Getting down, dirty, and delicious!

Everyone wants to feed their families the healthiest food possible but sometimes that seems easier said then done. The number one reason people say they don’t buy organic fruits and vegetables, despite the fact that they are now widely available, is cost. It’s a shame that money can deter us from doing what’s best for the planet, our health and our families well being.

We’re all about keeping things easy, and a good place to start is easing into organic eating by first being aware of which items you don’t necessarily need to buy organic, and avoiding the ‘dirty dozen’ by replacing them with healthy, fresh, organics. This keeps the overall amount of pesticides ingested to a minimum and also helps to keep the grocery budget down.

The ‘dirty dozen’ is a list of produce that has been tested extensively for pesticides and found to be consistently the most contaminated. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating only the cleanest. If consumers get their USDA-recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies from the 15 most contaminated, they could consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally grown produce ingest less than 2 pesticides daily.

Many studies suggest that organic produce has more nutrients than its conventional counterparts, most likely because the soil is in better condition. Many organic farmers believe in allowing soil to ‘rest’ after a season or two so that it does not become spent, losing nutrients, with repeated plantings.

Please keep in mind that even locally grown produce isn’t necessarily safer. In fact, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. While eating local produce is often a great way to find the tastiest and ripest produce possible, not to mention the added benefit of supporting your local farms, it still may not be safe in terms of pesticide use. Finding a local farmer that grows organically is the best way to go all around.

The 15 items of produce found to have the least amount of pesticides are Onion, Avocado, Asparagus, Frozen Sweet Corn, Pineapple, Mango, Frozen Sweet Peas, Kiwi, Cabbage, Eggplant, Papaya, and Watermelon, Honeydew Melon, Grapefruit, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Broccoli. You can safely and confidently buy and eat all of these items with little to no fear of pesticide contamination.

The top 12 selections of produce to replace with organics:

Peach

Apple

Sweet Bell Pepper

Celery

Nectarine

Strawberries

Cherries

Kale

Lettuce

Grapes

Carrot

Pear

By adding the organic counterparts of just these twelve items to your menu you are keeping your pesticide load to a minimum, ensuring tastier eats and better health!

Bon apetite!