Parents often ask me whether or not they should be buying organic food for their little ones. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to decide between organic and conventional. In a perfect world, all of our fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, meat and fish would be natural, chemical- and pesticide-free. Until that day, I let parents know of the dirty dozen and clean fifteen list. This list, compiled by the nonprofit organization Environmental Working Group, comprises the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables on the market as well as the cleanest 15. So if you’re trying to figure out where you’d like to spend the few extra bucks on organic produce, let the dirty dozen list be your guide. Alternatively, let the clean 15 list provide you with peace of mind that not every non-organic, conventional fruit and vegetable you eat is loaded with unwanted chemicals.
The Dirty Dozen (The fruits and vegetables you may want to consider buying organic)
- Apples
- Celery
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Grapes
- Hot Peppers
- Imported Nectarines
- Peaches
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Sweet Bell Peppers
*With a not so honorable mention to summer squash, collard greens and kale
The Clean 15 (The safest conventional fruits and vegetables)
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Sweet Corn
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Mangos
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Papayas
- Pineapple
- Frozen Sweet Peas
- Sweet Potatoes
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