NOW CLOSED Talk to Organic UK about about buying organic food and win a Neal's Yard 'pamper hamper' worth £100 plus 10 runner up prizes

[KatieBMumsnet]

As part of the new "Organic, Naturally Different Campaign" the folks at Organic UK would like to know Mumsnetters' opinions on buying organic food for your family. Here's what Organic UK says: "The campaign wants to encourage all of us to think again about the benefits of organic, and support organic producers. We all want good, natural food and that's exactly what organic is all about."


So if you buy organic food, please tell us what you buy and why? Does buying organic only matter to you for certain items and not others? Or is anything and everything you buy organic? Why is buying organic food important to you?

If you don't buy (or don't always buy) organic food, why is this? What prevents you from buying organic? Is there anything that could persuade you to purchase organic food?

Also, are you 100% sure on what organic produce is and how it is classified? Or are you not too sure?

Everyone who adds their comments to this list will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a Neal's Yard 'pamper hamper' worth £100 and 10 runners up will each win one copy of the Discover Organic cookbook (worth £14.99).

Full T&Cs can be found here.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

[Furball]

I buy organic milk and free range eggs from the milkman

If meat is from a supermarket - I usually get organic. But most of the meat I buy comes from my local independent butcher as far as I know it is not organic, but quality/taste wise is far better to the organic at the supermarket.

I will not buy danish pig products and I do not buy chicken that on the back in tiny writing it says 'this product is from brazil/thailand or the eu' if the supermarket can't tell me exactly which country it's from I don't want it, full stop.

I usually buy organic potatoes, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower, try to get cucumber but sometimes don't and bananas (the bananas I get are small ones so good for lunchboxes, so buy for size rather than organic) all from the supermarket, - however if I don't get organic I try and always buy british including strawberries which for some reason are more than twice the price of ones from morroco or spain?

I don't buy organic apples/pears/grapes - dh likes a 'breed' of apple that doesn't come in organic and same with me for pears and grapes

I try and buy organic as I like the idea of my ds eating less chemicals, although I am aware organic doesn't mean no chemicals, I think it means the producer is allowed to use chemicals etc but from an approved list.

I believe people aren't buying organic because money is tight, you don't see what extra you are getting with organic. this week I didn't buy organic broccoli and you wouldn't know.

I think there should be a fairtrade scheme for British farmers too, we should be supporting them too.

[LoonyRationalist]

We are vegetarian so I don't have to worry about meat. Nor do we drink milk. I do buy organic meat & milk when feeding guests. We eat eggs which I ensure are organic - from our local farm. We grow as much of our fruit and vegetables as we can & are organic when it comes to this. However when it comes to everything else we simply can't afford the premium that organic products command. If there was no difference - or even a smaller difference in price I would choose organic every time, I try not to think about the chemicals/GM crops in our food as it is beyond my control to do anything significant about it. :(
I do (I think) have a good understanding of organic produce.

[zipzap]

I buy some organic food - I try to buy organic milk as I've read in several places that it is one of the few organic foods where there is a chemical difference and it can be scientifically shown to have more of the good things in it than non-organic milk.

It's nice to buy organic veg and fruit but it depends on the source, how reliable you think the organic claim is and what the price difference is...

Organic meat tends to be good just because you know if it is claiming to be organic then it has usually been kept in good conditions and will better than mass produced and packaged meat. Having said that, BIL is a farmer and produces very nice meat. It's not organic as he is a small farmer and can't afford to go through the official organic certification process. So, while it is not 'proper organic meat', it comes from a farm that uses minimal chemicals and interventions, for the most part the lambs grow up on very grassy fields and are very well looked after.

Where possible I do eat this sort of meat - either from him or other local farm shops - because whilst it might not be organic it's a pretty good second best, plus I know the animals have been well cared for, it supports the local economy and helps the local farmers more directly (they have been struggling recently)

HOwever, if I'm in a supermarket and need to get meat then organic is often nicer... depends on the price difference as to how much more likely I am to get it. In fact it's not even that simple - depends which supermarket I'm in - locally our Waitrose and morrisons has nice meat so would be less bothered about getting organic in these places as it's already nice.

Sainsburys is reasonable, asda and tesco's the meat isn't great so if I had to get meat in them, I would be more likely to get organic from them as there would be a better chance that the meat would be nicer than their standard stuff.

