When trying to buy healthy foods for your family, you may be constantly battling with the organic vs non-organic choice. You want to do what’s best, but you also can’t afford to pay top dollar for every item. This struggle is real for me and the dirty dozen list is such a huge help! The Environmental Working Group compiles this guide each year to help us identify which produce contains the highest traces of pesticide residue. (You can read the full report here.) The 2019 version recently posted and there are a few changes from last year.
On the dirty list, kale went from not making an appearance to jumping into the number three spot. Bell peppers were included last year, but not on the updated list. However, hot peppers (while technically not in the top 12), are mentioned on the EWG site in the honorary 13th position. I’m pretty happy about this as I love bell peppers, but the organic ones are notably more expensive than non-organic.
On the clean side, mushrooms replaced mangos. We cook with mushrooms on a regular basis, so I’m thrilled to see them on the winning team. A few items shifted their place on the list, but the names are the same.
Organic vs non-organic is a hot topic in the health-conscious online community. I think it ultimately comes down to doing what feels right for you and your family. I take this list to heart and if the item is on the dirty list, I buy organic. This also applies to additional products that stem from the item; tomatoes for instance. I buy organic tomatoes, canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, ketchup, and salsa when available.
While the monthly grocery budget is a huge priority for me, I’m aware that investing in our health now is cheaper in the long run. I get peace of mind knowing that I’m making my best effort to buy good products. Currently, we buy organic produce that’s on the dirty dozen list, organic tomato-derived items, organic oats (read why here), organic raisins, organic milk, organic chicken, and organic hamburger meat. I hope to switch to all local dairy and meat in the future when my budget expands a little.
Do you have to pick and choose your organic purchases? If so, what do you buy?
