Do you eat organic food?

[Hope54321]

Just interested to see how common it is for mumsnetters to eat organic foods?

If you do eat organic food, do you buy everything organic or just certain foods?

Yes almost all the food we buy is organic and a lot is grown on our local farm. We also grow some things ourselves. DH is a research scientist who has looked into the effects of pesticides at so called safe levels so we are highly motivated to eat organic. Plus it tastes better.

If it's in the yellow label sections then I would, or if it's on offer

I buy some products consistently amongst my weekly shop. Pretty much always have organic milk, eggs and cucumber as we get through so much of all those things. Often organic yoghurt, chicken and sometimes other fruits veggies when they are available and not extortionately expensive. I'd buy even more but it's costs so much more and there aren't even that many organic options in the budget supermarkets I shop in.

We eat a mix of organic and as locally produced as possible. For me, it’s about animal welfare and fewer pesticides. I find we also waste less because we can’t afford to buy food that doesn’t get eaten. I’m pretty frugal and I don’t buy lots of snacky stuff, so our food bill probably isn’t much more than other families of our size (DH, Me and two adult kids who haven’t yet flown the nest).

Yes as much as possible.

Try and find your local water company pesticide and fertiliser run off level reports, or the government reports on how much pesticides/herbicides are in bread, it makes sobering reading.

I’m sure it doesn’t make much difference in the actual nutritional content of food, but it is the responsible thing to do for the environment and also the workers that have to administer the chemicals. Many years ago I nursed two men who had organophosphate exposure. They were in a field when the crop sprayer came over. It was horrific. After more that 50 ampoules of atropine we still had to keep going, they were still not atropinised and were drowning in their own fluids. Think of the people who have to administer these chemicals so you can get a perfect tomato. Especially workers in poor countries. The bean farmer in Kenya dreams of something like the nhs to step in and treat him for the long or short term effects of those chemicals, they’re on their own.

Only if I pick it by mistake and many it’s fruits and vegetables

Yes for meat and the veg/fruit without a peel.

@ChiefPearlClutcher I suspect that's why I can eat organic bread, pasta etc but if I eat non organic wheat I bloat like a zeppelin. Since I changed my diet my IBS has virtually disappeared.

I would love to eat organic but it's too expensive. I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and capsicums. I also grow a variety of herbs, rosemary, thyme, basil and loads of parsley. I get my eggs and chickens from a farm with true free chickens roaming 17 hectares. But I still buy beef, seafood and fruit from non organic sources.

I find Organic fruit and veg at the supermarket distressing. They have more packaging than standard stuff. It's in the nature of the beast - if you charge a premium price then you don't want people mixing it up with non-premium goods.

Organic™ is a bit of a con. A farmer can grow goods to organic standards but is not allowed to call it Organic™ unless they go through the Soil Association's programme, which is very expensive. Thus you are paying for the 'certification of Organic-ness™' rather than the 'organic-ness' in and of itself.

As much as possible, I get certified organic. I get a weekly delivery of a fruit and vege box.

I always had an organic/schmorganic kind of mind set, just give it a wash!
But having stumbled across a few documentaries about the organic debate and pesticide use, and factory farming, i am definitely buying more organic food.
Too much is unknown and what is known is absolutely terrifying.

I know many people argue about the cost, but the long term cost in terms of health care and support dwarves it. And people who can afford it should, and not feel guilty about it.

We get an organic veg box every other week. If I am doing a top up shop I would only go organic for fruit/veg on the 'dirty dozen'. We always get organic milk though.

I don't specifically avoid it, but the whole organic thing is a marketing ploy without scientific or quality control basis, so unless it tastes better or makes you feel better psychologically, it is a huge waste of money.

I find it tastes better and is fresher. Mine is very locally grown and freshly harvested.

I only buy organic milk, cheese and other dairy produce because the welfare standards are higher for the organic livestock.

I don't generally buy organic fruit&veg unless the normal stuff is out of stock, because it's more expensive and I don't want to spend the extra, though I would do if I was a bit wealthier.

I have no expectation or belief in the organic goods being any better nutritionally for me as an individual but it's good to support less intensive and more biodiverse farming practices. industrial farming monocultures are very bad for the planet but buying organic won't help to divert away from those.

My neighbour has an allotment on which he grows his own veg and salad stuff. Almost weekly he gives me some of his produce, which is absolutely delicious.
In return I give him a bottle of my home made wine, some of which is made from his produce, such as rhubarb.
Fair exchange.

I think there's a lot of misunderstanding. It needs to be certified because otherwise how would you know if it is organic? Every producer would just slap the label on. If you're paying for a product not to have been treated with pesticides/antibiotics then you should have some assurances and the associated regulatory bodies associated with it. Otherwise what on earth is the point? It's certainly not a con to not want to ingest pesticides etc and want something better for the planet too.

As much as possible, yes. I shop online and always search ‘organic xxx’ and if nothing comes up I’ll just go for whatever’s there, I don’t twist myself up in knots for it but I prefer it.

Where will we be able to read your article, @Hope54321 ?

What article?

Would love to be all organic in reality probably 40%.

Mostly down to the expense of it.

The things I consume in the highest quantities and are subject to the most pesticides I try to go organic. Milk, butter, yogurt, dark chocolate, porridge oats, bread flour, pasta, tinned toms, certain fruits and vegetables (based on the dirty dozen).

I have my own hens and grow as much fruit and veg organically. The older and slightly better off I get the more I would prefer to eat organic where possible.

I'm vegetarian, so where possible I get organic animal products mostly from a welfare point of view, except eggs which I get locally which aren't organic - but I say hello to the hens regularly and they seem pretty happy 😁