www.ecoal.co.uk sources all its products as ethically and locally as possible. My order for WC Mon 30th July is as follows;

1 x Blueberries, organic, France, 125g = £1.99
2 x Garlic, organic, Spain, each 49p = £0.98
4 x Kiwi, organic, New Zealand, each 39p = £1.56
1 x Melon, Galia, organic, Spain, each = £1.99
1 x Onions, organic, Holland, per kg = £1.91
1 x 100% Wholemeal Bread Flour, Organic, 1.5kg = £1.49
2 x Passata, organic, 700g £1.09 = £2.18
1 x Cheese, Mature Cheddar, organic, 245g = £2.59
1 x Butter, Slightly Salted, organic, 250g = £1.75
1 x Cheese, Parmesan, organic, 125g = £2.99
1 x Coffee, Dark Roast, Ground, organic, fair trade,227g = £3.09
1 x Yoghurt, Strawberry, organic, 150g = £0.65
1 x Biona Baked Beans, organic, 6x400g = £4.75

Total £27.92

I have also found a local organic box scheme that also has their own free range eggs - these were recommended to me by a friend as we have both tried box schemes in the past and been disappointed but she assures me these guys are good! https://www.goodbehere.co.uk. My order for the week is as follows (it won't arrive until Thurs 2nd Aug)

1 medium fruit and veg box = £12.50 This week it will include:
New Potatoes
Leeks
Cauliflower
Carrots
Kohlrabi
Runner Beans
Spring onions
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Calabrese
Apples
Pears
Bananas

plus half a dozen eggs = £1.00

Thats a total of £41.42

samsampotts

So now for the menu plan - remember I am using up what's in my freezer and cupboards too, so it won't all be ethical yet! Also, my partner and I have very different diets so I generally have to make two different meals everyday. For breakfast everyday I have homemade meusli (I will post the recipe at some point) with soya milk. For lunch everyday for my OH I make him sandwiches (usually buy a gammon joint for sandwich fillingas it works out cheaper and better quality than sandwich meat). He then has a 2 packets of crisps (which I'm weaning him off as its an expensive and unhealthy habit!), a flapjack or brownie (homemade) and a piece of cake (also homemade) along with about three pieces of fruit. He needs all this as he does a very physical job as a tree surgeon!

So the plan is;

Monday: lunch for me - spinach and lentil soup from the freezer with soda bread which I will make
dinner: Veg chilli and rice (from freezer) / Beef in ale stew (from freezer), jacket potato and beans (from freezer)

Tuesday: lunch same as yesterday
dinner: I'm having dinner with a friend / Bolognese (from freezer)

Wednesday: lunch - I'll be making tomato soup and fresh soda bread
dinner; Vegetarian Shepherds Pie / Lamb steaks (from freezer), mash and beans (from freezer)

Thursday: lunch: jacket potato, beans and cheese
dinner: Chicken (from freezer) and new potato salad / Sausages (from freezer), jacket potato and veg

Friday: lunch: chkn salad wraps (chicken and tortilla wraps from freezer)
dinner: Cauliflower cheese soup and soda bread which I will make fresh / Beef Chilli and rice (from freezer)

Saturday: lunch: I'll make minestrone soup and soda bread
dinner: Pork Steak / Chicken breast (from freezer) with this http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/smotheredleeksandkoh_85612.shtml (Smothered Leeks and Kohl Rabi) probably with some new potatoes too.

Sunday: lunch:sausage (from the freezer) glazed with onion chutney, mash, veg and gravy
dinner: soup (leftover from those I've made in the week - any other protions will be frozen for future use) + freshly made soda bread

That's it! if anyone wants any recipes etc, just let me know.

excaliburp

samsampotts wrote: »

I should probably give you an idea of my food budget - for myself and my partner and our two dogs (they are very tiny and don't cost much to feed!) I am budgeting £280 per month for food and household cleaning products plus basic personal care stuff like shampoo, toothpaste soap and deoderant.

:eek: me &the hub's budget is £150 a month at the mo.

samsampotts

That's great! I am happy to spend £280 as my budget to achieve what I want to achieve but I understand that not everyoe will want to do this. I'm not one of those people that looks down my nose at people who don't buy orgainc or ethical stuff either - each to their own! If you are inetersted in being as ethical as possible though and can do it on your budget then please - tell us how! Any tips you have would be very gratefully recieved!

excaliburp

well its not so much a case of not wanting to, its just not a option to spend any more while we work on a few debts. We do walk to the supermarket and use our rucksacks rather than plastic bags (not much CO2 &you buy less when you've got to lug it home!!). Also don't eat meat, partly for health and ££ reasons and partly because it does seem so inefficient a way of getting your energy in terms of land space needed per unit of population fed.
hoping that these 3 little things off-set some of our other less honourable choices on cheaper possibly less ethical brands. Suppose as you say, every little helps and maybe better that than nothing at all. :T

samsampotts

You're quite right, if everyone did just what they could it would make a huge difference

crutches

lidl now have some fairtrade things(in a useful seperate secton here!) so those of us on a budget can do our bit without going overdrawn.

Maddie

Sam,

We also try to eat as ethically as possibly, almost everything we buy is now organic - although I'm still trying to reduce my reliance on the supermarket.

I'm not sure how much we spend each month (just me & partner) but I know its a lot less than £280, will have to work it out when I get chance.

Looking at your meal plans you seem to either have a vegetarian meal or else meat as a main component. To make it cheaper and to reduce meat consumption we always try to spread meat out as much as possible.

For example, instead of having sausages, jacket potato and veg, I would make a big sausage casserole. Basically just chop sausages into inch long chunks and spread out with loads of different veg and lentils and pulses for extra protein. This way 6 sausages can last us for 3 evenings (ie 6 meals), however the sausage flavour really spreads and you feel like you are getting a meaty meal. I often serve it with buckwheat which I think goes really well.

The meat we each most is minced beef, seems to be one of the cheapest organic meats and again can be spread far in a chilli or bolognese etc.

We hardly ever have chicken as it's too expensive, but if you want chicken breasts you'll probably better off buying a whole chicken and cutting it up yourself. I tried this once and it was a bit messy, so next time I'll roast it whole then cut into portions which can be used in curry etc.

Hope this helps.

Ytaya

samsampotts wrote: »

Ok: I have found a great ethical online shop which is local to me so delivers free! www.ecoal.co.uk sources all its products as ethically and locally as possible. My order for WC Mon 30th July is as follows;

1 x Blueberries, organic, France, 125g = £1.99
2 x Garlic, organic, Spain, each 49p = £0.98
4 x Kiwi, organic, New Zealand, each 39p = £1.56
1 x Melon, Galia, organic, Spain, each = £1.99
1 x Onions, organic, Holland, per kg = £1.91

I applaud what you're trying to do and your common sense attitude to it (ignore the magic ORGANIC word and consider other ethical aspects too)! But, erm... France? Spain? New Zealand? Holland? How local are they! Onions and garlic are easily grown in this country, I know English blueberries are having a bumper year too.