so we try not to kill too many newbies, at least not on an empty stomach!

Andrea, I've been increasing the amount of organic produce I buy since we first got back to the UK nearly 2yrs ago ( - is it really that long!). We now have almost exclusively organic milk, though mainly because it actually seems to last much longer. It's hard to find on a Friday night when I shop though (kids are at judo then). Our meat is mostly either organic or from a reputable butcher in the next town (which gets most of its meat from a local agricultural college). That's fresh meat though - it excludes me sourcing organic ham, peperoni, or worrying that my pizza isn't organic. And I'm not going to panic about what I eat in restaurants too much. I check the organic veg first before picking the rest from elsewhere. We have some good farmers markets but I rarely remember to get there once a month. Cheese is usually not organic but my eggs usually are. Some of my canned goods are now organic too, like tomatoes and coconut milk, but mostly I just buy whatever I usually buy.

My personal feel is that I should increase the amount of "good food" to offset the times when I don't have organic foods, so I don't go completely crazy about it. Organic meats will deinitely set you back though - GBP10 for a single organic chicken!?!?! That's nearly 20 bucks to you guys. It's a trade-off to begin with I think. If you gradually increase it you tend not to notice the difference in your grocery bill so much. Non-food items are usually not organic or especially eco-friendly, except I like the Ecover washing-up liquid, and I try to buy recycled kitchen paper, since I feel so bad about using kitchen paper in the first place (I HATE dirty dishcloths!).

I think if you're already getting a basic healthy diet and aren't struggling with money so much that you can't get simple balanced meals on the table then organic produce is probably something you should be working towards. The more we support it the cheaper and more widely available it will become which benefits us all in the longer run. I know that not everybody can afford the extra money for organic stuff, but I can afford some of it so I kinda feel it's my duty to keep organic food in the mainstream. Milk and eggs are a good place to start because they're widely available. The day our local supermarkets sell an organic loaf of bread in the silver wrappers I will regularly start on organic bread, but no loaf lasts long here somehow unless it's in one of those brilliant foil wrappers.

just because most of the people who have posted are in favour of buying organic doesn't mean people who have reservtions shouldn't post - we LOVE debate! There are rumours that not all of the stuff which is supposed to be organic actually is... what's anyone's take on that?

Kerri.