As Organic September draws to an end, we truly hope that lots of you won’t be turning your back on this way of living once October arrives! Hopefully you’ll have seen how amazing it can be to choose organic products- and if you still need a little more convincing, then here is one last super quick guide that might help you on your continuing journey. Without further ado, here are our top five tips on how to shop and eat organically- for life, and not just for September!
- Source organic foods in your local supermarket. You really don’t need to go out of your way to special markets- shopping and eating organically really can be for everyone. All the major supermarkets (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, Morrisons) have an organic range and it’s a great idea to stock up on the basics when you do your regular shop. Choose organic versions of dairy products (milk, yogurt, butter, eggs, cheese) and vegetables such as onions, carrots and mushrooms. Go for organic chocolate, biscuits and spreads too.
- Look for the logo. The Soil Association logo is easy to spot and will tell you instantly which products are organic. “Organic products must be certified by law, meeting strict standards covering everything from animal welfare to pesticide use, to ensure that the products you’re buying are food you can trust. Soil Association Certification certify more than 70% of all the organic products available to buy in the UK, so looking for our logo is one of the easiest ways to spot organic on the shelf.” (Soil Association)
- Shop online. Lots of organic supermarkets can keep their costs down with online shopping- plus the major supermarkets all offer home delivery too, so you can take your time, compare prices and make sure what you’re buying is truly organic.
- Eat seasonally. Not only will the food taste so much better, but it will be cheaper too. Plus there’s the added bonus that eating foods that are locally available at the time reduces your carbon footprint and you’re not paying over the odds to import foods from other countries.
- Consider subscribing to an organic box scheme. These are such a great way to source fresh organic food that’s in season and there will always be something new in there that you’ve never tried before too. Expand your palate and not your food bill!
Inspiration for organic cooking
So you have your beautiful organic food- now what? We’re not all naturally gifted in the kitchen and often when people adopt new eating habits, it can be the lack of meal inspiration that can lead them back to their old, trusty, eating habits. Don’t let that happen to you! The Soil Association has loads of delicious recipes on their site that you can browse, with so many tips on how to get the most out of your weekly organic shop. Don’t be afraid to use new ingredients to create new recipes.
Remember that adopting an organic way of eating is a fantastic way to build a healthy and sustainable diet with less processed food- and less fat, less salt, less sugar. Its a diet high in better quality food with more fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Its a diet full of quality food that you can trust- fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable.
