Not so long ago , buying organic food was something that consumerstext   considered  unnecessary and even  a little strange .  I can remember  getting information  that vegetables  grown in this way were more bacterially threatening to  people  than products  grown in the traditional  manner. The argument  of organic vs inorganic foods are yet being made, but the arguments against organics are holding less and less water  with increasing numbers of consumers   buying  organic over inorganic.

Today, buying produce that has been grown  without chemicals is part of an overall green living program.  Shoppers  are starting become aware  that exposure to fewer pesticides, chemicals  and modified ingredients are surely better  for our health and for the earth’s ecosystem .  Proof of this change in public thinking  is reflected in the increased number of products in the organic food department  of the grocery store .  Once the produce manager  might have brushed you off  if you asked for such items, we now see the organic products scattered  throughout the store.  Everybody has their own reason  for making the change.   My wakeup call was my daughter’s  compromised immune system and food allergies  that were my motivation to buy organic whenever possible.

THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD

The good news is that information  regarding the benefits of buying organic food is spreading.  The bad news is that when you see an item with an organic label  it is often accompanied by a more expensive price  than traditionally grown produce . This is perhaps  one of the only negatives associated with buying organic food. 

BUYING ORGANIC ON A BUDGET

If your family budget  is already stretched to the limit  and you simply can’t afford to pay more to feed your family, an excellent first step  may be to focus on  fruits and vegetables whose chemical pesticide retention rates make it worthwhile  to buy organic. 

Here are some of the vegetables  that experts recommend we should buy because they are known to retain the most chemicals:

• Spinach and Lettuce Potatoes
• Bell Peppers
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Avocado

Here is a list of fruits  that are worth buying organic:

• Strawberries and Raspberries
• Cherries
• Grapes (Imported)
• Apples

BABIES 

I try  to buy the most important organic fruits and vegetables for my whole family, but at times I just can’t manage it.  However, even during times of budget crisis  my green parenting goal is to make certain that <b>everything</b> my babies eat is organically grown.  Infants are very  vulnerable  to the dangers of chemicals  because of  their fragile immune systems,  It just doesn’t make sense  to swaddle them in organic baby bedding and dress them in organic cotton clothes  only to feed them <b>in</b>organic baby food . 

DAIRY PRODUCTS and MEAT

Where buying organic really takes a toll on a  family’s grocery budget  is buying meat and dairy products .  You may save money by buying locally  but I am playing with the idea  of saving even more by limiting  the amount of these products  that my family eats .  

ORGANIC FOODS THAT AREN’T WORTH IT

With the information that we have, I’m certain  that most people  would go all organic if we could but in reality it’s just too expensive for most people .  It’s a better plan to eat  more fruits and veggies that bring the least amount of pesticides possible to the table. 

 Here are some veggies that have few pesticides:

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Avocado

And here are some low-risk fruits:

• Bananas
• Mangos
• Pineapples
• Kiwi

I focus on many  of the items in this group  so that I don’t feel the need to buy organic .  And if you noticed  that there is no mention of seafood, the reason for this omission is because there are currently no standards in place.