organic/free range realistic spend?

margot_ledbetter

When reading on here so much of the advice is tailored to buying 'value' range type foodstuffs.

We're lucky in that we aren't counting every penny and I have the luxury of being able to indulge my principles of happy meat and organic vegetables.

Even taking into consideration that I buy free range and/or organic where possible, I'm sure I'm spending too much.

We eat meat approx 4x a week and veggie 3x. I'm still spending about £60-70 per week without booze(!)

How much do others pay for a weekly shop who also try to live ethically/green?

margot_ledbetter

Over two hundred people viewing this board and noone has even looked at this thread, let alone replied to it!

I guess this isn't the right place to ask about ethical money saving...

whatatwit

Ceridwen should be able to advise, I'm sure she eats mainly organic.

She often posts on Weezl's thread vs USDA.

CoD_2

I only buy happy meat, we keep chickens so that keeps us in free range eggs, I stretch meat to it's extreme though, a roast free range chicken is stripped and bagged into portions as i cannot afford breast/ portions anymore.

we have a farm shop near my H's work which is free range and we get mince/ sausages etc from there and i've bought 1/2 a lamb online before.

we spend £160 a month which includes a fruit and veg box. i brew all our wine so i know what is in it and we really couldn't afford to buy it anymore (3 bottles a week soon adds up) making it is 30p-£1 per bottle.

I make our bread (adore our panasonic!) make all cakes, make yoghurt, make alcohol (as above) jam and all meals from scratch.

HTH Cod x

jackk_2

Somebody posted that the best way to save money on organic meat, was to buy it in bulk, straight from the producer, then freeze. Farm shops are cheaper than supermarkets for freerange eggs. Sorry can't help any more than that.

Goodluck

Jackie x

CoD_2

that's for 2 of us and includes all meals, all cleaning products, milk from the milkman and stuff for brewing. it also includes toiletries which probably count for 10-15 of that a month. (not at mooncup level yet and picky about toothpaste/ shampoo)

jackk_2

CoD wrote: »

I only buy happy meat, we keep chickens so that keeps us in free range eggs, I stretch meat to it's extreme though, a roast free range chicken is stripped and bagged into portions as i cannot afford breast/ portions anymore.

we have a farm shop near my H's work which is free range and we get mince/ sausages etc from there and i've bought 1/2 a lamb online before.

we spend £160 a month which includes a fruit and veg box. i brew all our wine so i know what is in it and we really couldn't afford to buy it anymore (3 bottles a week soon adds up) making it is 30p-£1 per bottle.

I make our bread (adore our panasonic!) make all cakes, make yoghurt, make alcohol (as above) jam and all meals from scratch.

HTH Cod x

oooh is there a wine making thread anywhere? :beer:

x

CoD_2

there certainly is, i've made the one with a carton of OJ in, and the fruit tea wine amongst others. i still buy bubbly (special days like birthdays) but only because i can't be trusted to not blow anything up making it from scratch :rotfl:

whatatwit

Margot, have you seen THIS thread, I know it's an old one, but there may be some useful info.

lindadykes

margot_ledbetter wrote: »

Over two hundred people viewing this board and noone has even looked at this thread, let alone replied to it!

I guess this isn't the right place to ask about ethical money saving...

I am sort of in your position, I used to be very tight money wise and couldn't afford to be ethical, but now I have a little more dispposable income I try to use that to be more ethical. The thing is that once you are in the position of needing to look after every penny it becomes ingrained and it is hard to accept "waste" of money - and quite rightly so IMHO.

I currently spend £18 per week on a fruit bag and a vegatable bag from a local organic supplier. Yes I could go to a market and get my fruit and veg cheaper as I had to when I was on benefits (and nothing wrong with that) - but it wouldn't be organic and now I am able to work I wouldn't have the time. My fruit/veg are delivered to my door weekly - they eliminate many of the supermarket runs I needed to do previously so save money on impulse buys.

I bought a Kenwood chef and dough hook off ebay - fantastic - kneads dough for me and simplifies a whole host of kitchen tasks - so now can bake all my own organic bread 2 small loaves cost out at under 50p

I make a trip to a farm butcher once every 2-4 weeks their organic meat is a revalation - people keep complimenting me on my cooking, but nothing othe r than the quality of food has changed. Here I spend between £20 and £40.

I tend to think my spends are getting less whilst the quality of food is so much better since I actively became aware of ethical food, but having been on the "bones of my a**e so to speak for most of my life I firmly believe each to their own and do what you can.

ceridwen

whatatwit wrote: »

Ceridwen should be able to advise, I'm sure she eats mainly organic.

She often posts on Weezl's thread vs USDA.

Hi

ceridwen here and - true - I do tend to frequent Weezl's thread a lot:D

Do you know - I'm not sure how much I spend on average weekly actually. Partly - as I'm in process of a bit of a "revamp" to cut what costs I realistically can on the one hand and partly that I am also suffering from these stratospheric price increases. It was only a couple of months ago I was paying 80 odd pence for my (organic wholemeal) pasta bits and now its about £1.30 ish.

I dont eat meat myself - partly because I cant afford organic meat. I think what you are spending on food sounds pretty reasonable - by organic standards. I think I was quite possibly spending at that sort of level a few months back - and I'm veggie.

I reckon I am probably spending less now - despite the price increases - because I am trying to "get a handle on it". Obviously - you have already been advised re using veggiebox schemes (the cheapest way to get ones organic veggie). I water down my organic milk same as everyone else - 2 parts full-fat milk to 1 part water. The best bet for keepable type foods (eg nuts, lentils, etc) of the organic variety is what I call "grain" shops (ie local independent health shops - rather than the "chain stores", such as Holland & Barrett). In the "grain" shops - they are better prices and one can often get exactly the quantity required - I've got some massive bags of flour right now for breadmaking (several kg weight each). Buy prepared nuts in bulk and freeze in portion sizes. Cook up whole bags of dried soaked beans at once and freeze in portion sizes.

Take a look at the link I posted on weezl's thread re someone who has experimented to see if its possible to eat organically on U.S. food stamps - and came to the conclusion it was:

www.rebeccablood.net/thriftyo/archive/index.html

Grow your own beansprouts (tick - I do). Grow your own mixed salad leaves in a windowbox (on the list to get going on). Make your own kefir - instead of yogurt.

My current last few entries on my blog are to do with food - and I am currently contemplating adding a few recipes. Take a look at my homepage - or just:

http://chezceridwen.blogspot.com/