Let us paint the scene for you: it’s 1998, and you’re at your grandmother’s house, pulling carrots, jarring salsa, pickling beets and cooking jam.
If you were ever lucky enough to grow up with gardeners in your family, you know this scene too well. You grew up in the dirt and were encouraged to get muddy, play in the rain, climb trees and live outside.
And if you grew up pulling beans and cucumbers from your grandmother’s garden, you know how different food pulled out of diverse, organic soil tastes.
Organic foods are just different.
What Does the Term “Organic” Actually Mean?
When you pick up produce at the grocery store that has been labelled as “organic” that means that food was grown by an agricultural system that focuses on soil biodiversity through avoidance of repetitive synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
The organic practice is one that emphasizes soil health, animal health and welfare, and improvement in environmental responsibility. This is done through crop rotation, composting, the use of beneficial insects as pest control and pastured animals.
Does the organic labelling process matter?
Don’t be fooled by what you see on the shelves. Nowadays, there are different eco-labels on packaging that can make it hard to distinguish between a brand that goes through rigorous testing vs a label that may be greenwashed.
Foods with the organic label have to go through an organic certification process and adhere to the Canadian government’s standards for organic products, which include:
- Weeds, pests and diseases are managed using biological and mechanical control methods, such as crop rotation, recycling of plant and animal residues, water management, and implementing beneficial organisms to promote pest management.
- Prohibition of the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, artificial flavours, colouring or preservatives and growth hormones.
- No steroids and hormones for livestock
- Supply feed for livestock must be organic as well
- And more.
The logo means that products are 95-100% organic, whereas other products that you see that are less than 95% cannot use this logo or make any organic claims on their packaging.
So when you are at the grocery store searching for organic options, the Canada organics standards and organic certification logo is the only one you reach for.
But the question is, does organic actually tastes better?
When we think back to the foods with organic labels at the grocery store, do we consider the taste profile of those foods?
Is that just a myth or fact – fresh-grown, organic foods DO taste better?
The thing is, flavour is subjective.
It is impossible to claim or even research whether or not organic foods taste better.
But ask a chef, a gardener, a food expert, or anyone close to whole, unaltered and fresh foods and make a side-by-side comparison of organic foods vs non-organic foods. The overwhelming majority will give credit to the soil’s attention and care, resulting in better food flavour.
The theory is that biodiverse soil contains more nutrition for the crop.
A nourished, diverse soil will lead to a healthier and happier crop, providing it with more nutrients and thus tasting better.
You are what you eat, and your food is what it eats too.
The Benefits of Making Organic & Sustainable Choices for Your Kid’s Future
Now picture this: you’re a mom starting to feel concerned about your child’s future.
Not only that, but you’re worried about the future of our planet, the future of our soil, and the future of our food.
Organic doesn’t just mean healthier soil and less and non-chemical pesticide use.
If we’re thinking about making better choices for our children, organic means more sustainability, better and humane options for animals and better planetary health.
And those choices you make have an impact.
You may not see it right now with young children, but as they grow up and see fresh organic foods in their homes and better purchase decisions, they’ll start to understand why these decisions were made.
Their knowledge of how we can do our part to protect the planet, treat our bodies better and live more sustainably will be a part of their lives, leading them to make the same decisions for their future and their children.
Kiju’s Organic Promise
Kiju was created to protect soil integrity, keep kids nourished and help you, as a parent, make decisions that make you feel good. It isn’t just organic juice made with organic fruit, it’s a promise to take care of you, your family and the future of our planet.