How Important Is It To Buy Organic?

Thanks for doing this comparison. You would understand my pure joy when just last week my Stop & Shop FINALLY started carrying organic apples!!! Typically I buy my produce at Whole Foods, but I don't buy 100% organic (pretty close, but not 100%). I find that my particular Stop & Shop produce quality to be really poor. Every now and again I also buy some produce at Trader Joe's. I keep the Dirty Dozen in mind and that often prevents me from buying the standard grapes, because I've heard those are often the worst offender for pesticides.

Leah

My "stop & shop" also sells organic produce, often at a considerably lower price than the local whole food type store (we don't have a "whole food" here). Yesterday i bought some fresh rosemary from the "whole" store but wasn't thrilled with the quality really so I stopped by the "S&S" where I've gotten gorgeous fresh organic rosemary in the past. They had some, it was beautiful and so fresh and fragrant (the lady ahead of me in the check out line commented on how wonderful it smelled!), and it was half the price of the "whole" store.

We don't have a trader joe's either but I've heard they have organic stuff at a more reasonable price. Same with Costco.

Vladdie

'Food, Inc.' has that effect on people, doesn't it? :)

We are now 95% organic at our house. We made it a priority, even if we had to cut back elsewhere (not important stuff like paying the mortgage though!) We made rules for ourself and stuck to them: we started out all fruits and vegetables going organic. No exceptions. Then we moved on to 'staples' such as flour, sugar, eggs, etc. And so on. That's how we got to where we are. Another tip I have that helped us, is that weeks where money was tight, I would buy one thing organic that would last. For example, barbeque sauce. A bottle of barbeque sauce will last a couple months (at least in our house). So you feel good building up even if it is a little bit at a time.

Cristina @ An Organic Wife

I almost exclusively shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's due to my daughter's severe and extensive food allergies. I've found that I can shop the sales well and save my family a lot of money. For example, in the DC area, Whole Foods usually has some organic apple on sale for 1.99 a pound. I've also found that if I buy in season, the prices are a lot better. For example, organic grapes are $3-4 a pound in the off-season, but they'll drop to $1.99 in season.

I feed my family of three a diet that's probably 80-90% organic and spend $600-700 a month. Granted, I do have to make all our foods from scratch so that saves us a lot of money!

Have you checked out the top 10 worst pesticide offenders? I try to always follow that for my organic purchasing decision making.

Renee @ FeedingOurLives.com

'They say' you don't need to buy organic for bananas and other produce where you don't eat the peel or shell. It's some movie, isn't it? My favorite part is the farmer talking about the pigness of the pig!

Michelle S

It's a lot of work, but to switch our diet to a mostly organic or local/pastured/pesticide-free/non-GMO diet, I've cobbled together a range of vendors from joining two food coops, to getting two giant upright freezers for the basement so I can buy meat once or twice a year as whole or half animals from local, grass-fed farmers, hit the farmers markets (and often buy the bruised or "ugly" options to save money), buy produce from a CSA (shop around though, b/c some are more expensive than Whole Paycheck), look for sales at WP (they do exist) and coupons, buy organic stuff in bulk at Costco, buy organic at the regular grocery store with coupons (like those $10 off your order type ones...), and lastly we have a good produce store that sells almost expired produce that has some organic stuff (but you have to use it within a couple days). We do spend somewhat more than we used to, but the savings on meat, in particular, have allowed the organic produce purchases, even when it has to be WP.

Anna

Sometimes, if I get too wrapped up in these movies or books, I am too harsh on myself. We have limitations with our budget to prevent us from all organic. We try when we can, but more importantly, we're eating fruit and veggies as a first step. I've had quite a bit of luck growing spinach last year, so this year we planted twice as much. It's not USDA organic, but we use organic soil mixture and no pesticides, so it's organic to me. That means I can then not even buy spinach, and use the money we save to splurge on organic strawberries.

Little steps!

Dawn K.

I have to agree with the post 100%. That is a huge price difference that will really add up over time. If one has the extra money to spend on all organic produce or wants to cut back or deprive themself of other goods, go for it...I'm not one to tell someone how to spend their own money. But, I think the most important thing to take away is to focus more on eating fruits and vegetables and other whole foods and choose whatever fits your budget. I think people often feel overwhelmed when trying to switch to a healther lifestyle. I try my best to make good choices, however, I'm not going to go broke for organics.

Christian

The things that work best for me are to:

- Buy local when I can (SO much better quality than even organic in the stores)

- Only buy in season. Buy apples, even organic, in June isn't going to give you a great apple AND they'll be more expensive because it's not their season

brandi

We buy organic when it's on sale and/or whenever possible at Costco or Trader Joe's. But like you noted, price is a consideration so we still buy a lot of conventional items as well. I do love buying apples in season from the local orchard and going to the farmer's market in the summer. Would love to someday buy mostly organic and local items but we are not there yet.

