The road to eating organic

It is difficult sometimes to make the choice to buy organic produce. The difference in price on a quart of strawberries means nothing in a singular purchase, but a whole basket full of organic produce purchased on a weekly basis adds up. A while ago I remember watching an episode of Ellie Krieger's cooking show on the Food Network where she suggested buying some organic produce rather than all organic. As a guideline, she suggested buying organic whenever you were going to eat the peel or outside of the fruit or vegetable. For example - strawberries? Organic. Cantaloupe? Non organic. I have incorporated that idea into my shopping ever since. Now when I shop, I incorporate organic and locally grown items with other items I buy for economy. 

I came across this list in the September 2012 issue of Whole Living which I think is handy for anyone else who would like to try this shopping philosophy. It is a list of produce, ranked from bad to worst in terms of residual pesticide levels when produced using conventional farming methods. You can also download an app from the Environmental Working Group website (http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/guide/) to use as a shopper's guide to pesticides in produce. 

1) Potatoes

2) Blueberries (domestic)

3) Cucumbers

4) Lettuce

5) Spinach

6) Grapes

7) Nectarines (imported)

8) Strawberries

9) Peaches

10) Red peppers

11) Celery

12) Apples