yummy

the organic rules

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Our local grocery store is definitely not short of any sort of fresh produce, and actually has a separate section just for Organic produce. Normally I only indulge in the organic variety if they’re on sale, unless they’re apples. I remember hearing once about all the pesticides that apples endured, and that buying organic was the only way to go, so I’ve stuck to that rule pretty well. And yet, I know there are other things that I should be avoiding, but I never quite remember which is safe and which isn’t.
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That’s why I set out to find a list that would address these confusing grocery issues… and found these two easy groups. I’d like to get everything sorted out long before Baby M starts up with her solids… and when I really have to resort to buying as many organic things as my cheap shopping eye can muster!
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The Dirty Dozen
(produce with the highest pesticide levels according to the Environmental Working Group):
  1. Peaches
  2. Apples
  3. Bell Peppers
  4. Celery
  5. Nectarines
  6. Strawberries
  7. Cherries
  8. Kale
  9. Lettuce
  10. Imported grapes
  11. Carrots
  12. Pears
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The CLEAN 15
(lowest levels of pesticide residue — but still not optimal for babies to consume the non-organic version):
  1. Onions
  2. Avocados
  3. Corn
  4. Pineapple
  5. Mangoes
  6. Asparagus
  7. Sweet peas
  8. Kiwi
  9. Cabbage
  10. Eggplant
  11. Papaya
  12. Watermelon
  13. Broccoli
  14. Tomatoes
  15. Sweet Potatoes

And just in case you can’t memorize all of these for your grocery list, there’s always the little downloadable PDF card or an iPhone app to help you remember what to buy in the store as well! (thank you foodnews.org!) Hopefully now I can eliminate 5 more mindless minutes of time in the grocery store as I stand their aimlessly trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be buying!

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