# Free Range or Organic Produce - Do you buy?



## MandaC (17 Aug 2008)

Given the current economic squeeze and given the fact that all and sundry are now getting at least some of their groceries at Lidl/Aldi, can I ask what peoples attitudes are towards, say, organic produce at say, farmers markets and free range eggs/meat/vegetables.

Do you still buy it, or is it just too expensive now.  Was watching the RTE program HEAT a couple of weeks back, when Kevin Thornton gave out to the contestant who bought a cheap battery farmed chicken that had a very "poor life" and did not want that type of produce in his restaurant.

I still buy free range meat/eggs(not always organic) from a local farm shop but wonder if other people do so given the costs involved.


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## z105 (17 Aug 2008)

> Given the current economic squeeze and given the fact that all and sundry are now getting at least some of their groceries at Lidl/Aldi, can I ask what peoples attitudes are towards, say, organic produce at say, farmers markets and free range eggs/meat/vegetables



You can buy some organic produce in Lidl/Aldi


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## MandaC (17 Aug 2008)

Have gotten some of their organic  veggies alright. They are very good for all of their vegetables (organic or not)  I never buy meat there at all  though.


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## z105 (17 Aug 2008)

Organic eggs in Aldi are good, and the organic smoked salmon too (but I could never understand how you "make" organic smoked salmon !!)


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## miselemeas (17 Aug 2008)

I am fortunate enough to be able to afford organic/free range and buy it regularly, either from Lidl/Aldi/farmers markets and so on,  but appreciate that price and quantity is the ultimate decision maker where you have a lot of mouths to feed on a limited budget.


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## Brendan Burgess (17 Aug 2008)

"Organic" as such is a meaningless term and is easily confused with other terms e.g. free range. 

So free range chickens need not be organic. 

Generally the term means that few synthetic chemicals have been used in  production.

So presumably "organic" salmon means farmed salmon which have not been treated with chemicals.

I only eat organic food myself. I find inorganic food very difficult to digest.

Brendan


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## MandaC (17 Aug 2008)

Yes, I know it can be very hard for producers to get organic certification and that not all free range produce is organic and so on.

I was at "Taste Kildare" festival today at the K Club and it was great speaking to various different local suppliers who were very proud and passionate about their produce/farms/animals.   It would be a shame for these people to eventually lose their business  to the massive retailers, as there is no way they can compete pricewise on the products.  I sometimes see a chicken in any of the big Supermarkets and think, really, how can this product be produced for this price?  

The reason I am asking the question is that  it like miselemas, I too can afford it(at the minute) but wonder how many other people have this outlook given the current economic climate.


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## dem_syhp (18 Aug 2008)

I can't afford to purchase the same level of organic food.  I still get free range eggs.  I prefer to eat less meat rather than poor quality.  I'm eating more bean dishes - and no harm. 

I try to focus on locally produced, in season fruit/veg - not as concerned about organic or not.  Try to grow some of my own with limited space - just herbs/lettuce.   

But it's all well and good claiming what one will/won't eat and then having a chicken sandwich out in a deli where they come in vacuum packed.  I know I'm guilty of this.


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## BOXtheFOX (18 Aug 2008)

Hugh Fernley Whathisface from www.rivercottage.net did a chicken tasting session on one of his T.V. programmes. There was little difference taste wise between free range and the battery chickens from those who sampled both products. Healthwise does anyone know?


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## truthseeker (18 Aug 2008)

BOXtheFOX said:


> Hugh Fernley Whathisface from www.rivercottage.net did a chicken tasting session on one of his T.V. programmes. There was little difference taste wise between free range and the battery chickens from those who sampled both products. Healthwise does anyone know?


 
Its my understanding that its the quality of life of the chicken thats important here. If you buy free range you are buying a chicken thats had a reasonable quality of life. If you buya  battery you are buying a chicken that had a nasty life. So as a consumer your choice may dictate the quality of chickens lives.


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## ClubMan (18 Aug 2008)

I buy organic/free range on the odd occasion it's cheaper than regular stuff - e.g. sometimes _Tesco _organic bananas have been cheaper than their non organic ones. I certainly don't go out of my way to buy it and pay the usually hefty price premium.



Brendan said:


> I only eat organic food myself. I find inorganic food very difficult to digest.


Ha ha!


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## Vanilla (18 Aug 2008)

The same Hugh Fearnley Whitt. was on some programme the other night when he compared fat content of free-range v farmed v organic. The fat content of farmed chicken was alarming. 

I've posted about it before but I havent been able to bring myself to buy farmed chicken since reading 'Two Caravans'- a novel, but it describes the conditions of farmed chickens in a fairly brutal way. 

I try to buy free-range or organic. Also locally produced and in-season veg. I bought 'The Kitchen Revolution' which has seasonal recipes ( was recommended by a poster here) so it's nice to be able to cook with seasonal veg and adds a good variety to our meals. Quite a bit more effort than relying on the old favourites but worthwhile. 

I bought a chicken from a local farmers market the other day that I thought was organic until I re-read the label which said 'organically fed'. Which presumably means it could be injected with all sorts of anti-biotics, chemicals etc and reared as farmed chicken as long as the feed stuff itself was organic?


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## Caveat (18 Aug 2008)

I base my decisions partly on the taste benefit really.

E.g. organic tomatoes/peppers are usually worth paying the extra for IMO but I wouldn't bother with e.g. potatoes or onions.

