Go organic on a budget

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Abel & Co, Aldi, apples, Asda, bag for life, bargains, beans, beers, butcher, canned tomatoes, cheese, chickens, choice, clothes, cost-effective, discount section, dreid goods, eggs, environmentally aware, exercise, expensive option, farm, farmers market, flapjacks, freeze, garden, green grocers, independent retailers, kitchen cupboards, local produce, meat, Morrisons, non-organic items, organic basics, organic coffees and teas, organic food, organic products, organic ranges, pasta, price comparisons, pubs, research, rhubarb, rice, Riverford, runner beans, Sainsbury’s Lidl, season, shopping around, soups and stews to pasta sauces, supermarkets, Tesco, tomatoes and strawberries, Waitrose, waste, wines, world

We are increasingly being told that organic food is the way to go if we want to be super healthy and environmentally aware.

While we are all for that, we know this route can also be a more expensive option, so we have looked at how you can make the switch even if you have a budget you need to stick to.

Start with your kitchen cupboards
First of all, don’t throw out everything in your kitchen that isn’t organic – that causes waste which isn’t the aim of this exercise at all. As you run out of basics such as pasta, canned tomatoes, beans, rice, and other everyday dried goods, replace them with organic, which are often found at the same price as your regular non-organic items. Over time easy swaps will mean you have a kitchen cupboard which is full of organic basics so you will always be able to create a tasty meal or snack that is good for you and the world around you. You might also want to apply the same principles when it comes to cleaning products, as well as clothes, as there is a whole range of organic products out there just waiting to be found.

Do your research
Increasingly, supermarkets and independent retailers are offering organic ranges, so it is worth researching who is doing what. Outlets including Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Lidl, and Morrisons now sell their own brand organic ranges which can be more cost-effective than dedicated non-organic branded products which not only means you can get the best value for money but you have a better choice. It may take time to do this, but we think it is worth shopping around and doing some price comparisons to get the best deals for you. Oh, and don’t forget to go to your local greengrocers, butcher and farmers’ market as they can be real organic treasure troves.

Go with the seasons
This can take a while to get used to, but if you want to go organic and keep costs down, eating local produce when it is in season is the way to go. From tomatoes and strawberries to rhubarb and apples, there are some great foods out there, you just need to know what to look for and when.

Buy a box
Another way to eat with the seasons is to take part in a box scheme. There are various options out there, including Abel & Co and Riverford as well as local companies and they are a fantastic way to move to organic eating. You can mix and match your foods, including eggs, meat, and cheese, to get a box that is right for you.

Shop at the end of the day
This isn’t exclusive to organic food, but if you shop at the end of the day and check the discount section, you will be amazed at some of the bargains on offer and if you freeze what you aren’t going to eat that day, there is no waste either.

Leave packaging behind
Retailers are starting to stop using unnecessary food packaging and this is often the case with organic options. You don’t need broccoli wrapped in plastic, so take a bag for life, or even better a basket, when you shop and you can feel extra pleased with your choices.

Do it yourself
Growing your own food is a brilliant way to go organic. We aren’t saying go and buy a farm and get chickens, but growing herbs in the kitchen, tomatoes in tubs and runner beans in the garden are simple ways to do it yourself. Not only do these taste miles better than shop bought produce, but having your own mini kitchen garden is rewarding and totally cost-effective, go you!

Cooking from scratch
With a well-stocked larder, we hope that breaking away from microwave meals and cooking from scratch might be easier? One of the best things to do is plan your meals and then batch cook, freeze portions and make lunches in advance. From soups and stews to pasta sauces and flapjacks, you will honestly wonder why you didn’t start soon.

Organic when you eat out
You don’t have to be tied to the kitchen sink to make organic choices. You will increasingly find organic restaurants when you are out and about, as well as organic coffees and teas being served in cafes and wines and beers in pubs. Once you starting looking you will be surprised at what is on offer out there.

We hope you can see that while you need to be a little creative, small lifestyle changes can help you and the planet be healthier and happier.

Team Pure Beauty

Be berry-licous this summer

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acid berries, almond milk, almonds, amino fatty acids, anti-oxidents, B12, banana, berries, berry, beta-carotene, blue, bone building Vitamin K, boosts immune systems, cereal, Christmas, coconut water, cranberries, diet staple, dynamos, energy-boosting mineral, farmers market, fit and well, flavonoids, Fresh cranberries, fridge, goji berries, homemade ice cream, iron, kiwi, low in sugar and carbs, manganese, mango, natural goodness, natural infection-fighting super berries, old fashioned green grocers, phytochemical, pie, preserve, purple, red beauties, selenium, smoothie bar, South America, sugar heavy muffins, suggests, sunflower seeds, superfood hero, supermarket, traditional Chinese medicine, trees, urinary tract infections, vitamin B2, Vitamin C, yogurt, yummy superfood

Berries are here, there and everywhere. From the supermarket to the farmer’s market, the smoothie bar to the old-fashioned green grocers, those little nuggets of natural goodness are there for enjoying at every turn we take.

Given that there is so much choice out there, we are going to look at which berries might be best for you.