Sometimes I don't buy organic because it's not possible to get it - some things I buy out of habit like Birds Eye Garden Peas - I have no idea if they are organic or not (I'm guessing not) but I'm not aware of having ever seen organic frozen peas. I also tend to get lots of my fruit and veg from the local market, which doesn't flag up whether nor not stuff is organic, lots isn't I'm sure. But - the price and quality of the produce is so much better than the supermarket equivalent that I shop there, despite the lack of organic markings (and again, for the local stuff - lots comes from farmers that find it too expensive to get their certification - could you not have a slightly less rigorous, but inclusive of other things like local, minimal intervention, animal welfare, fair price to farmers etc)

[ouryve]

I buy some organic food - usually veg (so long as it's good quality, fresh and not vastly expensive) or dairy. I prioritise buying as local as possible, though, since faced with the choice of a cucumber from East Yorkshire or an organic one from Spain, I suspect the benefits of the Spanish one being organic are outweighed by the cost, resources and time involved in transportation.

Of course, if something is organic AND local, such as the meat from a farm we sometimes buy from, then that's the best of both worlds!

[StillSquiffy]

I would never dream of criticising anyone else's choice about their food sources, so long as that choice is an informed one. and I think parents owe it to their children to ensure they have as much information as possible to hand when they make important choices (be it about food, vaccinations, schooling, whatever).

My own choices are:-

1. Seasonal in so far as practical
   
2. Local insofar as practical (I live in the country and like to know which farms I'm using, and which abbatoirs/butchers they are using)
   
3. Organic in so far as practical
   
4. Fair trade/Free range/etc in so far as practical
   
   Why? The first two are because vegetables picked that day taste immeasurably better generally than those shipped/stored/chilled and I think we waste too much oil (as in fuel) globally moving things around the world unnecessarily
   
   Fair trade/free range etc because I am fortunate enough to be able to make the choice to buy food which has been 'created' with dignity (for want of a better word). If I had less money I would not be able to afford the luxury of massaging my own moral ego, but whilst I can afford to feel better about my choices, I will continue to source in this way
   
   Organic because I don't want my body to absorb unnecessary levels of chemicals and growth stimulants. It truly scares me that (for example) stuff like BPA is in the food chain, or that girls are entering puberty 3 years earlier than previously. Choosing Organic food won't resolve all of this (BPA is I think an organic compound anyway), but I live in the country and see for myself the gradual effect of over-farming, intensive farming and forced farming. It buggers up the biodiversity around me. In 200 years time we will better understand whether the chemicals, biotics and hormones we are using are detrimental or beneficial to mankind, but in the meantime I would prefer to exempt myself from being a guinea pig for all of this wherever I can.
   
   I don't need any more persuasion to buy organic, but I do believe that marketing as a whole (whether for or against this kind of thing) does a general disservice to society by masking the clear information needed to allow people to decide for themselves. For example I respect those who don't buy local because they consciously want to support third world farming, and I respect those who do not buy organic because they are concerned about the need for the first world to address the issue of providing enough food for a growing third world population. What I don't respect is people to take one viewpoint or the other because they've been hoodwinked by slick marketing.

[Spidermama]

For years I had a Riverford box of organic vegetables delivered. It also had fruit, eggs and milk and I loved it. A couple of months ago, as money is extremely tight at the moment, I cancelled it hoping to cut costs.

I have to say, as soon as I can convince my husband, I'm going to get it back again. I've missed it so much. I've been buying veg at Sainsbury, Asda and even Waitrose. I buy organic veg there but nothing - and I mean NOTHING - comes anywhere near the flavour and the feeling of being properly nourished.

Supermarket veg - even organic stuff - is tasteless and disappointing.

[TheMonster]

I very rarely buy organic, purely because of price.

As far as I know, organic food is grown without the use of chemicals, but there my knowledge ends.

[Grockle]

I don't tend to buy organic products from the supermarket because of the cost but will do if they are similarly priced or on offer.

I do, however, try to buy fair-trade bananas (I know someone who's family grow bananas and she swears the fair-trade ones make a difference) & try to get locally grown produce when I can & that is often organic.

I'm wary of the term 'organic' on supermarket products because I think it can be misleading (this is the only time my degree in Environmental Biology is vaguely useful )

[Ohyoubadbadkitten]

We buy our fruit and veg from an organic veg box supplier. If I'm honest, local food comes above organic food for me. Because of that we obtain our meat from a local farm shop, that although not organic, does have good welfare standards and uses a local abattoir.
It might all sound very expensive, but my food bill does seem to be lower than many quoted in threads on mn.