Organic garlic seems to be more pungent too - which is OK by me


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## Claire1956 (18 Aug 2008)

Folks, it is possible to purchase alot of good food at source, not only at the farmers market. If you look at the free range chicken lable you often can identify the grower and contact them directly. While this can be time consuming, you can save up to 50% of the price on what you pay at the butcher and also confirm the source of chicken to your own satisfaction. To make it worthwhile you can stock up on the item if you have room in your freezer.


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## rmelly (18 Aug 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Ha ha!


 
Still trying to figure out what the joke (if any) was with that one...


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## Caveat (18 Aug 2008)

rmelly said:


> Still trying to figure out what the joke (if any) was with that one...


 
Pedantic definition interpretation? i.e. _Inorganic _to mean never having been alive I guess?


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## rmelly (18 Aug 2008)

very good.


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## Vanilla (18 Aug 2008)

rmelly said:


> very good.


 
Not really, but feel free to suck up all the same...


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## ClubMan (18 Aug 2008)

I still have visions of _Brendan _gnawing on a lump of coal.


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## DavyJones (18 Aug 2008)

ClubMan said:


> I still have visions of _Brendan _gnawing on a lump of coal.



Coal is an organic sedimentary rock. Tasty


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## ClubMan (18 Aug 2008)

DavyJones said:


> Coal is an organic sedimentary rock. Tasty


Unlike the non organic version?


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## rmelly (18 Aug 2008)

Vanilla said:


> Not really, but feel free to suck up all the same...


 
will do, thanks for the encouragement.


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## Mpsox (18 Aug 2008)

I don't neccessarily buy organic, some of the prices charges are ridculous. However I do get all my meat at the local butcher, the quality is way better and the prices less then at any of the big supermarkets, and it's local. 

Likewise if people want to be environmentally friendly, buy what is in season


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## Vanilla (18 Aug 2008)

rmelly said:


> will Do, Thanks For The Encouragement.


 

Lol.:d


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## ClubMan (18 Aug 2008)

Mpsox said:


> I don't neccessarily buy organic, some of the prices charges are ridculous. However I do get all my meat at the local butcher


Me too. Quality, choice and prices are usually better than supermarkets.


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## truthseeker (19 Aug 2008)

Mpsox said:


> However I do get all my meat at the local butcher, the quality is way better and the prices less then at any of the big supermarkets, and it's local.


 
And, if you buy from the butchers you get far less packaging than you do buying supermarket meat, I absolutely abhor the amount of plastic containers you end up with if you buy meat in the supermarket.


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## Dicette (19 Aug 2008)

I got quite irked in the local supermarket last September, when there was a big sign promoting organic apples for "Back to School" lunches - the apples were from New Zealand. At the same time of year perfectly good Irish apples are in season,


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## S.L.F (19 Aug 2008)

Havealaugh said:


> I could never understand how you "make" organic smoked salmon !!)



The fishermen only eat organic veg before they catch the fish...


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## Ciaraella (19 Aug 2008)

Fair Trade would be another aspect of, i suppose you'd call it ethical shopping. Some fair trade products would be quite reasonable, tesco have fair trade bananas and lidl have lovely fair trade orange juice. If it was a choice between spending the extra money on fair trade goods or free-range or organic I would go for the fair trade.


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## olddog (28 Jan 2009)

Brendan said:


> "..................... I find inorganic food very difficult to digest...........
> 
> Brendan



Sorry to dig up an old thread.

Touring Dunnes Stores recently I noticed that they sell organic Sodium Chloride ( salt )

I'm still chuckling to myself


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## Smashbox (28 Jan 2009)

You know sometimes you can pay the same amount in a butchers as you can in a supermarket. I buy my veggies in a green grocer and all my meat comes from the local butchers. Eggs are again from the green grocer, always free range.

Those programs on tv horrify me!


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## MandaC (28 Jan 2009)

Since I first posted that thread, I am now gone even worse.

I barely eat any meat at all and what I do is always Free Range/Organic and from the Butcher/Farm as opposed to Supermarket.

It is quite hard when you are trying eat out or eat a cheapo lunch (chicken from the local garage would be mad processed) or even a Chinese Take Away.

Am eating quite a lot of fish, am on a diet, so is helping.


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## Brendan Burgess (28 Jan 2009)

People should be very careful about what they eat as there are so many dangerous chemicals doing the rounds. I think that the Organic Society is about to join the campaign against Dihydrogen Monoxide. I certainly have cut down my consumption of this little known, but widely used chemical.

Chemicals - Ughhhhhh!


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## oldtimer (28 Jan 2009)

Since this thread began I have got very concious about what I eat. I buy organic as much as possible and to be honest feel the better for it. My problem is Mrs. Oldtimer does not agree with my fad for organic and she buys non-organic. It has lead to disagreements and sometimes two different dinners on the table. Any way I can win her over?


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## sandrat (28 Jan 2009)

oldtimer said:


> Since this thread began I have got very concious about what I eat. I buy organic as much as possible and to be honest feel the better for it. My problem is Mrs. Oldtimer does not agree with my fad for organic and she buys non-organic. It has lead to disagreements and sometimes two different dinners on the table. Any way I can win her over?


 
offer her a choice between organic or synthetic diamonds?


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## Smashbox (28 Jan 2009)

sandrat said:


> offer her a choice between organic or synthetic diamonds?


 
Nice one San.. I like your thinking...

Hit her over the head with a frying pan for disobeying you?!


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