For the sake of brevity, I’m only going to focus on organic produce; otherwise, I’d end up writing a book! Limiting toxins we’re exposed to in other ways will have to wait for other posts. As a family of five, financially it’s just not possible to feed us all organic produce all the time. And you know what, I’m okay with that. Breaking the bank or stressing out about every grocery purchase wouldn’t be healthy either. I do the best I can with what I have. Some days it’s organic grapes or blueberries because they’re SO delicious and it’s a treat. Other days it’s not having a single organic thing in my shopping cart. I hope after reading this blog today, you feel empowered to do what you can and be okay with what feels out of reach right now.

A moment (almost) on my soapbox

I can hear you now. “Janna, food prices are ridiculous. How on earth do you expect me to buy more expensive produce?!” Hear me out for a minute. This is NOT about leaving you feeling guilty about or ashamed by what you feed your family. Being able to afford organic produce is a privilege. Having access to stores that carry organic produce is a privilege. I won’t get on my soapbox today, but let’s just say that I find it unconscionable that whole, clean, sustainable produce is not available to every single person on this planet. 

I sincerely hope you find yourself in the fortunate place where you can both afford organic produce and have had the education as to why organic is a safer option. And if you aren't in that place, please know that I see you and I am working on doing my small part to remedy this imbalance.

So…why buy organic produce?

The biggest reason most people start incorporating organic produce into their diets (and grocery budgets) is to reduce the amount of chemicals they’re eating.  For many of us moms, we’re usually motivated to do things for our kids and entering the organic world is no exception. Children are more susceptible to certain toxins than adults and exposure during pregnancy can have negative effects on Baby. (1) What’s also scary is that kids consume more of certain foods relative to their body weight than do adults. This means they’re eating a larger proportion of pesticides compared to us grown ups. (2) Yikes!

Another great reason to try to add in organic produce is that you’re also most likely supporting smaller scale farms. Organic farmers tend to have a greater respect for the environment and by using organic methods, they’re helping to keep these chemicals out of your grocery cart as well as the soil, the air and the water. (3) 

Great. I want to add more! But…how do I afford organic produce?

Here are some of the things I do to help squeeze organic produce into my food budget. And I don’t have to tell you how tricky it’s getting as prices go up!

1. Stick with what’s in season

   This goes for conventional or organic produce. When you can focus on buying what’s in season, it’s usually less expensive because it doesn't have to be transported from some far corner of the world to get to you. Not sure what’s in season for your area? This great website can tell you in a couple clicks! 

2. Shop around

   I’m fortunate that I have both the time and the availability of stores to shop around. If you can do it each time you shop, more power to you! I don’t do it each week, but instead I keep separate shopping lists of what I know I’m getting at store A and store B. Sometimes I wait to get cherries or grapes because I know I’ll get a coupon at one store or I know organic carrots are comparable at both stores. It’s hard to stock up on fresh produce, but that’s where #3 comes in:

3. Buy frozen or canned organic food

   Canned tomatoes and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) were some of the first things I started buying organic when I began learning more about why it’s better for my family. I have a favorite store brand whose organic canned goods are only 20-30 cents more than conventional. I’m sure it adds up over time, but it seems to hurt less than seeing upwards of $3/pound vs. $1.50/pound on some fresh items! At the end of the day, canned or frozen is better than no produce at all. 

4. Use the Dirty Dozen list to prioritize

   Thanks to the Environmental Working Group, each year we get a list of the most contaminated produce that should be purchased organic if at all possible. If you’re trying to start incorporating organic produce into your diet, I’d recommend starting with the Dirty Dozen. Want to know the top 5 most contaminated fruits and veggies from 2021? 

   #1 Strawberries 

   #2 Spinach 

   #3 Kale, collard and mustard greens

   #4 Nectarines 

   #5 Apples

5. Use the Clean Fifteen list to know what you can skip

We also – thank goodness! – get a Clean Fifteen list of produce that is safe to purchase conventionally. You know what I love? Not paying an arm and a leg for organic avocados and happily buying regular old avocados because they’re #1 on the Clean Fifteen. My family also eats a lot of broccoli and cauliflower and I feel much better about buying conventionally grown since they’re numbers 9 and 12. 

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

Pick one thing on the Dirty Dozen list to buy organic the next time you shop - whether it’s fresh, frozen or canned

The Bottom Line

If you can buy organic produce, that’s awesome! But at the end of the day, I would much rather you spend your money on conventionally grown fruits and vegetables because we all benefit from adding more plants to our diets. Wherever you are on this journey, embrace that! If you need help making these small changes or really just don’t know where to start, please reach out to me to schedule a free consultation. That’s why I’m here.

Citations

1. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Protecting-Children-from-Pesticides-Information-for-Parents.aspx

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236276/

3. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm