Making Organic Affordable

picklewart.blogspot.com

Organic meat, eggs, cheeses, and produce is a wonderful thing. It's better for you and for the environment too. But it's not always better for your wallet. The struggle is trying to make healthier choices for your family while not doubling the grocery bill! How to make it all fit into your budget?

I found some recommendations on what produce is more "susceptible" to pesticides and what produce is a little safer to purchase without it being organic.

Here's the summary of recommendations from the Environmental Working Group and the Organic Center's dietary risk-index scores. The research bases the ratings on residual pesticides as well as the level toxicity of that pesticide.
The produce is listed in descending order of risk

Buy Organic As Often As You Can:

Cranberries
Peaches
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Imported Grapes
Carrots
Pears
Cantaloupe

The Cleaner Options:

Onions
Avocado
Corn
Pineapple
Mangos
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwifruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
*Tomatoes
Sweet Potatoes

*I guess I have my own opinion on this though... the tomatoes. I feel like the thinness of the skin and the level of pesticides used in our particular area lends itself to make it worth it to buy tomatoes organic if possible.