Buying Organic & When it Matters Most
Some fruits and veggies carry more chemicals and pesticides to the table than others. According to the research done by the Environmental Working Group, certain foods are more contaminated than others. Learn more at www.foodnews.org. Here's 12 on their "dirty dozen" list and 12 on their "cleanest" list.
The Dirty Dozen:
- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Lettuce
- Grapes
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Pears
The Cleanest Dozen
- Onions
- Avocado
- Sweet Corn (frozen)
- Pineapples
- Mangos
- Sweet Peas (frozen)
- Asparagus
- Kiwi
- Bananas
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Eggplant
Deciphering the Organic Label
Trying to determine if your food is organic or not? Let us clear things up!
- If the label reads "100% organic," all the ingredients in the product are organic.
- If label reads "Organic," at least 95 percent of the ingredients (determined by weight, excluding water and salt) are organic.
- If the label reads "Made with organic ingredients," at least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic.
- Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients cannot use the term organic on their packaging, but they can individually list the organic ingredients.
Cut Costs
Some organic products may have a higher price tag. Here are a few simple tips to help you save while shopping organic:
- Buy locally and seasonally. When you buy fruits and veggies grown nearby, you don't have to pay extra costs associated with shipping those items from far away.
- Buy in bulk. Organic pantry staples, like flour, dried beans and cereal, are less expensive when you by a larger quantity. These items are usually sold from bulk bins at grocery stores or in larger packages at discount warehouse chains.
- Coupons. Newspapers, store newsletters and circulars are a great place to check for coupons. You may even receive coupons at the register when you check out.
- Buy store brands. Some stores offer their own lines of organic or natural products that are usually cheaper than name brand items.