In the meantime, I've also been using a produce wash. We got the Biokleen one (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=94859&catid=…) but I've also tried other brands and have made my own (using this recipe: http://www.fitsugar.com/Homemade-Produce-Cleaning-Spray-118…). However, *I* use these but my husband doesn't ever take the time to do it when he's preparing fruit or veggies for himself or the kids. Guess that is another matter. :-)

I'm not sure if the produce washes/sprays are really effective but there seems to be a visual reduction in the white powdery substance on grapes and the waxy coating on apples, for instance.

Thanks for all the great information you share!

Grete

I agree with Organic Wife, this has become a real priority for me. We buy organic at every opportunity including steering our restaurant business towards places that offer organic - we have a couple great places in Indy metro. The tissue half-life (how long it stays with you) for some of the pesticides is supposedly years long. Don't really want those chemicals getting stored for the long haul!

Eric Marcotte, MD

I totally agree. We don't normally buy organic. I really have a problem with the guilt society puts on the general public for not buying organic. Buying fresh 'REAL' food is much more important than whether or not to buy organic in my house. Apples can be washed. The same thing goes with milk:)

Thanks for putting this out there!

Nancy~The Wife of a Dairyman

I usually buy organic when possible and try to get most of my produce/animal products organic... I think that the price is worth it because the pesticides 1) drastically reduce the nutrient content of the food, and 2) have been related to all kinds of really dangerous health problems. My health is worth the extra dollar!

Sagan

I work for an organic food distributer (and get a discount) so I try to switch to organic when possible. I have actually focused more on all natural cleaning products more so than food. My overall financial situation does not allow for an all organic lifestyle so this year I decided to grow as many fruits and veggies as I can as "organic" as I can in order to compensate. Going organic is not high on my priority list but I do try when possible.

Sarah

You sure you got your numbers right? I've NEVER seen grapes at WF coast $13.05/lb? Is this what you are saying or am I misunderstanding? In any case, using a price per lb comparison might be more fair than a given quantity, as I don't imagine many people would opt to spend $13.05 on grapes! Just saying. Ditto with sweet potatoes. And, just to let you know, I often find the organic items at WF to be cheaper or same price as conventional, when on sale.

Anna

We do almost all organic. After reading a couple of Michael Pollan books we realized that in the US our food is dirt cheap compared to other western nations, and so we decided to shift our expectations for what food will cost, in order to get higher quality food. Now I don't even know what conventional produce costs, because our priority is organic, and so we budget accordingly. Of course, we don't shop at Whole Foods because it's just way more expensive in general, but we're lucky living in Seattle because there's tons of really good organic produce, at good prices, at regular grocery stores.

If you have farmers markets in your city that can be a really good place to get produce. Even if it's not organic, you at least get a chance to meet the farmer and talk to them about their growing practices. You know that you're getting really fresh, locally grown produce, and the prices are usually quite reasonable.

statgirl

We gave up TV. We were paying $70 a month to sit on our butts after 8 pm. We put that money directly toward our grocery budget. I keep the dirty dozen in mind and won't budge on those but am more lenient on the ones not on the list, especially if they are local. I also try to buy in season, and things like grapes are a novelty for us, not a regular occurrence. Apples, bananas, and melons are more affordable.

But buying organic isn't just about the pesticide exposure. It's also about supporting the organic industry and using our dollars to show that people WANT organic food. If enough people switched, I'm sure the prices would be affordable.

Stephanie

Sorry in advance for the rant, but I care so much about this issue...

I agree that it is better to eat ANY produce than none or less because of pesticide fears, but I also think it is a terrible idea to use our kids as guinea pigs for the chemical industry. Nearly all pesticides cause cancer in lab animals - and there is virtually NO research on what happens if we eat them over and over again or eat them in combination - or if we consume them in combination with the use of other chemicals in the thousands of nonfood products we use every day. And worth noting that childhood (and adult) cancers are at an all-time high.

You should also know that fruits from Chile can contain dangerous levels of pesticides, and Chilean farms in particular have been cited for not following guidelines for export. A chemist I know calls Chilean grapes "pesticide packets" because they are so high in chemical residues. Further, MANY of the chemicals the USDA claims are "safe" for us to eat have been BANNED in other industrialized countries!

A great idea is to NEVER purchase fruits or vegetables with edible skin nonorganic (unless they can be peeled. If you have to buy nonorganic apples, peel the skin. Same for nonorganic cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants, pears, etc. It is ALWAYS worth buying organic leafy greens - the price is not much higher on these, and the nonorganic are heavily sprayed.

