At the base of the needs of those who love organic food there is the search for healthier food, but also the desire for a more critical consumption.
All of this implies a change in lifestyle; those who decide to buy organic also decide to dedicate more time to cooking and to themselves; to renounce frozen foods, ready-to-eat foods, and all those solutions that, while on the one hand are convenient, on the other hand are badly reconciled with the needs of an over-exploited planet.
Un most critical consumption it also implies attention to the origin and therefore the desire to favor zero-kilometer products, and to packaging, which, if present, must never be of an exaggerated size compared to the product.
Organic shopping: where?
The first thing to do for those who want to dedicate themselves to organic shopping is to look for one or more trusted suppliers or sign up for a GAS (joint purchasing group).
In the first case, you will need to find one or more farms, not too far from your home, where you can go periodically for your organic shopping.
In the second case, it will be necessary to inquire about the solidarity buying group closest to your city, register and make purchases through the chosen GAS. Of course, you can also do both, that is, sign up for a GAS and look for one or more local suppliers of organic products.
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How to organize organic shopping
Once the suppliers have been found, it will be necessary to organize the weekly shopping. Making an organic grocery list is not quite like making the list when you have to go to an impermecato, because you have to be more ready to adapt to what you find.
Generally, organic producers are small companies and do not always have everything; you will have to get used to eating only fruit and seasonal vegetables, which, among other things, are very good for health and, in general, it will be necessary to adapt to buy what is there.
You will discover many vegetables and cereals never seen before and you will learn to know your territory better and to follow the seasonality of food. There is no point in eating strawberries in February and cauliflower in August, nature has its cycles and organic shopping will help us to respect them.
The weekly shopping list must therefore contain more than anything else an estimate of the amount of food we think we can consume until the next appointment with our trusted producer, to avoid waste and bring fresh food to the table as much as possible.
How to organize the organic weekly menu
Once you have brought your organic shopping home, you will need to make good use of it. Some foods should be eaten very fresh, others can be kept in the fridge for a few days, still others can be frozen cooked or raw in order to have something ready when time is running out and you can't cook.
In general, those who love organic shopping will have to dedicate a little more time to food preparation, but with a little organization you can do everything. Here, then, are some practical tips to make excellent use of your organic purchases:
- Build up a monthly supply of organic cereals and legumes to be used for soups and first courses; for those who work all day away from home, just soak them in the morning and cook them in the evening, perhaps while having dinner, to then have a meal ready for the next day.
- Evaluate how much oil is consumed in a year and, in autumn, make up an annual supply of organic extra virgin olive oil.
- Make a monthly supply of organic flours, trying to vary between the different cereals, in order to always have the raw material at hand to prepare your own pizza, your own base for sweet and savory pies or your own organic pasta.
- If you love to eat eggs, be careful not to take more than you need, and buy them weekly, obviously as long as they are organic and very fresh; eggs, in general, can be stored in the refrigerator for about 28 days, but it is always better to take the minimum necessary for weekly consumption.
- The same goes for milk and dairy products; evaluate the weekly consumption of milk and cheeses and prefer organic ones, which are produced respecting the environment and natural balances. Do not exceed in the purchase and consumption, both for nature and for health reasons. It is also necessary to be careful to turn to certified producers, who respect all the hygiene and sanitary standards, as well as the dictates of organic farming.
- Evaluate how much fruits and vegetables it is consumed in a week and do not buy more; once you get home, keep the one that lasts a few days in the refrigerator (carrots, cabbage, fennel, tomatoes ...) and immediately cook the one that wilts quickly (spinach, courgette flowers ...). Always have a small supply of vegetables and fruits that can be stored for the whole week (and sometimes even beyond) for example, depending on the season, pumpkins, potatoes, melons, watermelons ...
Organic farming in the country, growth in contrast
To learn more:
> The benefits of organic food
> Organic farming
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