March 1, 2011

The Organic SUPERmarket - Many Rare Free-From Foods

I have been aware of the existence of Blackrock's Organic Supermarket for a few years now but I so rarely get out to Blackrock that I have not been able to give it the full attention that it deserves… until last Friday that is! During the AMAZING Dublin weather F and I set out on a cross city cycle to Dun Laoghaire’s famous 40 Foot bathing spot… Too cold for our own swimming ventures it was quite entertaining to watch the brave bathers jumping and flipping into the icy waters.
It’s an awkward cycle from Terenure to Dun Laoghaire and my level of fitness is severely lacking compared to F’s avid cycling habits so by the time we hit Blackrock I easily devised a resting spot when I saw The Organic Supermarket – not only could we get something food allergy friendly for a picnic at 40 Foot but I could also take the time to truly examine what’s on offer in the Supermarket while my body recharged for the last leg of our journey.
The Organic Supermarket is EXACTLY what it says: Everything that is sold inside their walls is 100% certified organic and all of the usual supermarket sections are covered despite the seemingly small square footage. The shelves are high and the space is jam packed with a load of options for people with 'normal' and special dietary requirements. The main priority of the supermarket is to supply organic produce but it really doesn’t stop there because there are food allergy friendly options in most sections catering to (to name but a few):

- Wheat free
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Corn free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian

I found things that I have never seen anywhere in Dublin like Buckwheat Crispbread and Quinoa Crispbread and Spelt Dream milk and nut butters like pecan butter, a super seeds blend, and a mixed nut blend… And there are multiple options in every section which truly cover every category I can think of:

- baby food (extensive selection - not just 3 or 4 flavours)
- sweeteners (honey, agave, fructose, malt, rice)
- fruit & veg
- nuts & seeds
- spreads (jams, butter, chocolate, hummus, pate)
- milks (including dairy free: rice, almond, oat, quinoa, spelt)
- cured meats, cheese, eggs
- flours, baking mixes (including wheat free and gluten free)
- breads, cereals(including wheat free, gluten free and dairy free)
- pasta, rice, noodles (including wheat free, corn free, gluten free)
- snacks (chocolate, bars, crisps, crackers, biscuits)
- ice cream (including dairy free)
- toiletries, detergents, cleaners
- beverages (including freshly pressed orange juice)
- teas, coffees
- wine (extensive selection)
- oils, spices, sauces & marinades
- frozen food
- stocks
- and even a grow your own garden section!

On close inspection I felt rather sheepish at how blind I had previously been to the extensive treasure chest that is The Organic Supermarket. I can’t believe that I was there before and failed to see the wonder that was stacked all around me!

If you are car-less like me there is a delivery service to your door through the internet for €6.50 which services all of Ireland (Northern Ireland and Southern)! Oh, and if you can’t get what you’re looking for The Organic Supermarket also has a ‘Request a Product’ feature on their website which boasts 292 product requests sourced out of 388 requested to date!
If you do take a little shopping trip to Blackrock some of the price tags might get you down but there are affordable options if you browse through the different brands and there are definitely a lot of products that you just simply can’t get anywhere else… The shop itself is visually quite pretty too which is a total added shopping bonus!

The Organic Supermarket Ltd
2c Main Street
Blackrock
Co. Dublin
tel: (01) 278 1111
web: http://www.organicsupermarket.ie/
Opening Times: Mon-Fri 08:00-20:00; Sat 10:00-20:00; Sun 11:00-18:00

3 comments:

Diane Burke said...

I will be visiting Ireland this Summer, staying at Adare Manor. How far is Blackrock? Also would you be able to tell me if there is a Dunne's or Tescos nearby? Thank you very much. I'm learning a lot by reading your blog. Looking forward to my visit!! Diane

Aurea@Survival Guide said...

Hi Diane, Thanks for your message. So glad that you are finding the blog useful! Do you mean Adare Manor in Limerick? if so, I’m afraid it’s quite far away (opposite side of the country). The organic supermarket is in Blackrock, Co. Dublin (not to be confused with Blackrock, Co. Cork). Dublin is about 2.5 hours driving (123 miles) from Limerick city with the new motorway and you could add almost another hour to get through/around Dublin & down to Blackrock depending on when you are travelling. But don’t forget that they do deliver so maybe you could contact them & ask about delivering to your hotel?
Regards a Tesco or Dunnes I think that your best bet will be in Limerick City. I found a great listing that might help you out if you are travelling around the area http://www.foundmark.com/Ireland/Shannon/pages/Lk-shop.html>
Some other Limerick options that might be of use:
Perhaps you could try the ‘Organic Greengrocer’ in Limerick for organic foods, fruit, veg, health foods and wholefoods? But maybe ring before heading out because although I see them listed on citylocal.ie they don’t seem to have much of a web presence so I’m not sure if they are still in action (Location: Milkmarket, Mungret St, Limerick – tel: 087 9123240 – opening times: wed-fri 11:00-18:00; sat 08:00-15:00)
Or ‘Eats of Eden’ which is Limerick’s oldest health food shop and is a member of the Organic Trust. They are supposed to be a well-stocked shop but I've never been there myself.(Location: Thomas&Anne Streets, Limerick – tel: 061-316693 – email: eatsinfo@eatsofedenlimerick.com
Or maybe ‘Planet Life’ which seems to be a small ‘alternative’ shop but might help you with some of the products you are looking for? Their website gives a good idea of what to expect (Location: 45 William St, Limerick – tel: 061 400174 – web: http://www.planetlife.eu

You were probably looking for a straightforward answer so sorry for the length of this response! But I hope that it helps and that you have a great holiday this summer!!

Diane said...

Thank you so much for looking everything up for me. Yes we are staying at Adare Manor in Limerick and will also be traveling to Foxford, County Mayo to stay with family. But we'll be sightseeing all over since my nieces are joining my mother and I and they've never been to Ireland. Hopefully along the way I'll find something to eat! Thanks so much for your help and I'll keep reading your blog.