A while back I heard Michael Pollan make a great point - in no other country do people expect to get food so cheap. Americans feel like they should scrimp on their food and splurge on stuff like electronics and entertainment - but in most western nations, nutrition and food quality comes first. And I really believe we have to move toward thinking that way as well.

Like I said at the beginning, sorry for the rant. But I lived on an organic farm for 4 years and was really involved in agriculture, and the mainstream industrial food system is just so so so harmful - ecologically, socially, health-wise, and even for worker rights.

Stacie

Why are organic foods so much more expensive??? I've always wondered what the reason is. I would think the pesticides used on "regular" food would be expensive and removing it, when going organic, would be a savings...so it seems like the price should be closer. Where I live, in upstate NY, our grocery store carries both. So it's really easy to compare. I try to buy organic anything where I actually consume the "skin" like strawberries, grapes etc...not bananas or watermelon..

RC-Rochester

Thank you for this. I try to buy organic whenever possible, but it can be SO expensive. I bought less than two pounds of delicious bing cherries that cost me over $12 - yummy for the tummy, not so much for the bank account. With the economy in the shape its in, and gas prices as high as they are, sometimes buying organic just isn't an option for our family.

Whitney Gigandet

RC, organic farms tend to be smaller - often family farms. Massive agribusinesses get huge government subsidies and tax breaks that small farms don't receive. They have huge multimillion dollar deals with corporations like Walmart. They use illegal labor far more than small organic farms. And they can undercut smaller farms on price in order to get their produce into stores - because they can absorb any loss they take far easier than a small farm (this is also how Walmart destroys local businesses when it comes to town). Just more reasons to try as hard as we can to support local farmers and grow our own gardens!

Stacie

I prefer to choose "local" and hope they use organic as well. Seems like most farmers, and most farmers markets, tend to go that route anyway. And I'm lucky enough to live near both apple & peach orchard country, so that's awesome. I'm trying to grow my own veggies this year, via container gardening, and using organic gardening soil. So I'm doing the best I can, but there are times the wallet trumps it all.

CaroG87

I try to buy locally and seasonally. While organic is "expensive" and eating only home cooked meals takes a lot of effort, I think that my food bill is actually less than when I used to buy processed and package meals from the grocery store.

Jenn

Thank you Snack Girl for providing a balanced and realistic perspective. I wish I could buy all organic but it's not affordable. Also, sometimes "organic" isn't necessarily the most efficient way to farm sustainably. Take wine for example(I assume most of us do!) If an organic vineyard needs to spread straw to be able to drive his/her tractor into a field because it's been raining so much, to maintain the organic label he/she must only use organic straw. Really? Organic straw that you're putting on the ground to drive over? The cost just increased like mad; straw should be cheap! LIVE certification (low impact viticulture & enology) on the other hand meets the goals of organic and sustainable farming without driving up the cost. Also, contrary to popular belief, organic farmers CAN use chemical pesticides as a last resort if they can document that organic efforts didn't work.

I believe in organic farming and belong to an organic CSA. If I eat the skin or if it's a leafy green, I try to buy organic or grow my own, but I'm not paying 50% or 100% more for a banana or orange when I just throw the skin away anyway.

Melanie Clark

EXCELLENT POST, Stacie!

What people don't realize, is that even though they are 'saving' money now by buying cheap, processed foods and nonorganic foods - they will more than be making up for later in medical costs!

Cristina @ An Organic Wife

I had an apple on Wednesday and thought I had washed it off real good, but about 20 minutes after I ate it, got incredibly sick and ended up losing my "lunch." I wonder if it's a reaction to one of the chemicals they might be using? This has happened with tomatoes and with raisin bran too (I'm guessing the raisins are the culprit). I think I'll be heading to my local farms and farmer's markets from now on.

Amanda

Great post!! I agree with you 100%, one change at a time...right now I am concentrating on eating more fresh fruits and vegetables...of all kinds.. =)

Angie

Thank you SO much for posting this. I am a current college student working at a farmers' market and I worry about the same things. I am always making efforts to eat the healthiest I can, with lots of fruits and vegetables, but with tuition taking most of my paycheck, it is difficult for me to purchase organically. It is such a relief to hear that I am fueling my body the right way! :)

Ali

eating seasonally has helped. And we freeze a lot, or buy frozen organic fruit/veg at trader joes at good prices, and eat that stuff off season. but it makes summer that much more fun if you have to wait the whole year for peaches!

ashia

Hi.

We decided to become CSA members--one for plants and one for animals. The farm that provides us with plant foods farms organically, though I am not sure they are certified as such. The meat CSA is not organic per se, but their animals live in the outdoors (mobile coops give birds access to new grass every couple of days).

It is quite expensive. We are not hurting for funds, so we buy local food from these two farms. We know our farmers and chat with them every week/month at pickup time. We also garden in the back yard.