[stargirl1701]

My priority is local food, organic or not. I prioritise organic dairy and eggs due to higher level of omega 3 oils present.

My biggest concern is food miles so I try to shop from local farms and markets. Here in Perthshire there is a wide variety so we are spoilt for choice.

When buying food that cannot be produced in Scotland then I look for the Fairtrade label, e.g. sugar, bananas, pineapple, etc.

[devilsadvocaat]

If you don't buy (or don't always buy) organic food, why is this? What prevents you from buying organic? Is there anything that could persuade you to purchase organic food?

Because I don't really believe it makes any difference. It seems faddy to me.
If organic food had actual proven health benefits, I would try it. It always seems so much more expensive.

Also, are you 100% sure on what organic produce is and how it is classified? Or are you not too sure?

Absolutely not too sure!

[CheeryCherry]

I must admit I buy less organic food now my children are older . When they were little I bought organic fruits and root and salad veg. This was to keep my babies chemical free! Now I just buy organic fruit and veg when its on offer, or when it is the same price as normal produce. I feel it is important to some extent, but would like to think that food standards would not allow dangerous products to be sold....maybe that's being niave or burying my head in the sand. The only reason I don't buy it regularly is the cost. We have hens to get our own organic eggs and also grow a lot of our own fruit and veg which I feel balances out any contamination. We done eat meat but if we did I would def try to buy organic due to the excessive hormones pumped into animals. I would only buy more if it was cheaper...the same as regular products. I guess we can never be sure anything is 100% organic but can only trust the guidelines.

[legoballoon]

I am on a budget, but buy organic teabags, carrots and potatoes, as I have heard that if you're going to spend the organic premium, than these are products whose non-organic varieties are usually plastered in pesticides. For most food I buy organic when it's marked down, but usually I just thoroughly wash and/or peel fruit and veg, and organic meat is out of our budget. However, I do try to buy free range chickens and always look for the tractor symbols on other meat. Our eggs are laid by our pet hens, and we were buying organic layer pellets for them, but last time DP picked up non-organic, and they seem to prefer that :)

[BlueEyeshadow]

I buy an organic veg box every week - mostly because it's local produce. I try to buy higher welfare meat wherever I can but can't afford organic unless it's on offer. I am trying to buy less, better meat wherever I can. I prefer organic toiletries too, because I worry about the effects of SLS etc on the skin and the reliance on petrochemicals in them, but DH doesn't and I can't afford it for the kids who get through it faster.

Fairtrade and/or local are more important to me than organic. I think I know what it means, but suspect I might be surprised in practice.

[BornSicky]

i don't understand why organic produce must be label as such, but that other food does not have to list the pesticides, chemicals etc that have been used to produce the item on the packaging.

surely, if we want to encourage people to buy organic, more awareness must be made of what IS actually going into our food and not what isn't.

I do buy organic when i can, but find it very annoying that food is not automatically organic and that organic produce is somehow seen as a luxury when it really should be the norm.

[notactuallyme]

I always buy organic carrots as I read somewhere that if you only bought one organic product it should be carrots (something to do with absorption of chemcals?) I suspect this may not be strictly accurate.

I accidentally buy organic food - eg baked beans prclaiming their organic status (that's you Heinz) even when I don't really look for it.

I'm not sure that I am convinced of the necessity of buying organic food, even though I am quite happy to be cautious about certain things - eg we don't buy anything with aspartame and I suspect that is because I am aware of the potential carcinogenic element and I am preferring to play safe.

Whereas with organic food, I am not sure of the risk to me? I think for me, the key factor is that risk equals less likely to buy, whereas potential health benefit doesn't worry me so much. this is possibly because, touch wood, we are all quite healthy vegetarians and eat a balanced diet?

[Cathpot]

I have a fortnightly Riverford delivery- I like the newletter telling you how they are getting on- that connection makes a difference, and the veg tastes good. I buy organic milk but locally and organic carrots as we go through so many eaten raw. I buy Yeo valley- more for taste than organic-ness. I dont buy everything organic because of price. I get my meat free range from a local butcher- that is more important to me than organic and get eggs from a friend with own chickens. I go for fair trade bananas and tea/ coffee out of a vague link to people in the business and places I have lived.

[MistyB]

Over the years, I have bought a mixture of organic from local producers, national and local veg box schemes, supermarket organic offerings and bulk purchases from suppliers like Suma and Infinity Foods.

