Organic September
It’s a choice that many new mums & dads agonise over – what is best when feeding your baby or toddler. When you start weaning your LO, we know you’ll want to make sure that the food they’re eating is stage appropriate, nutritious and – hopefully! – delicious. This Organic September, the Soil Association hope to show that you don’t have to go back to the dark ages if you decide to go organic – there are tonnes of produce and products that can live up to, and are often more enjoyable than, the everyday things you enjoy now.
Organic September aims to raise awareness of all things organic. With events and special promotions happening all over the UK, the event focusses not only on food, but on cosmetics, skincare and even clothing. Organic businesses and farms are helping out the Soil Association, hoping that their “Small Changes, Big Difference” campaign will help consumers realise that buying even a couple of organic bits and pieces can help nature out a bit.
But what is organic? We were discussing it in the office, but couldn’t really decide on a general answer (despite having an organic collection – silly, right!?). We guessed that you wouldn’t really have a solid answer either, so we’ve created a list of fast facts for you… the time-poor parent considering their food options:
- A product can only be labelled organic if it meets certain specifications
- Organic products must adhere to strict guidelines concerning farming methods, environmental impact and animal welfare standards
- Farms producing organic goods must be registered with an approved organic ‘control body’
- Annual inspections must be carried out to ensure the producer still meets organic standards
- Organic products must be traceable back to their farm of origin
- To be labelled organic, 95% of a product’s agricultural components must meet organic guidelines
- Foods labelled organic must be free of genetically modified (GM) ingredients
- However, most surprising was this one: organic crops are not necessarily grown completely without the use of chemicals – minimal chemicals are used during the organic growing process
- A study out in July this year implied that organic vegetables are higher in antioxidants than their conventionally grown counterparts (and lower in pesticide residues), making them more beneficial to your health
Of course, our list is by no means exhaustive – as we found, organic is a complex subject. Whether or not to consume organic products is a personal choice, but many mums prefer to eat organic when pregnant and breastfeeding and many believe it is best for baby during weaning. One fact to note is that Soil Association labelled products exceed UK government guidelines for what can be labelled organic, especially in matters concerning animal welfare and environmental protection. Perhaps it is no surprise they are the ones behind ‘Organic September’. We came to the same conclusion – that small changes can make a big difference and buying some organic in a weekly shop can encourage eco and animal friendly farming, contributing to a brighter future for our children.
Image: http://bit.ly/1vDTsZi