Fairtrade for Irish farmers!
November 16 2009 at 11:33
The Sunday Tribune, Sunday 15th November 2009
For the cost of a cappuccino, Irish consumers could switch to Irish-grown, organic fruit and veg each week, says Darren Grant, owner of The Organic Supermarket, Ireland’s first dedicated supermarket where everything from pasta to parsnips are certified organic and sold seasonally.
“The average family spends €20 on fruit and veg each week. For 10 per cent extra they could feed their family locally grown, organic produce, picked the same day and not flown across the world in chemicals,” says Grant.
But how viable is it to shop organically, particularly when most of us are watching our budget?
“Unfortunately we’ve been brainwashed by the big name supermarkets into doing one massive weekly shop, despite the fact a recent survey highlighted that we throw out 40 per cent of food we buy, because it goes off before we get a chance to use it.,” explains Grant.
Planning meals in advance is one way to hugely cut our food bills says Grant. He says it’s cheaper to buy less food but of a better quality, and use it within three days.
The humble stew, and colcannon, (a mixture of potatoes and kale) are the perfect winter family meals, says Grant, because they are tasty, nutritious, cheap and easy to make.
“In France they still go to the bakery for their bread daily, the butcher for their meat, and the greengrocer for their vegetables.”
There’s nothing elite about eating organically he says although it’s a common stereotype he fights against.
“Our grandparents ate organically, although they didn’t call it that. They ate whatever was in season and available locally.”
Grant is passionate about giving his customers the choice to buy food that is produced ethically, and supports the ever-diminishing pool of Irish farmers, growers and independent producers who are struggling to survive in the face of big chain supermarkets.
“The food revolution is already happening. We’ve managed in a short time to change the mindset of people against smoking. Now we’ve got to look at how we eat.”
www.organicsupermarket.ie is in Blackrock, Co Dublin. They deliver nationwide for €6.50
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