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Posted March 2017
THE MINEFIELD THAT IS FOOD SHOPPING
BACKGROUND
Nearly three-quarters of people believe there's an issue with food fraud in the UK, according to a recent report from the National Farmers Union Mutual.
60% of those asked blame food producers; only 12% said they had confidence in the European food chain and a mere 7% had confidence in the global food chain.
Is that so surprising? This summer's food scares (eggs, pork) seems to have flipped a switch.
Before, we were happy to hit the supermarkets in a complacent bubble (usually in a rush to get the groceries and go home or to order by e-mail before the deadline and bed). We panicked only when one or another food scare hit the headlines, then things would return to normal and we'd carry on as before.
Now, concerns about pesticides & animal husbandry - previously usually shouted from (and occasionally created by) political activists on the sidelines - have gone mainstream.
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Gratifyingly, current concerns are focused on the millions who can't afford to 'Go Organic' and have neither the space nor time to raise free-range chickens, eggs and pigs.
Producers catering for the cheaper end of the market are under immense pressure. Some will yield to temptation and use cheaper global suppliers more vulnerable to fraud. Falls in sterling and higher import costs mean already tight margins are being further squeezed. Low-cost food is increasingly coming to mean higher-risk food.
Questions about food safety arise:
- Why is it so difficult to test imported products before they hit the shelves? Who is responsible - the government? Importers? Supermarkets?
- Why are lower prices used to justify less safe or even potentially harmful food?
- What is a safe level of antibiotics for chickens? A large American producer recently stopped giving antibiotics to its flocks. Can that happen here? Have we got too used to questionable methods of production to keep prices down? Is there an alternative?
- The NHS is apparently spending nearly £500 per person teaching people how to cook and eat healthily on a budget. Shouldn't this happen in schools?
- There is no doubt that we don't always get the full picture when it comes to claims about food. Why is it so difficult to differentiate between the claims of activists/political groups working to 'take down the meat conglomerates' or destroy confidence in/create confusion about food, and peer-assessed scientific research presented in the proper context? Is it the job of journalists to do more digging? (Just asking.)
With Brexit in the offing, the government is already taking a close look at where and how we get our food. Consumers are becoming more concerned about food quality and safety while food producers continue to worry about how UK produce is picked and packed without seasonal labour.
The NFU report says one third of consumers are less trusting of products and retailers than they were five years ago; a further third believe food crime is likely to increase.
Where does the lower end of the market go?
TO BE OR NOT TO BE...ORGANIC
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The Soil Association has produced a list of fruit and veg with high and low levels of pesticides to give consumers a clearer idea of where potential dangers are:
The so-called Clean 15 are:
- avocados
- sweetcorn
- pineapples
- cabbage
- frozen peas
- onions
- asparagus
- mangos
- papaya
- kiwis
- eggplant
- grapefruit
- cantaloupe
- cauliflower
- sweet potatoes
The following register relatively high levels of pesticides:
- apples
- strawberries
- grapes
- celery
- peaches
- spinach
- bell peppers
- imported nectarines
- cucumbers
- cherry tomatoes
- imported sugarsnap peas
- imported potatoes
In the UK, pesticides are strictly controlled. Some well-known food writers with families say there's no need to worry if you buy British but if you are worried, simply wash the fruit/veg.
Bloggers recommend soaking higher-pesticide products in a solution of one part white vinegar to 9 parts water for 20 minutes and then rinsing thoroughly. (This is what 67 does when funds don't stretch to organic.)
There are products you can buy to 'wash' off the pesticides but they tend to be expensive.
As for shiny, waxed fruit - the recommendation is to peel them.
As for shiny, waxed fruit - the recommendation is to peel them.
Organic September, sponsored by the Soil Association, has just ended along with an Organic Trade Board campaign to get people eating more organic food.
An article in the Telegraph 'Does Organic have to cost the earth?' concludes that organic products are more widely available than ever. More importantly, some organic products - especially own-brand - match the price of or are even cheaper than branded products.
In the Blogger's experience organic veg can be only 20-50 pence more than non-organic and (when the budget allows) is worth it for the enhanced taste and texture. Overall, however, when you add it all up, organic food is still pretty expensive.
