Know What To Purchase Organic

Yes, my perfect grocery shopping experience would include all organic whole foods. It would also include having a personal chef to cook it all into delicious meals for me. But lets be real, neither of them are in my budget. So I have a couple tools I use to help me prioritize when I am at the grocery store.

THE DIRTY DOZEN

It is important to purchase organic to avoid consuming the toxins absorbed by food during the farming process. These twelve produce fall into the dirty dozen because they have thin skin and are likely to absorb more of those toxins. This is my list of must purchase organic or find alternative produce if organic is not available. 

  1. Peaches
  2. Pears
  3. Grapes
  4. Strawberries
  5. Nectarines
  6. Cherries
  7. Apples
  8. Bell peppers
  9. Spinach
  10. Celery
  11. Tomatoes
  12. Potatoes

THE CLEAN 15

In addition, there is the clean 15. This items are less important to purchase organic so if budget is binding or the options are not available, these are the ones I'll purchase whether or not they are organic. 

  1. Frozen Sweet Peas
  2. Frozen Sweet Peas
  3. Sweet Corn
  4. Avocados
  5. Cabbage
  6. Onions
  7. Asparagus
  8. Eggplant
  9. Cauliflower
  10. Pineapples
  11. Papayas
  12. Magoes
  13. Kiwi
  14. Honeydew
  15. Cantaloupes
  16. Grapefruit

I hope these list relieve some guilt of doing things perfectly and help you begin transitioning to some organic goods where it makes sense. Happy grocery shopping!