Almost everything I cook with is organic, and that's been my preference for a long time. Though, since becoming a mama, it's become increasingly important to me. Even when my children were having their first gappy little gums of real-world food, I knew that I wanted it to be free of pesticides and chemicals. The idea of subjecting their precious, tiny systems to these 'everyday' chemicals was, and is, abhorrent to me.
I know it can be expensive though, so I thought I'd share some tips with how I keep our pantry and fridge stocked with organic food without breaking the budget.
1. Grow your own. Even in a tiny apartment, we always had pots with spinach and herbs. If you have more space, be adventurous and get some good seasonal plantings going. What do you enjoy eating most of? Tomato? Strawberries? Lettuce? Carrots? I find we get a great yield of strawberries (the kids usually pluck about three a day each off the small patch we have).
2. Shop at farmers markets. Even if the food isn't certified organic, you have a great opportunity to form a relationship with the growers. Much of their wares will be 'spray free', and essentially organic, without being able to jump through the requirements for certification (soil testing etc). This brings up a whole new issue of 'food miles', which are so very important. Supporting local, eating what's in season when it's available.. this all makes sense. Though I do put personal preference or organic over local from time to time, but that's just me. Also, talk to your growers and give them your number in case they have "gluts" and want to sell produce at a discount rate. You might be up to your elbows in preserving jars for a couple of days but so what!
3. Supermarkets are cynically (and helpfully) cashing in on our desire for great, organic produce. The two in my area both stock an abundant and good selection of organic produce - more often than not, a greater quantity than they can easily sell. As a result, there are always excellent reductions. Today, they had packs with two heads of certified organic broccoli in each for around $1.90 (down from the $4.90 they were originally). I bought three packs (six heads), chopped, washed and blanched the florets and froze in snap lock bags.
4. Organic meat IS expensive so look into ways you can cook your favourite meals but stretch out the meat in the recipe. If you're doing a curry or stew, bulk it up with extra vegetables. We use organic chicken mince to make our own sausages (and I bulk them out with extra mashed veggies). I use organic grass feed chuck steak for casseroles. Free range pork belly, slow roasted.
5. We are also predominantly grain free and this does not have to be expensive. Anything you buy that is marketed to the gluten free market is generally over-priced. Not to mention, often heavily processed. Quinoa flakes are always a bargain and are fantastic - grate some apple and cook with cinnamon and currants for a cheap porridge. Use as an alternative to flour or crumbs when binding a recipe. Use Quinoa flakes instead of breadcrumbs. Same goes with good organic brown rice - it isn't expensive when you think about what a coffee costs, and you can sprinkle a little into most dishes to make it go a bit further. Nut meals are excellent, though expensive, so bulk them out with grated vegetables, coconut flour or, if you're not grain free, organic wholegrain flour.
6. Don't waste! When you're buying products that cost a small fortune, the last thing you want to do is give them fridge real estate and then tip them into the bin after a week. I know that a lot of people say one shop per week is better for your budget, but I find that doing small top up shops through the week keep my selection current. Organic will not last as long. This is the point. Vegetables are not naturally designed to sit forever! The fact that they grow mould or soften is a GREAT sign that you're not corrupting your system with ... well, crap. Work out a couple of recipes that use a dump of vegetables - risotto, soup, stew, stir fry, pasta sauce, and make a point of preparing these once per week, so that you don't have to throw stuff out.
7. Get a great fruit and vegetable wash. I use envirocare fruit and vegetable wash for all my fresh produce. In the wake of the contaminated berry scandal we're seeing in Australia, I'm going to be blogging something else about this later. However, whether I buy organic or not, I wash them all as soon as they walk in the door. Before they get a bed in my fridge, they're scrubbed of any sprays, germs and bugs. Get in a good habit and this WILL save you time (though, ughhh, it feels arduous until you get the hang of it!). This is a great way to clean, chop and store produce so that you get the most out of it. My mum reminded me after reading this post that cider vinegar diluted in water is also a good agent for cleaning veg.
8. Be prepared. Make your lunch for work with good quality ingredients. Don't buy crap just because it's around the corner!
If you buy vegetables that are infiltrated by chemicals from seed stage, sprayed during growth to ward off bugs, sprayed once picked to prolong shelf life, and (worst of all) do not wash them properly, you are eating chemicals every meal time. Just sayin'.
