Helpful Tips on Finding Organic Food Websites You Can Trust

There's more and more hype about eating organic food nowadays. And with the advance of the internet, it's becoming a lot easier for those of us who prefer organic food to find good information and local suppliers. The quickest way is to simply search for "organic food websites".

But knowing which organic food websites you should trust is a different ball game altogether.

Do they source local foods? Are they passionate about animal welfare? How long has the company been going?

So, to help you make the right choice, here are a few helpful tips:

1. Look for an organic website that's local to you. Chances are the produce will be fairly local too. If it's not available locally, a good website will tell you. And they'll give you their reasons why. It may be because it's out of season in your area and they have to go abroad, which is fine as long as they tell you.
2. Read their website carefully;
3. How do you know if it's organic? Good websites will have a page of FAQs where you can read the answers to questions you will be asking. If it's not completely organic it should say so! They may not always be able to give the exact location of where their produce comes from, they may purchase the same item from several growers in the same week, which enables them to take smaller harvests and give you a more reliable supply.
4. If you're having a box of vegetables or fruit delivered to your home, make sure it has a good nutritional balance.
5. Look to find out if their wholesalers use artificial chemical fertilisers, antibiotics and drugs. They should state so if they do, a truly organic farmer will move his animals to a fresher pasture rather than use anything artificial. Animals are free to graze and there is absolutely no cruelty involved and no animal fodder is genetically modified on an organic farm.
6. An organic farmer has to run his farm organically for two years before it is recognised by the Soil Association as organic. This period is known as conversion. If the organic food website is selling conversion food, again it should say so and it will be suitably labeled as such
7. Will they exclude items from the boxes that you don't like?
8. Can you tailor the box to suit your specific requirements?
If you're not 100% satisfied with your home delivery, does the company offer to exchange or refund your money? If the company is flexible you're more likely to return.

There's bound to be "a hungry gap" at some point in the year, especially springtime. It's where the hardy winter crop has already been harvested and the spring ones haven't ripened. This is particularly apparent in British crops. Where do they source their produce at this time?

Finally, if the organic company can't buy a specific fruit or vegetable in its own country they may buy from abroad, i.e. bananas, coffee, chocolate you won't be able to check if it's organic unless they state so.

But you can look for "Fairtrade" on their website, the Fairtrade movement entitles citizens to campaign for an international trade system which is based on justice and fairness.

Lesley and her husband Barry love cooking, traveling, and discovering delicious new ways of enjoying food. Want more mouth-watering recipes, complete with photos, and full shopping lists - visit CookingWithTheJoneses.com