Can we still afford to eat organic?

Alice Wyllie offers tips on how to eat healthily and ethically while keeping an eye on the budget

IS IT because it’s healthy, because it’s ethical, because it’s trendy, or a combination of all three? Whatever the reasons, Britain’s love affair with organic food has become ever more committed over the past decade and sales have risen 14-fold over that period.

But just as it seemed pesticide-free potatoes and chemically untainted chicken had firmly established their place on our menus, the credit crunch has meant the cost of food is becoming many consumers’ first concern.

Figures out last week from market research firm TNS show monthly spending on organic food and drinks fell from a peak of £100 million earlier this year to £81 million in the most recent four-week period recorded.

So is it goodbye organic smoothie, hello supermarketvalue-brand juice? Not necessarily. Organic Fortnight ( www.soilassociation.org/organic fortnight) runs until 21 September, with events taking place across the country, including Soil Association Scotland’s Organic Food Festival in Glasgow on 20-21 September. Over the fortnight there will be various special offers and promotions from organic businesses across Scotland for those wishing to save on spending.

But for longer term ways to eat organic food on a credit-crunch budget, here are our top ten tips.

GET A VEG BOX DELIVERED

One of the best ways to cut the cost of your organic food is to get a vegetable box delivered every week, where for around £10-£20 you get a box of fresh veg delivered to your door. The contents will vary depending on the season and change regularly. Cheaper than buying from supermarkets, different sizes of box are usually available to suit your needs and budget. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes start from £11.75 from www.growwild.co.uk which delivers in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

BE SELECTIVE

If you can’t afford to buy exclusively organic food, be selective. Prime cuts of organic meat can be very expensive, so go organic with cheaper cuts of meat like chicken thighs. The same applies to ready-made organic products like pasta sauces – buy your fresh fruit and veg from an organic supplier instead.

COOK FROM SCRATCH

By using organic ingredients to cook a meal from scratch, you’ll save much more than buying an organic product that’s ready-made. A batch of soup or pasta sauce that you make from scratch and lasts you all week, for example, can cost roughly the same as buying a carton of organic soup.

EAT IN SEASON
If you choose only to eat foods that are grown in the UK and are in season, you’ll save a fortune. Forget buying strawberries in the middle of winter that have to be imported from abroad. Check www.eattheseasons.co.uk for information on what products are in season when.

SHOP LOCALLY

When it comes to the cost of transporting food, don’t just think about the extra cost of having it shipped from another country. You can lower the costs further by choosing produce that’s not just grown in the UK, but by a local supplier. Try a nearby farm shop for food that hasn’t travelled far to get to your plate.

BUY IN BULK

While you obviously can’t apply this rule to perishable goods, when it comes to beans, grains, nuts and other dry goods, you’ll get the best price if you buy them in bulk. Look out for deals in the supermarket on dry goods too. Visit www.mysupermarket.co.uk to find organic goods on offer at sale prices from big supermarkets.

GROW YOUR OWN

If you’ve got the time and the patience, growing your own organic veg is the best way to do organic on a budget. Organic seeds are available to buy from www.organiccatalog.com and see www.gardenorganic.org.uk for gardening tips. Start with some simple things – carrots are among the easiest, and can be grown in pots if you are short on space.

EAT LESS MEAT

While organic seasonal fruit and vegetables like onions, carrots, apples and potatoes are relatively affordable, organic meat tends to be pricey. Have a vegetarian night at least once a week to keep costs down.

CUT DOWN ON WASTE

We all know that as a nation we waste a huge amount of food every year, and there’s no use spending on fresh organic produce if you find yourself throwing half of it in the bin at the end of the week. Shop every couple of days, thus avoiding duplication or buying too much. Likewise, buy your fruit and veg loose rather than pre-packaged, so you only buy what you need.

SHOP AT FARMERS’ MARKETS

This one should be self-explanatory. By and large, the supermarket is where organic food will be most expensive. At your local farmers’ market, lots of stalls sell organic produce, and you save money by buying directly from the producer. Visit www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk to find your nearest farmers’ market.