Thinking of Buying Organic?

I know that organic produce is best, but I can’t always afford it….HELP!!

I get asked this often, so I thought I would answer some of your questions….

We hear so much these days about the benefits of buying organic, but the truth is organic products cost more than their conventional counterparts. More than likely you are asking yourself, “How can I fit healthy living into our already tight budget?” Hopefully with these tips, you’ll be able to make a decision about what items you want to spend a little extra on and which to save on.

When possible, buy local & whats in season. Buying local not only supports our local economy and farmers, but assures the freshest, in season produce. Local farmers use less pesticides and have better soil quality that larger farms. This is also great for the environment since the produce doesn’t need to be shipped far from home.

Here is a list of the so called “dirty dozen”. These are the items that you will want to buy organic when possible because they have the highest levels of pesticide residue:

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes

Alternatively, here is a list of the “cleanest” fruits and veggies that have the lowest levels of residue. These are the items that you will want to save on by buying conventional:

Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato

It’s always smart to wash your produce before eating to get rid of any pesticide residue. You could purchase a store veggie wash such as FIT, but even that can be costly. Here’s a quick and inexpensive veggie wash that you can make yourself. This is great especially when you can’t fit organic into your budget. It will not wash away all pesticide residue, but it’s better than plain water:

1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
2 TBS baking soda
2 TBS lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and put in a clean spray bottle. Spray your produce well and let sit for at least 5 minutes before rinsing with clean water. Note: Make sure to first mix ingredients in deep container since there will be some fizzing from the baking soda & vinegar.

I hope will help you to make decisions about buying organic for yourself and your family. Do you have any tips?

Thanks My Baton Rouge Mommy!

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