Is it necessary to buy everything organic? Definitely not. There are many reasons organic is good for you and the earth, but it is definitely okay to choose conventional or local for some produce items, especially when price is a factor. The Environmental Working Group (EWG)* has been producing the reliable “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides” since 1995. The produce listed below is based on their research.
MUST buy ORGANIC:
Produce:
The following produce items are the “dirty dozen” because they have the most pesticide residues. Buy these organic and reduce pesticide consumption by 80%!
- Peach
- Apple
- Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Nectarine
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Grapes (Imported)
- Carrot
- Pear
Meat:
Buy all-natural or organic meat to avoid antibiotics and hormones. All-natural and organic also means the animal feed is free of pesticides.
Dairy:
Organic dairy means antibiotic and hormone free. Organic is a must, especially for kids.
OKAY to buy CONVENTIONAL:
Produce
The produce below has the lowest pesticide residue. It is okay to buy these conventional:
- Onion
- Avocado
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Asparagus
- Sweet Peas
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
- Papaya
- Watermelon
- Broccoli
- Tomato
- Sweet Potato
Whatever you decide works for you and your family, it is most important to consume at least 5 fruits and vegetables per day! How do you and your family make sure to get enough fruits & vegetables?
*Environmental Working Group: “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides”
Green smoothies get us a big bunch of our fruit and veggies every morning. And are my current favorite way to consume them.
I purchased Edamame and Wild Mushroom Salad today in your Deli Dept. I have never had anything quite so tasty! I am hooked. Now I am concerned you will not carry this product regularly. I would be very unhappy if this should happen.
Do you share your recipes?
A regular and satisfied customer!
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I was surprised bananas weren’t on either list. Where do they fall? I think I read that buying organic bananas was a big help to the countries that grow them.
I always thought organic maple syrup was a laugh!
Pat~
Do you have any idea how long that stuff sits in the deli case? Until its gone, thats how long. there are no expiration dates in the deli case. You could probably make it yourself for less money. Enjoy.
Thank you for the article. I am very interested in buying organics for myself and my family. But, I am confused about your mention of “all-natural” regarding meat. It is my understanding that the label “all-natural” carries with it no regulated standards, and I’ve read article after article about deceptive “all-natural” labels. Just wondering if you could clarify.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your question! Thanks for your patience as we wanted to get you a clear answer. The USDA’s definition of “all-natural” for meats only covers standards for the meat after it is killed and packed up. Earth Fare’s definition of “all-natural”, however, ALSO includes how the animal is raised before it is killed. Our standards include:
-no battery cages for egg laying or broiler hens
-no confinement pens for pigs or other animals
-access to pasture for beef & dairy cows, lambs and other large animals
-room to move around and engage in more natural behaviors
-access to clean water and food
-access to clean bedding
-reduced or no time on feedlots
-natural grain and roughage based diets to promote the animal’s health and well-being, without any antibiotics, growth hormones or stimulators, or animal by-products
-less stressful means of slaughter
Hope this helps!
Hi Maudie, thank you for your comment. At Earth Fare, all the items in our deli case are FRESH! Deli salads are dated when they are put out so you know exactly when it was made. They are thrown away when they expire. We keep detailed notes and logs to ensure all items in our deli case are fresh. If you ever encounter problems, just let us know but rest assured that at Earth Fare, we only have fresh items in our deli case. Thanks!
Pat, thanks for the comment! We are glad you enjoyed it! We do not share recipes for items we currently make, but you can always find discontinued and other great recipes on our website! check them out here http://www.earthfare.com/HealthyLiving/RecipeSearch.aspx
Vegmom, yum!! Good news – Green Goddess Smoothies are on sale this month! Hope you enjoy
The sweet corn should have an asterisk by it. Corn is often genetically modified, and we should steer clear of that as much as possible. The best way to be sure the corn’s non GMO is to get organic.
Thank you for the comment, Lisa! This is indeed true.
I have a question about carrots. If they are underground, why do they have a lot of pesticides. What is the difference between them and sweet potatoes or regular potatoes?
What if you wash the “dirty dozen” with an organic fruit and veggie wash?!?!
Is your beef grass fed?
Hi Donna, our beef is grass fed and we also have organic beef as well. Thanks for the question!
Hi Sheilah,
Thanks for your question – good one! We imagine pesticides to be sprayed on the outside of plants (above ground), but pesticides can be soak into the ground. Once they are in the soil, they can be soaked up with water through roots. In regards to potatoes vs sweet potatoes, the EWG studied various produce and of the produce analyzed, sweet potatoes were found to have more pesticides than regular potatoes. This is not a biological difference but based on the produce analyzed.
Check out more info here:
Carrots:
http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=CR
Sweet Potatoes:
http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=SW
Great question, Amanda! Skin of fruit and vegetable is porous (just like ours!) A larger amount of pesticides are found on skin but they can also get into the actual plant. So, even though you use an organic wash, which is a good practice anyway, the pesticides in the actual plant cannot be washed off! Hope this helps!
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I want to know if Prill Beads Water is effective if I soak all my conventional produce or non organic produce or meats for about 2 hours, I learned that it is good to wash your vegies or fruits with Prill Beads which I ordered from the Power Hour. I did this and I hope that it helps.
Thanks
P.S. Thanks for the knowledge I gained from this healhful information.
Pearl, thank you for your comment! Good question! We have received this question. These products will help wash off more of the pesticide from the skin but at the end of the day some of the chemicals will be inside the actual flesh of the produce that we eat — there is no way to wash those out! So, you are taking precautionary steps to ensure as many pesticides are washed off the exterior, but there will still be some residue on the skin (no matter how hard you wash!). It is still good to choose organic on the “dirty dozen” since pesticides will be in the flesh of the fruit/vegetable. We are glad this knowledge was helpful! Please visit again and feel free to ask any questions you have!
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Nearly all of the milk available in grocery stores where I live is hormone free. Why should I pay double for organics? (serious question)
What about oranges, and more specifically, Clementine’s (Cuties)? It’s that time of year and my little guy LOVES Clementine’s. They are so easy to peel and eat… I guess they’re easier to peel because of thinner skin than oranges. Either way, can you please give me/us guidelines for oranges and Clementine as I have vowed to move forward with buying organic when I need to and I just bought Clementines at Kroger, but really am wondering if I need to buy organic… I have been buying the top 12 organic now as of 1 week ago. I love Earthfare!
@Debbie, check out the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) and the dirty dozen list: http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214 for more info on choosing which fruits and veggies to buy organic.
Hi, thanks for the link, but what you have and what they have doesn’t cover everything. I don’t see blueberries or oranges/cuties listed. I did buy organic blueberries at EarthFare last week because you eat the entire thing, so figured I would be safe instead of sorry. Still unsure about clementines. So, I’m just not sure if mainly concentrate on top dirty dozen and if not in that list, just go conventional. I could have done that with blueberries, but felt better with organic unless I find that blueberries have much lower incidence of contamination, etc.
If you want a fruit that’s completely free of pesticides and other chemicals, organic is the safest route.