Shop like you grow
Ok, even those of us who grow a lot of our own food still go to the grocery store. The modern American family who grows or produces EVERYTHING it eats is rare, if it even exists at all. But if you’re like me, when you’re shopping for food, you want to make sure you’re buying items that will be as healthy as the foods you grow in your own backyard.
But that can be difficult: According to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, more than 2.5 million tons of pesticides are applied to our food annually, and children ages five and under eat an average of eight pesticides every day. And growing evidence suggests that pesticides can be harmful when ingested, especially for children. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says children are especially susceptible to health risks posed by pesticides because their organs are still growing and because “in relation to their body weight, they eat and drink more than adults, possibly increasing their exposure to pesticides.”
Buying organic is one way to avoid pesticides, but it can get expensive. And there are some conventionally-grown foods that don’t include a lot of pesticides. So how do you know when to buy organic?
I’ve just started using the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides to make my grocery shopping easier. And because EWG just began offering the guide as an iPhone app, I don’t have to worry about memorizing the list or carrying a printout with me to the store each time. I’ve always got it on my phone. (It’s also available as a PDF printout for those who don’t use an iPhone.)
How does this guide help me shop? It lists 47 fruits and vegetables and shows how dirty (pesticide-coated) or clean (pesticide-free) each one is when conventionally grown. The “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists show the foods with the highest and lowest amounts of pesticides. (Top dirty foods? Apples, peaches and sweet bell peppers.) It’s a great option for understanding what you’re getting—when the produce isn’t coming out of your own garden (or that of another local grower).
How do you choose produce when you can’t grow it yourself?
Photo credit: Environmental Working Group
