In the not so distant past, buying organic food was something that people considered unnecessary and even a little weird. I can recall reading that vegetables grown in this way were more of a threat to people than produce grown in the traditional manner. The cases of organic vs inorganic foods are still being made, but the arguments against organics are holding less and less water with increasing numbers of indifiduals purchasing organic over inorganic.
now, buying food that has been grown without chemicals is part of an overall green living movement. Shoppers are starting to be aware that exposure to fewer chemical pesticides and modified ingredients have to be better for our health and for the earth’s ecosystem. Proof of this change in public thinking is reflected in the increased number of products in the organic food section of the supermarket. Once the grocer might have given you an odd look if you requested such items, we now see the organic products spreading throughout the store. Everybody has their own personal reasons for making the change. My wakeup call was my baby girl’s compromised immune system and food allergies that were my motivation to buy organic whenever possible.
THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD
The good news is that information regarding the benefits of buying organic food is spreading. The bad news is that when you see a product with an organic label it is often accompanied by a higher price tag than traditionally grown produce. This is more than likely one of the only negatives associated with buying organic food.
BUYING ORGANIC ON A BUDGET
If your family budget is already stretched to the breaking point and you simply can’t afford to pay more to feed your family, an excellent first step may be to focus on fruits and vegetables whose chemical pesticide retention rates make it worthwhile to buy organic.
Here’s a list of vegetables that experts recommend we should buy because they are known to retain the most chemicals:
- Spinach and Lettuce Potatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Onions
- Avocado
Here is a list of fruits that are worth buying organic:
- Strawberries and Raspberries
- Cherries
- Grapes (Imported)
- Apples
BABIES
I do my best to buy the most important organic fruits and vegetables for everyone in my family, but at times I just can’t manage it. However, even during times of tight finances my green parenting goal is to make certain that <b>everything</b> my babies eat is organically grown. Infants are particularly sensitive to the dangers of pesticides because of their fragile immune systems, It just doesn’t make much sense to swaddle them in organic baby bedding and dress them in organic cotton clothes only to feed them <b>in</b>organic foods.
DAIRY PRODUCTS and MEAT
Where buying organic really eats up a chunk of the family’s grocery budget is buying meat and dairy products. You may save money by buying from locals but I am toying with the idea of saving even more by limiting the amount of these products that I buy for my family.
ORGANIC FOODS THAT AREN’T WORTH IT
With the information that we have, I’m certain that most people would go all organic if we could but in reality it’s just too expensive for most people. It’s a better plan to shop for more fruits and veggies that bring the least amount of pesticides possible to the table.
Here are some veggies that have few pesticides:
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Onions
- Avocado
And here are some low-risk fruits:
- Bananas
- Mangos
- Pineapples
- Kiwi
I buy a lot of the items on this list so that I don’t feel badly about not buying all organic. And if you noticed that there is no mention of seafood, the reason for this omission is because there are currently no standards in place.