We don't get a huge quantity of fresh fruit, though last year we got tons of organic apples from the CSA. So for fruit we also buy organic apples in the off-season. For bananas we don't worry so much about the source. Consumer Reports has a list also of fruits and vegetables that are most affected by pesticides. They also recommend you don't worry about spending extra on fruits and veg with peels that are discarded. So we don't worry as much about where we get those.

We do, however, pick up dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, cherries, pineapples, etc.) for kid lunches. And we dry our own when we get an abundance like we had last year with apples.

We have plans to plant fruit in the back yard, too. Specifically blueberries. Maybe also a fruit tree, like a peach, later. This year we're planting strawberries also, since the wild ones seem to like it here so well.

I agree with SnackGirl's recommendations. Do what you can afford. More fresh is better. If you can't do fresh, do frozen or dried. If you can stand the extra expense, go local and/or organic.

Make peace with yourself, most of all. Let go of what you can't do. Don't beat yourself up if your finances don't match your ideals exactly.

shris

Thanks! I was wondering about organic foods. I mean, some things like peaches and strawberries should be bought organic because of some reason (I forgot) with pesticides. I'll remember that though--buy only what I can afford in the organic aisle ;)

Kathy

I agree that buying organic is expensive. We try to buy organic from the farmer's market during the season. For off-season produce that have travelled a long distance, we find the best deals at Costco.

I believe the best thing is to enjoy your fruit and worry less. If spending more money on organic leads to budget worries and chronic stress (which leads to stress-related disease), it is probably not worth the health benefits of not getting exposed to pesticides from a non-organic apple.

Satish

I don't have time to read through all the comments, so I hope I'm not repeating what someone else said.

Anyway, I've read through part of AntiCancer (David Servan-Schreiber), and one of the things I picked up is that the natural properties of the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat will oftentimes counteract any harmful effects of the chemicals the produce has been treated with.

In other words, fresh, natural foods have built-in protection. Eating a balanced diet with lots of leafy greens and other colorful fresh fruits and veggies are the best way to arm your body against the insults thrown at it every day by our environments.

So, yes, definitely don't worry about your fruits and veggies. Buy what you can afford and ENJOY them!

Julie

I've always heard that if you eat the skin of a fruit (i.e. Apple/Pear/etc) then organic makes sense. That said, Organic is expensive. I've opted to rinse my fruit/Vegetable with a fruit/Veggie wash before eating. I noticed particularly on Apples it removes that waxy feel and hopefully any harmful bacteria/pesticides on the skin.

Judy

Snack Girl: I challenge you to do a similar price comparison with produce purchased at a farmers market. This food (even conventionally grown) is likely to have suffered fewer chemicals, and I believe would be even cheaper than what you bought at your local grocery chain.

Kelly

That's why you have to wash off all fruits and veggies is warm water, and even dry it off with a paper towel/towel. You should be fine after that.

(:

farmer's markets are great- when you have access and the time to go (becuase they usually have certain day's/hours.. other than that sometimes you can find decent sales on fruits and veggies that are organic and at that time, it's somewhat like why not.. eating the fresh items is #1 important and of course washing them well (even when organic)

heidi

Thinking you can wash stuff off an apple is just naive... Think cancer somewhere down the line, can you put a price on prevention of something so insideous?

Jill smith

Your thinking on the small time farmer not using as many pesticides may be flawed. A small time farmer may be working with a much smaller margin of error so they can't afford to have the crop get spoiled so they might in fact over use chemicals. Where as larger corps are tight to the bottom line and will count every penny and may or may not skimp on the chem. and count on the bulk. That being said I still like to only buy from local farmers markets from people I have got to know. Some are really cool like the bee keeper that invited us over and gave us a tour.

Grant Armbruster

Remember guys, just because something is labeled organic, doesn't mean it hasn't been sprayed with pesticides. Organic farmers are still allowed to spray pesticides, they are just not allowed to spray synthetic pesticides. Natural pesticides are, however, not necessarily less toxic than synthetic pesticides, in some cases they may be more toxic. Just a little food for thought!

A123

Organic fruit and veggies STILL have pesticides - some more than traditional sources. Whole Foods and other organic sources never tell you about this. All the organic food you think is so healthy is many times worse.

ross rossi

Organic foods are higher due to regulations (paper work that must be complied with) fees to be an organic producer from the states ,these can be prohibitively high . If you cannot use pesticides your work is more intensive your crop can be smaller due to losses. This all adds up to less scale so costs per product are higher. you need to ask at your local orchard if the apples are grown organic or buying local doesn't help. strawberries are at the top of the dirty dozen . I wouldn't buy them except for organically grown!

joanne ryan