Our Meal Plan Making The Most Of Organic Produce

I was asked by Organic UK to compile a Meal Plan using a hamper of groceries delivered to me last week.  I had no idea of the contents of the hamper until it arrived so had to play Ready, Steady, Cook (or Meal Plan) with what arrived.  A change from how I normally Meal Plan but I am always up for a challenge!  Due to a tight deadline for the blog post I haven't blogged all the recipes for the Meal Plan, I may blog them at a later stage.

The contents of the hamper were as follows:

Cost of 19 items: £56.45

  

Packets and Cereals

 1x    Waitrose Organic Fusilli (500g)                                                                      £1.05

1x    Waitrose Organic Aromatic Basmati Rice (500g)                                      £1.99

1x    Waitrose Organic Wholesome Couscous (500g)                                        99p

Tins, Jars and Cooking

 2x    Waitrose Organic Chopped Tomatoes in Natural Juice (400g)               £1.78

Doves Farm Organic Plain White Flour 1kg                                                        £1.19

Dairy and Eggs

 2x    Yeo Valley Organic Double Cream (227ml)                                               £1.90

1x    Stonegate Organic Free Range Medium Eggs (6)                                       £2.29

1x    Yeo Valley Organic Fresh Semi Skimmed Milk (2L)                                 £1.88

1x    Yeo Valley Organic Unsalted Butter (250g)                                                £1.60

1x    ye Cross Farm Organic Cheddar (245g)                                                      £2.69

Fruit and Vegetables

 1x    Waitrose Organic Carrots (1Kg)                                                                    £1.75

1x    Waitrose Organic Potatoes (2.5Kg)                                                              £3.50

10    Waitrose Organic Butternut Squash by Weight (100g)                             £1.99

3x    Waitrose Organic Plums (400g)                                                                     £7.77

1x    Waitrose Organic Garlic (100g)                                                                     £1.05

2x    Waitrose Organic White Cup Mushrooms (250g)                                      £2.70

2x    Waitrose Organic Pink Lady Apples (4)                                                       £5.40

1x    Ocado Organic Brown Onions (750g)                                                          £1.09

Meat, Fish and Poultry

 1x    Duchy Originals Organic British Pork Sausages (6 per pack - 400g)      £3.49

16    Waitrose Organic Whole Chicken by Weight (100g)                                 £11.34

I also purchased Sainsbury's Organic Fairtrade Cane Sugar (500g) £1.09 and Sainsbury's So Organic Unwaxed Lemons (4 pack) £2.  I used vegetables from our allotments to supplement the grocery hamper and had to use non-organic baking powder as there was none on sale at my local Sainsbury's or Asda.  I also used organic fresh herbs from our garden, organic vegetable stock powder and non-organic spices from our store cupboard.

Here's what I came up with:

12 Mini Toad in the Holes with Mash and Steamed Greens *greens from our allotment

Butternut Squash and Herb Pasta Sauce

Roast Chicken with Roast Vegetables and Yorkshire Puddings *carcass used for stock

12 Muffin Tin Chicken Tarts *using leftover chicken and chicken stock

Egg and Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Tagine with Herby Couscous *using last of the veg , tinned tomatoes and allotment veg

Lunches

Mushroom Soup with Herb Scones

Cheese and Tomato Flatbreads *using tinned tomatoes and fresh herbs for the topping

Puddings

Plum and Apple Sponge Pudding

Lemon Posset with Plum and Apple Compote *using organic lemons and sugar purchased from Sainsbury's

The Campaign for Organic

The "Organic. Naturally different" campaign which bloggers are being asked to highlight is aiming to inform consumers about what the term organic means and encourage shoppers to make conscious decisions when they go food shopping.  The aim of the campaign is for people to choose and taste organic products and understand the benefits which, according to Organic UK, are:

·         Organic is better for nature

·         Organic animals have high animal welfare standards

·         Organic contains less pesticide residues

·         Organic is natural and great tasting food

Organic UK Food want to challenge peoples’ price perceptions of organic and demonstrate that eating organic can be part of an budget-conscious lifestyle if you shop, cook and plan wisely.

