Sometimes Non-Organic Produce is (gulp)... A-OK!

Like many people we know, we've made eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables a priority. First of all, they're delicious. Secondly, if your produce is fresh, you can get away with very little (or no) preparation and it will taste great. The quality of your ingredients is so important when it comes to cooking! A good diet is also preventative medicine. Then our food budget doesn't seem so steep! Foods grown with fewer or no pesticides are better for the workers who grow and harvest the food that we buy, for the environment, and for our bodies. But it gets expen$$$ive!

The lists below indicate the produce that tends to contain the highest and lowest levels of pesticide residue. Using this information, you can prioritize what fruits and vegetables you want to purchase in all their organic glory, and the rest (avocados, for instance!) you can choose to buy conventionally grown. Of course, in an ideal world we would buy and eat 100% organic. Sometimes, however, we have to make a few compromises for le budget.

If you provide your name, email, and zipcode here, you can get a handy cut-out shopping guide!
And here's one from the Organic Consumer's Association
Become a "locavore"! Remember that the process of becoming organically certified is costly and time-consuming. This process favors larger farms. Sometimes you can find locally-grown "no-spray" produce. I'd much rather buy a bunch of locally-grown no-spray grapes than go to Whole Foods and buy some Certified Organic grapes from Chile! Yikes! Supporting local and small farms is important, and you'll find yourself eating with the seasons more of the time. It's helpful to think outside the box when it comes to eating healthfully on a budget. Happy shopping! - Erin