May 06 2008
Organic Produce: When to Spend, When to Save
If you’re buying organic produce, you may be spending more than you need to.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, three-quarters of traditionally grown produce show traces of pesticides, while one in four organic fruits and vegetables do.
Rule of Thumb
If you’re eating the skin (think apples, pears), or the fruit is too delicate to wash thoroughly (think strawberries) or soft (peaches), or the vegetable has lots of nooks and crannies (lettuce)–it’s best to buy organic.
But if you’re not going to eat the outer layer/skin (bananas, kiwifruit, onions, mangoes, pineapples), you don’t need to buy organic.
Top 10
According to VegNews, the top 10 most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables available at the store are:
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes
Pears
Most grocery stores stock organic produce these days, and if the store where you shop doesn’t offer organic produce, ask them if they will get some, because sometimes demand has to precede supply.
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Thank you for the great pointers on when to buy and when to not. You have to make every dollar stretch these days!
Glad to help! We still buy all organic, even though I know we don’t have to for everything, but that’s just becuse we shop at the Co-Op and that’s all they sell there.