From a health perspective, organic meat and dairy are important for me. Local sourcing and reduced environmental impact in production and supply chain are also important.

I also try to buy organic toiletries and natural cleaning products though cost and product effectiveness occasionally tempt me away, less and less but I do feel like I am making a trade off.

When times have been more tight, I have carefully looked at the cost and it is really demoralising when trying to make ethical decisions but lacking the ability to put money where my mouth is.

I have recently moved to France where I shop in an organic supermarket which has a great range, low impact shops (in terms of lighting, refrigeration etc) transportation (fruit and veg that have not been stored or transported chilled then warmed up in a high lit supermarket stay fresh for longer at home!!) and limited packaging (over packed organic supermarket fruit and vegetables used to really wind me up!!). It makes me feel good about shopping there and I can get most of what my family need with only occasional trips to mainstream supermarkets for branded / non seasonal products and better (though still Eco label!) cleaning products.

I would like to see this model in the UK.

[bluebump]

I would love to buy more organic products but the price does inhibit this for me. I do try and buy organic milk as I read somewhere this is better and will generally choose the organic option if a product is reduced and therefore the same price or only slightly more expensive than non organic products.

As well as looking at the prices of organic products I also try to be aware of chosing the local or fair trade options and look at air miles when considering what to buy. I am on a very tight budget but try and do my best.

I had an interesting conversation with a woman who produces organic soil associated approved cleaning products and learnt quite a lot but I don't think I would know the whole story regarding how food is classified as organic. I'd be interested to find out of course and should really look into it!

[homebythesea]

The only Organic produce I buy is via a veg box scheme. I do this because the food tastes far better than any supermarket fruit and veg, it is not air freighted and is seasonal. I don't see the point of buying anuthing else organic and posititively avoid organic meat on the advice of a vet in the family!

[missorinoco]

I don't hunt out organic food per se. Cost makes it prohibitive, so I've never looked into it.
If it was cheaper I would be more likely to buy it.

I do have an organic box of fruit every week for Riverford. We used to have vegetables, but I switched as I had some left over each week (my lack of imagination when cooking) and I couldn't afford to waste any, cash is tight currently. I don't know whether it's the organic part of it or the locally sourced aspect, but the fruit is much more flavoursome than other fruit I buy.
It's also the same price as the non organic equivalent in the supermarket.

I would switch to organic meat and veg from the same company (Riverford), but again that's due to the quality of produce from the company rather than a drive for organic prodcue on my part.

I think organic means pesticide and antibiotic free. I am concerned by the post Iread earlier, stting aminals would be declined appropriate treatment as this would affect their organic status. That would make me think twice if I looked into it.

[LadySybilDeChocolate]

So if you buy organic food, please tell us what you buy and why? I buy organic fruit, vegetables, dairy produce and meat. I don't want the pesticides and additional hormones in my body.
Does buying organic only matter to you for certain items and not others? I'd buy organic for all of my shopping if I could.
Or is anything and everything you buy organic? No, it's hard to get certain items, such as smoked fish.
Why is buying organic food important to you? It's better for the environment and I don't want the additional hormones or chemicals in my body.

[sybilfaulty]

I buy organic meat where possible as I don't like the idea of the multitude of drugs which the animals have otherwise been fed and hope that it means that they have had a happier life.

I buy organic fruit and veg when I can, although that depends on availability as quite often there isn't what I want or I can't justify the cost. I always buy seasonal f and v, and try for local where possible. I also try to use natural cleaning products to reduce the amount of chemicals etc in the home.

Always get organic eggs and try to get organic milk though if I run out the milk is what the corner shop has!

[shockers]

I always buy organic milk and eggs. I buy meat from a local(ish) organic farm when I'm in that area, but if not I buy meat from a butcher on our High St, who is supplied by local farms that are generally not organic. We grow some veg without chemicals and so does our neighbour, who always grows far more than she can use and gives us loads. The rest of our fruit and veg is locally grown, other than bananas... these are always Fairtrade (and where possible, organic). I buy Aveda make up, and organic shampoos and deodorant. I will also try to buy organic cotton. Seasalt make nice clothes.

I understand that choosing organically grown produce means that crops are rotated so that soil isn't stripped of nutrients. Wildlife is less threatened because it's food chain is left intact. I also prefer to eat food that hasn't been sprayed with chemicals. I waste less because I am aware of the work that goes into the production of my food... especially when I have grown it myself!