Go Organic

This spring I am rejuvenating my efforts feed my family and myself foods that are better for our bodies. I am planting an organic raised bed vegetable garden and pots of organically grown herbs. (I have found the best prices for organic potting soil and topsoil at Lowe's.) I do realize, whether it is printed on packages of food or on bags of dirt, that organic doesn't always mean organic. In June I will be making compost in our backyard. In our kitchen, you will always find these organic staples: yogurt, soymilk, soy sauce, peanut butter, carrots, celery, and Muir Glen tomato products. When my boys were babies, discovering whole foods for the first time, my shopping list included many more organic products. When we shop at Trader Joe's in the Twin Cities, we come home with bags full of delicious, affordable organic goods.

In the Minneapolis Star Tribune May 18 edition, I read an article entitled Organic or Conventional? When to Spend or Save. I started reading the list of most contaminated foods that you should buy from the organic produce section to Max and Mitchell, but then I decided not to tell them which foods contain the most pesticides and chemicals. (Fast forward to next week at Super Target: I know Max would say then and on every subsequent trip to the grocery store, "Mom, don't buy those peaches! They are full of chemicals! I'm not eating them!")

So I will share the list with you instead:

12 Most Contaminated Foods

Peaches (highest pesticide load)

Apples

Sweet bell peppers

Celery

Nectarines

Strawberries

Cherries

Lettuce

Grapes (imported)

Pears

Spinach

Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated Foods

Onions (lowest pesticide load)

Avocado

Sweet corn (frozen)

Pineapples

Mango

Sweet peas (frozen)

Asparagus

Kiwi

Bananas

Cabbage

Broccoli

Eggplant

You can read about the research and discover additional information about buying organically by clicking on the link to the article above. Trader Joe's was mentioned in a related article because prices for organic goods at their stores are thirty percent lower than at other grocery stores. You can also download your own printable PDF organic shopping guide at http://www.foodnews.org/.