The lovely people at Farmdrop sent me a bundle of fresh organic veggies on my quest to find out if organic is really better than non-organic and if fresh is better than frozen.
Farmdrop Veg and Salad Bundle
As it stands I normally buy the majority of my veggies and fruits frozen (non-organic) and only keep fresh the ones that don't perish too quickly like potatoes and onions. I have attempted many a time to buy all fresh, however the produce always goes bad before I decide what to do with it. Yes- I'm an aspirational vegetable buyer so it's time I do something about it.
I am intrigued to find out if you can actually taste the difference between organic and non-organic foods and what goodies I can make from my selection.
I was sent the following in my box:
Organic Braeburn Apples (Chegworth Valley)- £2.60
Fairtrade Organic Bananas (Organic Wholesale)- £2.35
Organic Blood Orange (Organic Wholesale)- £2.65
Wild Co. Organics Veg & Salad Bundle (Wild Country Organics)- kale, spinach, watercress, leafy salad mix, rocket, cress, sage, carrot, leeks and potatoes- £13.95
The service was spot on- I was told my box would arrive by 10.30 on the 4th and it was on time and well packed so everything was still intact when I opened it up. Everything was in individual bags and labelled well. Who knew a package of vegetables could be so exciting? But I found myself looking forward to being creative back in my kitchen.
So what was the first thing I made? Soup! I am a huge soup fan so I got to work and made leek and potato, spinach and rocket and potato soup on Saturday, which gave me 12 batches to last me through the week.
I had something for my dinner each day and a quick tea if I needed it for the evening as I often have things going on during weekday nights and consequently need something fast and easy.
The only noticeable difference when preparing these foods is that they have a bit more dirt on them than non-organic produce so you need to give them a good wash before use. Better to see the dirt and wash it away than the food be coated invisible pesticides I guess.
The leftover potatoes (with sage) and carrots made the basis of our Sunday dinner. I could really taste the difference with the carrots- they were moist and mashing them up released their flavour even more.
The leafy greens, kale and watercress made for a lovely salad on a couple of evenings when I wanted something light.
I love something sharp in the morning so I have enjoyed the three pieces of fruit as my breakfast. I had never eaten a blood orange before so that was a new experience for me.
Three bits of fruit may not look much but all that fibre has kept me full until lunch time while stopping me from reaching for the fruit juice or smoothie which is my usual go to brekky.
Surprisingly, the fruit and the veg that I haven't used yet has stayed relatively fresh. The bananas might be getting a little brown around the edges but still taste great.
Overall, this box has seen me through the week and has formed the basis of most of my meals.
Having it delivered made life so much easier as my local supermarket has a very limited selection of organic vegetables and I have to travel far from my home to get some- which isn't ideal as it means shopping twice.
I have of course had to substitute the produce with other things, however it encouraged me to use up every ingredient in the box and be a bit more creative with what I was cooking.
Normally we eat out at least once a week but we have resisted this week because we had so much food in the house that had an expiry date. When we have only frozen food in the house there is always the temptation to leave it in the freezer and go out because it won't perish.
I could taste the difference in the apples, oranges and carrots, however everything else seemed to taste the same as non-organic. Perhaps that is because I ate the majority of the produce cooked.
I felt better knowing that the food I was using was safer and cleaner than my usual purchases however.
I think the thing to remember is what might be lurking on the foods even if you can't tell a massive difference in taste.
Although organic food is more expensive you are paying to be safe in the knowledge that your food is pesticide free. You are significantly reducing your risk of birth defects if you are pregnant/ looking to start a family, neurological conditions, chronic illnesses and degenerative diseases which can be caused by consuming pesticides.
Salad greens and cucumbers have also been found to have traces of E-coli and salmonella on them in the past too (superhumancoach.com).
When you read reports such as this, paying a little extra for your fruits and veggies doesn't seem like such a huge sacrifice when it means your health won't be affected and you are getting all the goodness from what you're eating and not just a fraction.
Would I buy organic again? Absolutely, it has made me much more aware of the quality of what I'm buying. You get what you pay for and that is so true with organic food. If you buy cheap there are lots of hidden dangers. Knowing what I do now- I would feel guilty to feed my family food that's non-organic.
Yes some vegetables are better than none, however from what I have read- taking things a step further- organic is better than non-organic.
I would urge those families who have their favourite fruit and veggies to start with those and then move on from there. If you like making your own chips get some organic potatoes- if you have mashed carrot and swede with your Sunday roast, make the switch. If you like an apple with lunch- make a different choice.
It can be easy to lose track of what you are spending on fruits and vegetables in the supermarket, however if you get them all delivered at the same time and get the same foods each week- you can budget better too.
I personally think a vegetable delivery service is a great idea- you can choose your own or get a bundle and work with what you get so you have a chance to try new foods and new recipes.
You do need to supplement it but you would be surprised at how little is required to do so, especially if you're vegan like me. A few stock cubes, some stuffing, bread and vegan meat substitutes and you're done.
If you're a meat eater like my partner then you have to consider your meat on top of the cost, however if you are sensible you can keep costs down.
I am really impressed by Farmdrop and am looking forward to trying more of their offerings. It feels great to know I can enjoy the fruit and veg with the knowledge I’m supporting local farmers and producers at the same time.
www.farmdrop.co.uk