The Green Parent

Just a few years ago, the organic section in my small town grocery store was limited to a dated funky looking package of tofu and a few dried up herbs. Now, organic foods are all over the store, from coffee, to eggs, to salad dressing. Organic foods are produced without all of the chemicals and genetically modified ingredients that are common in traditionally produced foods, so they are bound to be better for your health and that of the environment. But if you can’t afford to go whole hog (so to speak) and purchase everything with an organic label, use these tips to decide out when to buy organic and when to pass.

Buy Organic

• Fruits and Veggies: Foods such as apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, peanut butter, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries use and retain the most chemical pesticides.
• Baby Food: If you have a baby, find room in your budget for organic baby food, or better yet, make your own homemade baby food using organic ingredients. Babies have fragile, developing immune systems that cannot protect them from the adverse health affects associated with pesticides.
  
• Meat and Dairy: Beef, poultry, and eggs are also good to buy organic, especially if you and your family eat them frequently.
  
• Extras: If money is no object, consider purchasing organic processed foods such as ketchup or soup. These foods will contain some, but not solely, organic ingredients.
  

Don’t Bother

• If your budget is tight, don’t worry about organic when it comes to onions, avocado, pineapples, mango, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant as these fruits and veggies contain the least amount of pesticides.
• Don’t even bother with organic seafood as there are currently no standards in place to regulate their labels.
  

Top 10 Foods To Buy Organic

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Baby Foods
4. Peanut Butter
5. Bell Peppers
6. Berries
7. Imported Grapes
8. Beef
9. Dairy Products
10. Eggs

One final note: All grocers are legally required to place organic foods (especially fruits and vegetables) where they won’t be exposed to the pesticide-laden water runoff from conventional produce. If your local store has forgotten that rule, remind them. If they still don’t move the organic food, shop somewhere else.