Purists worry about the long interval between organic produce being picked and ending up on the supermarket shelf. It's true that food that is freshly picked has higher nutritional value than food that has has sat around for awhile but that applies to all produce.
In the Blogger's experience organic veg can be only 20-50 pence more than non-organic and (when the budget allows) is worth it for the enhanced taste and texture. Overall, however, when you add it all up, organic food is still pretty expensive.
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Purists worry about the long interval between organic produce being picked and ending up on the supermarket shelf. It's true that food that is freshly picked has higher nutritional value than food that has has sat around for awhile but that applies to all produce.
IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD ORGANIC...
There's a mixed consensus on this. Some food writers poo-pooh the idea that organic food is better for you, especially since some imported favourites have been developed to grow quickly - which seems to defeat the purpose of producing slow-growing products with maximum taste and nutrition.
Some insist that organic meat should be at the top of the shopping list for anyone concerned about food. So much so, they recommend families consider reducing spending elsewhere, buying organic meat and cutting portions. The Organic Trade Board's £8million organic "Feed Your Happy' campaign provided weekly menus. They managed to get three dishes for 4 people out of one organic chicken.
Others say the cost of organic meat is just too expensive for anything but special occasions and good free-range products are the only alternative to bankrupting the family.
The Blogger's personal experience (after seeing the effect of certain foods on her body after a restricted diet) is that it is worth spending more on organic meat and fish. However, they are eaten less frequently than before, portions are kept small and nothing is wasted.
Every body will react differently to different foods. Buying organic meat is not possible for everyone but buying the best you can afford seems sensible and wise. The choice between buying say 3 chickens for £10 and one free-range chicken for around the same price is down to a household's budget and food philosophy.
Any organic food boxes the Blogger has tested in the past has ultimately disappointed. Farmer's markets are great sources of freshly picked or eco-consciously slaughtered foods but prices are still out of the reach of many households.
An allotment would be perfect, if one could get one.
For anyone else, perhaps forming a small co-op with like-minded folk to buy in bulk right be an answer?
Some insist that organic meat should be at the top of the shopping list for anyone concerned about food. So much so, they recommend families consider reducing spending elsewhere, buying organic meat and cutting portions. The Organic Trade Board's £8million organic "Feed Your Happy' campaign provided weekly menus. They managed to get three dishes for 4 people out of one organic chicken.
Others say the cost of organic meat is just too expensive for anything but special occasions and good free-range products are the only alternative to bankrupting the family.
The Blogger's personal experience (after seeing the effect of certain foods on her body after a restricted diet) is that it is worth spending more on organic meat and fish. However, they are eaten less frequently than before, portions are kept small and nothing is wasted.
Every body will react differently to different foods. Buying organic meat is not possible for everyone but buying the best you can afford seems sensible and wise. The choice between buying say 3 chickens for £10 and one free-range chicken for around the same price is down to a household's budget and food philosophy.
Any organic food boxes the Blogger has tested in the past has ultimately disappointed. Farmer's markets are great sources of freshly picked or eco-consciously slaughtered foods but prices are still out of the reach of many households.
An allotment would be perfect, if one could get one.
For anyone else, perhaps forming a small co-op with like-minded folk to buy in bulk right be an answer?
WHETHER OR NOT YOU GO ORGANIC, DON'T WASTE FOOD
As much as 20% of our weekly shop ends up in the bin. No one can afford that.
There's plenty of material on the net on making food budgets go further, learning to cook frugally and using a freezer wisely.
67goingon50's Reducing Food Bills was well received when posted nearly 3 years ago and formed the basis of volunteer work for a London-based health charity.
http://www.eatingwell.com/article/15808/15-foods-you-dont-need-to-buy-organic/
http://laca.co.uk/confidence-producers-‘low’-finds-food-report
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/j99RqVB4HMpPndyhRmtnnT/is-organic-food-better-for-me
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php#.WdEPNq2ZMxc
https://www.soilassociation.org/blogs/2016/march/01/toms-top-tips-for-organic-on-a-budget/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/does-organic-have-cost-earth-eat-better-less/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-175801/Is-organic-food-worth-price.html
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