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Is organic food something to stick by even in rough economic times? |
 | By Julie Lawrence   OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Julie Lawrence |
| Published Jan. 24, 2009 at 11:56 a.m. |
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Organic food is expensive, and it's a damn shame. And in a recession, it's an even bigger bummer for people whose budgets are stretched, even for staples like food.
Health wise, the food production industry is a backward system that favors efficiency and quantity over quality. But until industry standards shift, we all will pay way more to eat food that is totally free from crazy artificial additives and growth hormones.
But other than a potential health risk, what else are we sacrificing by opting for the cheap stuff?
Not wanting your produce or ingredients scoured in chemical-laden pesticides in obvious. And the eco-reasons for supporting organics are many. But my question is, can you taste the difference between organic food and non-organic food?
Some people swear by organic tomatoes, or spinach or spring mix and make it a priority to remain natural with those products. Honestly, I couldn't pass a blind taste test.
But recently I've noticed a major difference with apples. Whether it's Fuji or Gala or whatever, the organically grown varieties are so ridiculously sweet, big and satisfying, they make "regular" apples taste like duds. I don't think I'll ever be able to go back.
The same holds true for garlic. I was a member of a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm last summer and the garlic we received from June through late fall was unmatched by any I buy from Pick 'n Save or even Whole Foods. Actually, the organic garlic I purchase from Whole Foods tends to be quite small and even more difficult to peel than garlic already is, and I'm anxiously awaiting this season's harvest.
But what's the general consensus here? Is organic food something to stick by even in rough economic times, or can we survive on "conventional" produce until the market stabilizes?
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7 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by lisa_marie on Jan. 27, 2009 at 11:53 a.m. (report)
I just recently started buying organic produce. I figure it's a good way to get some organic food into my diet without breaking the bank (if only organic food were cheaper, everyone would eat it). I agree with you about the apples. I have never had tastier, sweeter apples than the braeburns I've gotten from Outpost. The same with the grape tomatoes ... delicious! I think I will continue to buy organic produce, though right now I can't afford to go completely organic. Maybe someday!
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Posted by sas_tarr on Jan. 27, 2009 at 10:04 a.m. (report)
I can very well tell if produce is local (i.e. it is natural and tasty) or from far-away (processed for long conservation and plastic/tasteless). I buy only local. As far as Organic vs. not, I'd rather don't care much. I trust local farmers to grow what they would eat.
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Posted by repoman on Jan. 26, 2009 at 12:18 p.m. (report)
The taste difference has little to do with whether its organic or not. I can get apples from Brennan's in Brookfield that are not organic but taste spectacular. I can go to my farmers market and get tomatoes, lettuces, zucchini, strawberries, etc that taste better than any organic counterparts that you get at a grocery store. Its all about when they are picked and how fresh they are. The stuff at Pick n Save likely was picked early to give it a longer shelf life (and no flavor) and shipped thousands of miles.
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Posted by AnotherSunnyDay on Jan. 26, 2009 at 6:33 a.m. (report)
Its not just about the taste or pesticides when it comes to organic foods. The nutrient value of organic produce is much higher-for example on average you would have to eat 5 conventional apples to equal the nutrients in one organic apple. Conventional produce has most of its genetic diversity removed to maximize quantity over quality. I do agree it is sometimes hard to tell the difference in taste, but you are still getting a better product for your body and in a roundabout way more for your money.
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Posted by ndf2 on Jan. 24, 2009 at 10:20 p.m. (report)
I'm trying to buy more local and organic foods and frequent restaurants which support local/organic as well. I can see where it could definitely be more of a challenge in tough economic times, however. Funny as I made a "local" meatloaf with organic carrots from Tipi Produce today and had a couple of bites of raw carrot (I normally am not a fan of carrots--too chewy and dry to me). I was floored at how sweet and juicy these were. I'd say in this instance I could taste the difference. By and large the items I find at the big stores that are organic are hard to differentiate from their non-organic counterparts. I think what makes foods taste better is the proximity in which it is grown to where it is eaten. If those items weren't moved thousands of miles to the store, they seem to be much more tasty.
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