Here's what I think . . . . .

I used My Supermarket to compare the cost of the items I was sent with those from Asda where I usually shop.  Unsurprisingly many of the organic items available from Waitrose were unavailable at Asda, Tesco or Sainsbury's.  However, the carrots, mushrooms, eggs, milk, and pasta were all still organic and the total cost of the items would've been £36.87.  Had I swapped the organic products for a trolley containing no organic products the cost would've been £33.22.  There is no way our family, and I am sure many other families, could afford to spend £23 more to buy organic produce from a high end supermarket.  Yes I was able to stretch the organic produce to go far but some families are lacking the skills to do so and it did take me a couple of hours to think up the dishes to best use the groceries that arrived.  

In an ideal world I would buy organic produce regularly and only buy organic produce as I believe it is better for consumers, farmers and the environment.  At one time we used to receive an Abel and Cole Fruit and Vegetable Box but the cost was too much and we stopped.  The only organic produce we can afford to eat is that which we grow ourselves in our back garden and on the two allotments we take care of.  My friends occasionally give us free range organic eggs and produce from their gardens and allotments as well.

I completely understand why organic produce costs more.  It is a much more labour intensive process and involves more inventive methods of pest control and working with the seasons and environment.  To be honest the organic produce did taste a little different to our usual supermarket produce, however that may be because it was from a higher end supermarket than what we are used to ;o)  Our homegrown organic produce will of course always taste better than anything we buy as it is freshly picked and we have an emotional and physical investment in the harvest.  

Of course it is very important that we know where our food comes from, the processes involved in producing it and the consequences on both the environment and us of different methods of production.  However much we may want to buy better we cannot always afford to do so.  With many experiencing financial difficulties, food poverty and struggling to feed families decent healthy food at a decent price, I think the Organic UK campaign will not change buying habits in some families.  

Food tends to be the one expense that isn't fixed in households.  Rent/mortgage, phone, electric, water, council tax, etc are all usually expenses that are fairly fixed however the food bill is the one area that savings can be made if they have to be made.  I always buy free range eggs, free range chicken and usually higher welfare sausages and meat.  It takes savvy meal planning for us to afford to do that and I make the most of those ingredients, usually over several meals.  I do not usually buy organic, unless the items are on offer at a price as good as or better than what I would pay normally.  

I also find the idea of "Thrifty Meal Plans" varies widely.  Jamie Oliver crowing that his new meals cost on average £1.38 per portion is his idea of thrifty, working out at almost £7 for a meal for my family it is more than I would normally spend.  I enjoy reading the delicious and well thought out Thrifty Organic Meal Plans from another blogger, who is paid well by Organic UK to produce them, however the fact that some of the meals cost £12 - £15 for a family of 4 mean that the cost per meal is too much for our usual family of 5 budget.  I would hasten to point out that some of her meal plan recipes do cost around £5 for a family of 4 which is much more in line with our budget and that would sway me to give them a go.

I will read the posts from the other 9 blogs involved in the campaign with great interest.  I wonder if I am missing something and they will show me that organic can indeed be a thrifty option and work for families on a very limited budget.  I do hope so.  I tried to make the most of the groceries I was sent and managed to get 6 dinners, 2 lunches and 2 puddings out of them.  It does concern me that I could do the same for 30% cheaper using non-organic produce as I was hoping the cost difference would be much less.  The reality is that the food budget for my family of 5 each week is a maximum of £70 and buying what we need to using organic produce just isn't achievable.  

The bottom line is buy organic if you can afford to, if you can't then try and grow as much of your own as you can.  Have plants in your garden that are good for bees and other wildlife as well as gorwing vegetables, fruit and herbs if you can.  Feed your families as best you can, buying good quality healthy options, buy organic if and when you can afford it.

** I was sent a hamper of groceries my Organic UK. All opinions are my own. **