How to get the biggest bang with your food budget bucks!

When to buy organic? That is the question!

In an ideal world, we could afford to buy organic produce all the time. Unfortunately, most of our food budgets require us to be selective. How can we know when to splurge and when it is ok to save a bit?

Every year the Environmental Working Group updates their Dirty Dozen^TM and Clean Fifteen^TM lists to help shoppers know when to buy organic and when it is ok to buy conventionally raised fruits and veggies. The EWG analyzes data published by the USDA regarding the number and quantity of pesticides found on 46 popular fruits and vegetables. You can find a summary of the report here.

So what foods are included in the Dirty Dozen^TM? These are all foods that grow above ground and the outer skin is eaten:

Foods included in the Clean Fifteen^TM tend to have a thicker skin or protective outer layers, with a few exceptions:

TIP: Save a screenshot of the lists on your phone so you have it when you head out to the grocery store or farmers market.

The Environmental Working Group’s mission “to empower you with breakthrough research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment” goes beyond produce. EWG also provides resources regarding health and beauty products, a tap water database, sunscreen guide, and more. Get to know all that the EWG has to offer and be sure to check back for annual updates to the Dirty Dozen^TM and Clean Fifteen^TM.