Organic Fortnight, Living the High Life despite the Credit Crunch

Here we are, half-way through organic fortnight and most people are thinking about their pockets instead of their health. During the credit crunch our pockets will be squeezed, our minds will be wrangled and our nerves may be shot, but it is the ideal time for creativity to flow.

The past shows us that during the hardest times, people become highly creative, which can mean cutting corners in all sorts of ways, but it doesn’t necessarily mean losing site of quality.

Food is the main expenditure. But this is where creativity is really needed. By being clever we can create several meals from a few bare essentials. For example buying an organic chicken will cost you £8 and can be roasted with the leftovers being curried, put in a sandwich, or a risotto and made into a soup too. Veggies can make several meals from one bag of lentils (about £1) – and with organic lentils only about 15 to 20 pence more than regular lentils, it’s worth paying that bit extra to ensure you and the planet is healthy. Lentils can be used in place of meat in Bolognese sauces, curries, soup, shepherd’s pie and mashed with potato and cheese and baked in the oven for a loaf which is delicious hot or cold.

The main thing is to avoid heavily packaged food, go for more seasonal local vegetables which are cheaper as they have done less travelling. Integrate more pulses and grains and vegetables into your diet, which is not only better on your health but also on your pocket too. Be creative with salads and as Jamie Oliver is campaigning – get Britain cooking again. Too much of our money goes into quick, easy, over processed and heavily packaged food. By going back to basics, we help ourselves, farmers, animals and wildlife. Clear a small space in your garden or even a window box for fresh salad leaves and herbs, tomatoes can be grown in windowsill pots and all these home grown foods are pure and healthy as you won’t be adding nasty pesticides yourself of course! Buying fruit and veg in the supermarket is cheaper if you go seasonal – Swedes are just appearing on the shelves and root vegetables such as parsnips and celeriac are delicious roasted, mashed or grated in salads and a little goes a long way, as well as upping your five-a-day of fruit & veg. Winter is the perfect time for making homemade soups out of just about any vegetables you can get your hands on – top tips for increasing the thickness and nutritional value at little cost is to add a tin of organic butter or kidney beans or chickpeas.

Following food is our household expenditure. By being economical on the energy we use, we can drastically reduce our energy bills. Simple measures are good for your pocket and the environment. Start with turning off all appliances at the plug when they are not in use, switch off lights in rooms when you leave them and switch to energy saving bulbs. Make sure you have thick curtains for the winter and seal up drafts. Walking around at home without the need for a sweater in the cooler months is a good indication that your heating is too high!

Buying natural and organic goods for the home is not always the expensive alternative we might think it is. Bio-D cleaning products are very economically priced so that you can get your home clean and still be chemical free. The products range from between about £1.50 and £4 and include laundry products, polish, cleaning sprays and window cleaner. When we think of all the allergies and illnesses that are triggered by household chemicals this switch is a simple cost effective one, and is particularly good for adults and children suffering from eczema and asthma.

Organic Bedding is obviously a high quality luxury bedding option, and you may be tempted to go for something cheaper in the sale to get you through the difficult times. But if you stop and think, the difficult times may only last 6 months or so and your mattress or bedding may be with you for years to come. If you have had to put off the purchase of a much needed quality mattress then last a bit longer with an organic mattress topper, buy one or two bamboo sheets instead of a whole set, that way you can build up your purchases slowly without compromising on quality.

Now life doesn’t stop just because of the credit crunch and one of the things that doesn’t get returned is the new baby. Babies are still born whether it’s convenient or not and they still need caring for with the safest products. Their health does not warrant being compromised. You still need to use reasonably priced quality skincare but it is possible to have healthy, organic skincare and beauty products on a budget such as Green People products which are concentrated and effective. We’ve got loads more tips coming your way on skincare and cosmetics in our beauty on a budget blog next week. Until then, remember that attitude is the key to whether you live in abundance or poverty.