Organic on a Budget

Better for your kids, and better for you, but they can be tough on the budget. Due to increased consumer demand, prices are falling and selection is growing, but you still may not be able to afford to buy all organic all the time. You can be a smart buyer and make choices about which organic selections are most important to buy. Some foods harbor higher concentrations of pesticides than others (try to buy these organic), while others contain lower concentrations (buy these conventionally to save money).

The Dirty Dozen

Top 12 Foods to Buy Organic

If you have budget constraints, your money is doing more for your health when you put it towards organic varieties of the following fruits and vegetables (listed in descending order, starting with greatest levels pesticide contamination):

Peaches
Apples
Bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Imported grapes
Carrots
Pears

The Clean Fifteen

Save Your Money & Buy Conventional

If going totally organic is too difficult or pricey, play it safe and eat the following conventional produce items to minimize your exposure. These are known to have the least amount of pesticide residue (listed in ascending order, starting with of lowest levels of pesticide contamination):

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Mangoes
Asparagus
Sweet peas
Kiwis
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Sweet potatoes