Blueberries
Long gone are the days when these berries were the preserve of sugar heavy muffins. These little blue (well, more purple) dynamos are full of the energy-boosting mineral, manganese, and bone building Vitamin K. Add a handful to salads and smoothies or sprinkle them on top of cereal and yogurt, and you will be glad you did.

Acia Berries
These tiny, dark purple berries grow on trees in South America and pack a punch when it comes to the amino fatty acids that keep us fit and strong and the Vitamin C that boosts immune systems. One of the easiest ways to enjoy this yummy superfood is to blend with other fruits such as banana, mango, kiwi as well as a little coconut water or almond milk and you will be set for the day.

Cranberries
While many people only get these bad boys out for Christmas, cranberries are natural infection-fighting super berries that need to be in the fridge all year round. Packed with flavonoids, they can help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections but are also a tasty way to keep fit and well. Fresh cranberries make a great addition to smoothies, jellies and homemade ice creams but you can also add the dried ones to your breakfast cereal and mix with almonds and sunflower seeds for an on the go snack.

Strawberries
These red beauties are a diet staple and for good reason. They contain Vitamin C and B12 as well as clever little phytochemicals and anti-oxidents which help us feel, and look good. Whether you slice them over ice cream, blend into a smoothie, add to a cheesecake or just eat them on their own after dinner, always add them to your weekly shop and enjoy whenever you can.

Blackberries
Blackberries might not be as sweet as other fruits, but they are just as good for you. Often found in hedgerows and gardens come September, the blackberry might be small but it is mighty in goodness and comes with plenty of Vitamin C, A and E was well as potassium and copper and is perfect in a pie or preserve.

Goji Berries
Dried goji berries, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, but in more recent times have become a superfood hero in the Western world too. As well as being a good source of Vitamin C, they are also loaded with beta-carotene, iron, vitamin B2, selenium and can be added to pretty much anything from energy balls and salads to smoothies and wraps for an instant health boost.

Raspberries
While these are found in everything from shakes to smoothies, we bet you didn’t know that the humble raspberry is packed with fibre and are exceptionally low in sugar and carbs? They also contain copper, magnesium and Vitamin K so make sure you pick up a punnet the next time you are shopping.

Team Pure Beauty

Go vegan your way

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100%, Accessories, almond and oat milks, animal sanctuaries, aquariums, beans, beliefs, brown rice, charities, cheese lover, chickpeas, choice, clothing, cows’ milk, cupboards, dairy, diet, eat, farmers market, flavour, fresh fruit, fridge, gelatin, healthy, home products, immune system, independent delis, leather, lentils, local health food shop, lunch, meat, nuts, oats, petting farms, plant based diet, prizes, protein-rich foods, rescued animals, seeds, shoes, silk, social media groups, societies, Sunday, swap, sweet potatoes, tofu, Toiletries, Vegan, vegan pantry, Veganary, vegetables, websites, wholemeal bread, wool, Zoos

Veganary might be a distant memory, but the number of people opting for a plant-based diet, and lifestyle, is on the rise.

Just to clarify, veganism is essentially eating a diet from all animal foods including meat, fish, shellfish plus dairy, eggs, honey and anything containing by-products like gelatin. Vegans also avoid leather, wool, silk and anything tested on animals.

If becoming a vegan is on your mind, we have put together some ideas that might help you make the change.

Go your own way
Some people go 100% vegan from day one, and others take their time. This isn’t a race and there are no prizes for getting there fast, so take your time and do what works for you. Take dairy or meat out of your diet one day a week, have a vegan roast on Sunday and take your own lunch into work. Testing the waters and seeing how you feel and what you like can be a more practical approach than throwing everything out of the cupboards and fridge, then regretting it.

Look around your house
If you are serious about being a vegan, you will need to look at your belongs and decide if they fit with your new lifestyle choice and beliefs. From accessories, shoes and clothing to toiletries, animal products and products tested on animals are found in more places than you might expect, so take your time and make the swaps needed.

Find what you like
There’s a plant-based alternative for many foods and home products and this is very much a growing market. Try going to your local health food shop, farmers market, independent delis and supermarkets and begin creating a vegan pantry. Think about those foods you enjoy, but contain animal products, and what you can swap them for. There are some great tofu products out there, almond and oat milks are a great alternative to cow’s milk and if you’re cheese lover, there are options out there for vegans so you won’t miss out.

Be aware of your needs
Being vegan doesn’t instantly make you healthy. You need to take a look at your new diet and ensure you are still getting a balanced intake of food groups and vitamins because if you aren’t this to tiredness and a lower immune system. As well as a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables it is important to add protein-rich foods such as beans, chickpeas, nuts, lentils and seeds into the mix. High fibre starchy foods like oats, sweet potatoes, wholemeal bread and pasta plus brown rice are great for a vegan diet and using herbs and unsaturated fats, such as vegetable and olive oils, in your cooking will add flavour and richness.

Going out
Zoos, petting farms, aquariums and taking part in dog or horse racing aren’t on the agenda for vegans but you can visit, and support, animal sanctuaries and charities as they offer safe and loving homes for rescued animals.

Get some support
From the societies, social media groups and vegan magazines, you won’t be alone or stuck for support on your journey and you will probably find some friends along the way too. Have a look at what’s on offer and you will be surprised at just how many other people are choosing a vegan way of life.

Team Pure Beauty