Shop Organic
Buying organic over Easter or at any time for that matter shouldn’t be and isn’t difficult. Organic produce can be found everywhere; in pretty much all shops and supermarkets and of course online too.
Buying organic produce and products, whether that be fruits and vegetables or chocolate, means you are purchasing something that’s ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, genetically modified organisms and synthetic fertilizers. Organic agriculture is working towards environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production.(1)
So how can you be sure when looking at buying organic that your products are definitely organic?
Read the Labels
Organic pre-packaged food must contain at least 95% organic ingredients to be labelled organic. The products must be labelled with where any of the product’s farmed ingredients were produced and the control body’s code number. Organic products must also be registered with one of the organic control bodies (Soil Association is the main one in the UK) if it’s to be labelled organic. If foods are from the EU and pre-packaged they will be displayed with the EU Organic Logo.(2)
Buy from Farmers Markets (Produce)
When it comes to organic produce (fruits, vegetables, meats, etc) buying from a local farmers markets will save you lots of money. There are so many great deals at farmers markets and the goods are as fresh as they get as the food is grown locally. The other benefits from buying direct from the source is you can ask the farmers direct any questions you have regarding their produce. You can also buy in bulk direct from the farmers which can also save you a lot of money.
Do Some Research
It’s amazing what you can find if you just search the internet for products. Shopping online has never been easier and it gives people access to so many different products! You may also have more organic items in your community than you realise by simply ‘googling’ a product.
Don’t get Carried Away
It’s easy to get carried away when it comes to Easter! I mean, I know why; chocolate everywhere! But when buying organic stick to your favourite products. Tradition calls for Easter Eggs but if you simply can’t afford to spend £10 on that beautifully decorated organic Easter Egg then don’t. Stick with your favourite organic chocolate bars or if you’re buying for a friend then share your favourite organic bars with them!
(1) ‘What Does Organic Mean?’ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/organic
(2) ‘Food Labelling and Packaging’ https://www.gov.uk/food-labelling-and-packaging/organic-food
Look out for Sales
Organic foods, produce in particular, go out of date sooner than other foods due to nature of the foods and the ingredients used so keeping an eye on the ‘reduced’ section in supermarkets and shops is definitely worthwhile. Easter calls for supermarkets buying in more products, especially fresh produce for those big family Easter dinners, so you are pretty much guaranteed to find plenty of items in the reduced sections.
Looking online is also a great way to find deals. For example, organic coffee is generally quite expensive to buy in a supermarket but online you can get great deals! This applies for a lot of organic products.
Lastly, Ask Questions
If you are unsure of a product then ask about it! It doesn’t matter if you are at a farmers market and speaking directly to the source or if you are in a supermarket, don’t be scared to ask questions. Asking questions make people aware that these things are important to you.
Buying organic really isn’t difficult and the tips above should make it even easier and give you the confidence to spot organic products and produce and shop without any worry. It’s also great to be able to learn ways in which we can all save a little money in the organic shopping process too.
