Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Buying Organic


I'm back! After a few weeks of unexpected traveling I am very happy to return to the food blogging universe. I am still longing to get back to my own kitchen though. I'll post a new recipe when I do, next week. For now I wanted to quickly share a link I came across today, and love. 

I think that by now most of us understand the need to grow, buy, and eat organic - for the environment, our own health, and the quality and taste of the food we cook. And as demand increases for organic food, the price is dropping noticeably. But when you are standing there in the grocery aisle and know you only have so much cash in your pocket sometimes you have to make some tough choices. Personally, I have never been able to remember, at that moment, which fruits and veggies are the "so important to buy organic" ones, ie. the ones that are grown with the greatest amount of pesticides. Well, foodnews.org has made an iphone app that lists their "dirty dozen" and "clean 15" for just such times. I love it. You can check out a full list of fruits and veggies in order of greatest to least pesticides on their website as well. 

The Dirty Dozen:

Peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, imported grapes, pears, bell peppers, celery, kale, lettuce, and carrots.
 
The Clean 15:

Avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, papayas, watermelon, onions, sweet corn, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, eggplant, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.