Buying Organic

Most of us know we should be eating organically, but aren’t really sure where to start or if it’s really worth it. I slowly waded into the world of organics when our four children were young. I knew some things were more important than others—I knew eating those shiny apples with that layer of wax could not be good for you—organic apples were not shiny and were decidedly smaller than their non-organic counterpart. It made perfect sense to me to feed a baby organic babyfood—but as far as snack foods and other processed foods, organic really wasn’t an option. As with all mothers, I did the best I could, encouraging our children to eating healthy, whole foods when I could. Still, they all ate their fair share of goldfish and pretzels. 

Being a food writer for almost two decades, I am immersed in the food world on a daily basis. The more I learned, the more fearful of the food industry I became. I quietly stopped buying milk and was happy when almond milk became a thing. I bought organic eggs and organic chicken when I could find it. When I realized how many ingredients were in store bought bread and the fact that it NEVER goes bad, I began grinding my own wheat and baking my own bread. But still, eating clean, especially when you are raising children, is not easy. 

That being said, I absolutely feel certain things should definitely be organic. If you are knew to the organic arena, consider starting with the Dirty Dozen List. This is a list compiled by The Environmental Working Group, an health research and advocacy organization. They determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides on them and which 15 ones have the least. 

Dirty Dozen List

Apples

Strawberries

Grapes

Celery

Peaches

Spinach

Sweet Bell Peppers

Nectarines

Cucumbers

Cherry Tomatoes

Snap Peas

Tomatoes

I would add potatoes, all berries, any lettuce or type of greens, green beans, pears, plums, and carrots.