Eating Organic On A Budget

We all want to feed our families the very best in healthy food – and organic produce is part of that. But what happens when organic fruits and vegetables are just too far out of budget? While the cost of organic foods is slowly going down as they become more popular, there are still some favorite foods that can get really expensive. While buying organic is always a good move, today I’m going to tell you about the foods you can get away with buying non-organic when needed, and I’ll tell you which foods you should always buy organic.

The Organic Benefit

The simple benefit about buying organic is that we eat foods that have not been treated with dangerous pesticides. Some foods are less prone to pests and diseases so they aren’t sprayed as much. Other foods are extremely delicate and have to be heavily sprayed in order to keep them protected.

When we eat organic foods we get the pure food without the risk of contamination by pesticides. Some foods can simply be eaten without their skins or rinds where most of the pesticide would have landed, while others absorb it and shouldn’t be chosen at all unless in an organic form.

Here’s my cheat sheet for which foods must be organic, and which ones I can buy non-organic when needed…

Must Buy Organic

Here are the foods that many experts suggest you only buy in organic forms. These foods are often the most heavily treated with pesticides, or they are the types of foods that soak up pesticides so they can’t be fully washed off…

• All leafy greens like spinach, kale, romaine, and cabbage
• Apples
• All berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
• Peaches and apricots
• Cucumbers and zucchini
• Bell peppers and hot peppers
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams

Buy Non-Organic When Needed

Here are a few foods that are known to be treated with less pesticide, or those that tend to prevent pesticides from entering into the food…

• Onions and garlic
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Kiwi
• Most melons like watermelon and cantaloupe
• Mushrooms
• Kiwi fruit
• Pineapples

Here’s to eating healthy and clean!