Organic Produce: What to Buy Organic/What to Buy Conventional

Organic produce is something we have bought for many years.  I try very, very hard not to gripe about the cost, but it can be frustrating!  Organic apples here are about $1 each, or I can buy a 3lb bag of conventional apples for $4.  Yeah-frustrating!

One thing that has helped is using the "Dirty Dozen/Clean 15" list when we buy produce.  Most of the kids favorite fruits happen to be those that are the most heavily coated with pesticides.  We save money buy using the "Clean 15" to decide what to buy conventional.  If there is something that isn't on either list, I will buy it based on which one looks the best (Sometimes organic broccoli can be buggy...yuck!)


DIRTY DOZEN (BUY ORGANIC):
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines  (Imported)
7. Grapes  (Imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries  (Domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

CLEAN 15

1. Onions
2. Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe  (Domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms