If you guys are anything like me, you’d like to think you’re keeping a budget in mind when grocery shopping. OK, I’m not the best at it, but I’m married to a financial planner, so I do have some limitations. Some people think budget and organic do not go together, but that’s actually not true. So often I’m running through the store as quickly as I can, and I don’t always take the time to price compare, but when I do, I’m pretty blown away by the lack of price difference. It’s usually a few cents to a few dollars, and while I know it adds up, so do health diseases that require treatments from not managing what you’re eating well.
But what’s more important than dialing it in perfectly is doing the best that you can do and letting go of what you can’t do. Comparison will get us in every area of life if we let it. So this definitely isn’t a “who shops more organic” competition, but rather an informative guide.
I have a few rules of thumb for you all to follow (if you can).
You’ve probably heard of the dirty dozen by now, but here’s a refresher. This is where I would start with your organic buying.
Dirty dozen: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes. These are the highest pesticide-sprayed crops. Note: be sure and always wash well, organic or not!
Also, consider whether you are eating the flesh or the rind. If you’re only eating the flesh, it’s a little safer to buy non-organic, like avocados, bananas, oranges, and mangos, to name a few.
But again, if these are just pennies of a difference, you can bet I’m still going organic.
With grains, coffee, and chocolate, these crops are often the worst pesticide-treated crops, so be sure you’re price checking to see if you can make these organic options work in your budget.
Now on to meat. You’ve heard, I’m sure, to buy grass-fed, and this is absolutely true. In fact, you can also check your organically marked meat to make sure those animals were happily free to roam about. This makes a huge difference in the quality of their lives, and if you think about it, that should make a difference to you. We are what we eat, so eat with caution. I would like to know that if I’m choosing to eat animal products, those animals were treated with the utmost dignity when they were living and that they were given healthy greens too. I’ve bought chicken before only to find out their main source of food was from soy, and I don’t even eat soy, so I had to dive a little deeper into my research to find out which farms and brands stand for what I stand for. You won’t regret a little due diligence when it comes to your farmers.
Food should be fun, it should be pleasurable, but it should also be safe. A few minutes of research can impact the depth of your nutrient intake, so be your own best advocate.
Cara Clark is the owner and primary Certified Nutritionist of Cara Clark Nutrition. Cara works with individuals and groups to promote overall health and to manage a wide range of nutrition-related issues. With a ‘non-dieting’ approach, she has helped clients manage weight, energy, performance, diabetes, thyroid related disease, allergies, eating disorders, and more.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that Poosh, LLC (“Poosh”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the article are the views of the author only, and Poosh does not endorse or recommend any such content or information, or any product or service mentioned in the article. You understand and agree that Poosh shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.
