What is the Dirty Dozen???

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone! I wanted to take this opportunity and talk a little bit about a topic that EVERYONE (well, maybe not EVERYONE) seems to have questions about...organic produce vs conventional produce.

I could write an entire dissertation on the topic (which would probably bore you) but I'm going to share with you the best resource I have found. The list you should be consulting when buying organic produce is called the "Dirty Dozen". It was composed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). This is a list that recommends which produce should be purchased as organic.You can actually download the "Dirty Dozen" app on your iPhone or iPad (which is very handy to have when you are in the grocery store). If you don't have access to the app go to: www.ewg.org/foodnews. You can actually download a PDF version of the guide. Here is a quick list:

1. Apples
2. Strawberries
3. Grapes
4. Celery
5. Peaches
6. Spinach
7. Sweet Bell Peppers
8. Nectarines-imported
9. Cucumbers
10. Potatoes
11. Cherry tomatoes
12. Hot peppers

Now, for my humble opinion. I tend to stick to this list pretty rigidly. My general rule of thumb is that if I am going to eat the skin off a piece of fruit or a vegetable, I buy it organic. If I am going to peel the skin off and throw it away, I don't worry about buying it organic. Now, not everyone can afford organic produce...I get that. If you can't splurge on organic, don't let that prevent you from eating your fruits and veggies. The opinion of the (EWG) is that consuming conventionally-grown produce is better than not consuming any produce at all.

If you are going to consume the skin along with the flesh of the conventional fruit/veggie, just make sure to use one of those veggie washes sold in stores or you can make your own using a mixture of water and 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Soak your produce for at least 30 mins and then rinse.

I hope this post helps you make better decisions when it comes to purchasing produce for your family. Any question, please feel free to post a comment on my blog or hit me up on FB. My next post will be a delicious recipe for a Crunchy Kale Salad that I adapted from www.userealbutter.com. See you then!