Organic food is so freaking expensive! It’s like, “Hey, want to buy this burger, fries, drink, and two cookies for $6 or do you want this amazing organic salad with no protein but a few veggies for $13?”
Duh! Please give me the hormone raging, grease filled fries, sugar-loaded drink, and saturated fat cookies for $6! At least, I will be full for a while, right? But what if you are not right?
What if I can teach you a way to save money on fresh organic produce so that you can eat healthily and save a few bucks!
Don’t be scared!
It’s nothing hard or intense like you need to be home to get these coupons, compare these circulars, (Wait, are they still called that? Did I show my age right there), and drive to these random grocery stores so you can get the best deals.
Nope, none of that!
I mean who has time for that anyway?
Be VIP for FREE!
But, before we get into the secret way of saving money, I want to discuss a few things.
This article will teach you:
- What exactly is organic food?
- Why is it important to buy organic food?
- Is organic food really good for you?
- Why is organic food so expensive?
- What fruits and veggies you should buy organic ALL THE TIME.
- Which organic produce is okay to pass on and save a few bucks.
Remember, this article is not to scare you but just to make you aware of what you are eating, how it can affect you, and to show you how to save some money while eating healthy.
What is Organic Food?
Organic food according to USDA is
“Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In instances when a grower has to use a synthetic substance to achieve a specific purpose, the substance must first be approved according to criteria that examine its effects on human health and the environment.” (Source)
Why is it important to buy Organic Food?
Is Organic Food Really Good For You?
Pesticides are meant to kill which means that they are poisonous by nature.
Pesticides have been linked to Parkinson’s disease, asthma, depression, anxiety, cancer (leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma), and attention deficit and hyperactive disorder (ADHD). (Source)
Seeing these effects make you want to spend a few extra dollars so that you can maintain your safety right? Right!
Since pesticides are used to kill, repel, and keep away bugs on crops you can imagine what they can do to the human body.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pesticides can be harmful to people, animals, and the environment since their sole purpose is to kill or harm anything living.
According to this article, The Effects of Pesticides in Food, by Livestrong, states that although pesticides are heavily regulated by the government, there is still residue found on the food that we eat.
This residue that is left can have harmful effects on us. Some of these effects are:
- Learning Problems-
- Can cause ADHD, behavior, and learning problems.
- Nervous System
- Can affect the nervous system in an adverse way causing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain to name a few
- Breast Cancer
- Evidence shows that pesticides from commercially grown food can be linked to some cases of breast cancer
- Weakened Immune System
- studies from animals show that pesticides reduce the number of white blood cells. But this is inconclusive when it comes to testing humans.
- Increase the level of infertility of women who are undergoing infertility treatment.
- Women who ate 2 or more servings of produce with higher pesticide residue were 26% less likely to have a successful pregnancy than those who did not according to this Harvard Study
Why is Organic Food so Expensive?
It is hard because not all stores have organic food varieties of everything and it costs so much!
For example, when you are in the produce aisle and you see that the organic potatoes are $3 more than the non-organic potatoes, it makes you stop and think twice.
You start thinking about whether I need to buy these organic potatoes because not only are they $3 more but there are fewer potatoes!
Then you come to the conclusion of, “Man I should just grow my own garden because these prices are crazy!”.
You start reasoning with yourself that pesticides aren’t that bad or start planning what else you could buy with those 3 extra dollars.
Overall, you are left with the dilemma of having to spend more money on eating healthier and safer or saving money, because money is already tight!
(This example is so detailed because this is me every Friday when I go grocery shopping!)
Since we are conscious now more than ever of what we put into our bodies, we look for the best foods.
Usually, that means that we do have to pay more to get the freshest and cleanest foods available in our area. Which, I don’t think is right, but that’s another topic.
We know that eating healthier will help:
- Improve Moods
- Reduces stress
- Boost Energy Levels
- Improve our Overall Health.
All of this is accomplished by choosing high quality, locally grown produce, that is raised the right way.
Organic food costs a lot more because it takes more time to grow high-quality food then it does to grow non-organic food.
Organic farms are usually smaller than conventional farms and organic farmers don’t use the chemicals and growth hormones that other farmers use which leads to a higher price tag.
What Fruits and Vegetables Should You Buy Organic?
The dirty dozen is a list of foods that are produced by the Environmental Working Group.The Environmental Working Group goes through fruits and vegetables to figure out which conventionally grown produce contains the most and least traces of pesticides.
From their testing, they found that nearly 70% of produce tested was contaminated with pesticide residue.
The foods on this list contain the most pesticides if not brought from a trusted organic source.
These foods should not just be picked up from any old supermarket but should be purchased from a source that is responsible and trusted. The foods on this list should at least always be purchased organic.
The dirty dozen organic, according to the EWG, Environmental Working Group, are:
-
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Hot Peppers
Honorable Mention: Hot Peppers
Now you may be wondering, “Okay, I get it. These foods should be purchased organic which means that I would need to spend extra money. But where can I save money?”.
If so, you are in the right place. Let me introduce you to the Clean 15.
What are the clean 15?
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Sweet Peas Frozen
- Onions
- Papayas
- Eggplants
- Asparagus
- Kiwis
- Cabbages
- Cauliflower
- Cantaloupes
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Honeydew
FREE Organic Food Shopper’s Guide
Listed above are the foods that you should always buy organic and foods that do not have to be purchased organic.
To make this easier for you to remember during your next trip to the store, I made a FREE Shopper’s Guide of the dirty dozen organic and clean 15!
This free guide will help you to remember which produce is ok versus which produce you need to purchase organic for the sake of your health.
You can get your FREE Dirty Dozen Organic and Clean 15 Shopper’s Guide below.
Conclusion: Dirty Dozen Organic Recap:
- What exactly is organic food?
- Why is it important to buy organic food?
- Is organic food really good for you?
- Why is organic food so expensive?
- What fruits and veggies you should buy organic ALL THE TIME.
- Which organic produce is okay to pass on and save a few bucks.
You learned which produce should always be purchased organic in 2019.
You have also gotten your FREE dirty dozen organic shoppers guide.
Now, you are ready to hit the store, save some money, and protect your health.
If you don’t have your free shopper’s guide, don’t leave here without it. Grab it while you can below!
Don’t forget to Pin this article for future use and share it across social media.
Love Always and Spread Bliss,
Ree
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Thank you!