EnglishThe Ultimate Guide To Organic Food In Shanghai
Posted on Aug 20, 2013 by Bridget Greenlee (G+)
The best places in Shanghai for organic groceries, delivery, farmer’s markets, and more.
Organic food has become a popular trend in recent years and Shanghai is not immune to the hype. Outside of the hype, however, there is certainly evidence that eating organic is probably better for one’s health and better for the environment as well. Whether this has been conclusively proven true or not is still debated, but with lax regulatory standards in China and less than trustworthy food growers, it doesn’t hurt to avoid ingesting chemicals on foods. As people get farther and farther away from the source of their food, it gets harder to tell where it is coming from, what has been used on it, and if it is safe to eat. Some items, even ones sold in grocery stores or by large, well known brands, have been found to contain illegal levels of pesticides and banned substances.
The more people that demand organic options, the easier those options are to find in every area and the more farmers and food producers will likely be compelled to grow and sell organic foods. Grocery stores are beginning to keep up with the demand for organic foods, and these large shops are a great resource for a large number of people - but there are also other places to buy organic, some of which may be more convenient and more supportive of local food growers.
Grocery Stores
For many people, grocery stores are the easiest, closest and overall most convenient location in which to buy most food and most organic food as well. Luckily in Shanghai, there are numerous options. Carrefour, Auchan and Shanghai City all were named as some of the best organic options by Greenpeace in their 2011 supermarket ranking guide.
Delivery Services
One great option for people who are not near an organic grocery store or want a different variety of goods is to use an organic food delivery service. Some of these services even allow people (and recommend it!) to visit their farms to learn more about their food and its source. An important piece of information to keep in mind is that farms can only produce what is in season so some foods will not be available on demand all year round. Think of the delivery service as a chance to expand your horizons. Trying out whatever you receive is a great way to learn how to cook and enjoy new and different foods. There are several organic food delivery services available around Shanghai, and most of the services have different options for types of food; you can choose your fruits, leafy vegetables, root vegetables and sprout vegetables, as well as delivery or pick-up schedules, and payment options. Some delivery services are:
• BioFarm
• Field’s
Farmer’s Markets
Farmer’s markets are a great way for buyers and sellers alike to gather and share organic foods. They give farmers a casual way to sell foods in the community without dealing with the big grocery store business, and they bring a lot of sellers together in one place for easy shopping.
The Shanghai Organic Farmer’s Market and the Farmer’s Market at Shanghai Center are both good options for Shanghai shoppers. The internet is a good resource to stay up to date on community farmer’s markets, so search for new markets online. Find more options at this website.
Restaurants & Eating Out
Even when eating organic, nobody wants to cook at home all the time. The good news is that just because you’re trying to eat organic, that doesn’t mean there are no options for going out to eat. Shanghai has a number of organic restaurants, such as Organic Kitchen Shanghai, Qimin Organic Hot Pot, and Ming Tang Organic Dining Wine & Bar. Other restaurants may have organic options too, so it pays to do some research ahead of time. If none of these options are viable or nearby, there are a few other ways to try to eat organic or at least lower the amount of chemicals that you ingest while dining outside the home. One red flag: if a fruit or vegetable is out of season yet still looks big, bright and perfect, unnaturals chemicals are likely involved. The Shen Nong website lists out specific foods and when they are in season.
Another option, if there are no organic items around or only some certain foods available in organic, is to choose non-organic items with thick skins. A fruit like a cantaloupe that has a thick outer rind is easy to peel. This way, even if pesticides have been used on it, the part of the fruit most affected by chemicals can be removed, whereas with something like a tomato or a blueberry, the skin is thin, hard to remove, and more susceptible to harmful chemicals seeping throughout the food.
An Organic Lifestyle
For people that want to do even more, there are many products besides food that contain potentially harmful chemicals and can be bought organic instead. Beauty products, cleaning products and even clothing can all be certified organic. Companies like Eco & More in Shanghai sell organic items of all sorts. There are also many opportunities around the community to learn about the organic way of life. BioFarm and Roots & Shoots offer programs and classes, and the Eco Design Fair hosts a yearly event on the topic of sustainable innovations in Shanghai.
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