Organic on a budget
Organic food can be expensive, but you can eat organically without spending a fortune. Lily Barclay finds out how
In recent months, rising food prices and an economic slowdown have led many people to question the cost of their shopping basket. With organic products typically more expensive than their non-organic counterparts, could these be among the first to go?
The first luxury to go?
Certainly, our desire to cut the shopping bill could explain why London’s largest organic supermarket, Whole Foods, has reported £10m losses in its first year.
But it’s not all doom and gloom - according to organic accreditation body, the Soil Association, organic food sales have grown fourteen-fold over the past 10 years.
There is still a huge interest in eating fresh, natural produce and you don’t always have to spend big either. If price is your main motivation, there are plenty of opportunities for budget organic shopping.
Vegetable boxes
Ordering an organic vegetable box can be convenient and cost effective. It means you’ll get fresh, home-grown products delivered directly to your doorstep. Some 50,000 UK households have now joined a weekly scheme.
It is worth shopping around to find an option that suits your household’s needs and your wallet. Organic vegetable boxes can vary from around £7 to £25 depending on size and variety. One of the main financial benefits is that, by eating locally, you cut out the rising fuel costs that have made imported products more expensive.
UK organic box scheme Riverford, for example, recently claimed that its boxes are 22 per cent cheaper than organic fruit and vegetables bought online from Tesco, Waitrose, and Sainsbury’s. They say that their large box even comes out £1.66 cheaper than Tesco’s non-organic produce.
Many people also find that getting an organic vegetable box encourages them to eat more healthily, cook more and waste less. (For more advice and tips on choosing an organic vegetable box see Boxes of delight.)
Supermarket sweep
Not all organic varieties cost the same, and shopping around can definitely pay off. Nearly all mainstream supermarkets now carry an in-house organic brand, which can be cheaper than specialist labels. We took a virtual tour of Tesco to make a price comparison of our own.
We found that 500g of wholewheat pasta showed very little difference in price between an organic and non-organic option: Tesco regular brand costs 84p, Tesco Organic is 89p and a brand choice of regular Napoloni costs £1.49.
It was a similar case for 500g of rice, where Tesco Easy Cook regular Rice costs 75p, Tesco Easy Cook Organic Rice is 86p and Uncle Ben’s Basmati Boil in the Bag Rice costs £2.15.
Buying organic products in bulk, such as oats, dried fruit, rice and nuts is another good way to get value for money.
Savvy shopping
Avoiding pre-packaged supermarket food, such as salads and ready meals, will save you money, which you can invest in good quality raw produce. Many of us are guilty of buying two for one ready-made food, half of which quietly perishes at the back of the fridge.
Taking the time to choose and prepare loose fruit and vegetables will save you cash that you can spend on an organic alternative.
The average price of a ready meal for one is roughly £4. For not much more you could buy 500g of organic mince beef (£2.95), organic whole wheat pasta (89p), organic chopped tomatoes (42p) and 750g of organic carrots (96p). This all adds up to just over £5 (prices from Tesco) and could feed a family.
Starting from scratch with soups, casseroles and stews is another good way of making long-lasting hearty meals from organic meat, potatoes and vegetables.
Meaty matters
When it comes to money and organic meat, thinking quality rather than quantity is often the key. The recommended adult portion size for meat is 3oz (about the size of a deck of cards).
Rounding up your meal with cheap grains, such as couscous, rice or quinoa is a good way to save a few pounds.
Premium cuts, such as chicken breasts, don’t necessarily give the best taste. Organic chicken legs and thighs can often be a cheaper and tastier alternative.
Replacing meat altogether with other sources of protein such as organic beans is another great money saver.
Waste not, want not
Simply thinking ahead by planning your meals and shopping list in advance could make a huge difference to your weekly shopping budget. Every year, UK households waste 6.7 million tonnes of food – that’s £420 a year for the average UK household.
Being inventive with leftovers by turning dishes such as pasta and rice into salads, and freezing stews, curries and lasagnes gets the most out of your organic produce. Juicers and blenders are also a good investment buy for turning overripe fruit into smoothies and juices.
This can make a difference to both your purse and the planet. According to the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), if we stopped the amount of food being wasted it would be the same as taking one in five cars off UK roads.
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