It’s National Organic Week. The annual event is all about raising consumer awareness of organic food, how to recognise it, and where to buy it. Sales of organic food are defying the recession, having risen by 16% in the past year.
I’ve been buying organic bananas, potatoes, tomatoes and carrots in Lidl and Aldi for the past year, and my weekly shopping bill is still small. The debate over the health benefits of organic vs. conventionally produced foods goes on, but I think it’s missing the point. It’s not really about the health benefits for me; it’s about the superior taste and the reduced environmental impact of organic food.
To mark National Organic Week, there’s organic food events all through the country. Many of them are free, including an organic vegetable and herb cooking demonstration with chef Marc Moissard at 11am on Saturday September 19 in the Dublin Food Co-Op, Newmarket, Dublin 8; an open afternoon with information on organic courses and practices for Autumn growers at the Organic Centre in Dromcolliher, Co. Limerick, on Wednesday September 16; and organic food tastings all week at Blastra Wholefoods in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
Click here for a full list of this week’s events.
Let us know what’s in your area and if it’s any good!