Not everyone can – or wants to – buy everything organic. In some cases, you simply can’t find organic options, or you may just not want to foot the bill if it costs more. This is not a new topic here, but one that needed a little updating. So here we go!
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Dirty Dozen List
Every year, the Environmental Working Group puts out what they call the “Dirty Dozen” list. What lands on this list can change slightly from year to year – hence the need for my updated blog post. The Dirty Dozen list is a great way to prioritize what to buy organic. It tells us the top 12 conventionally-grown crops that have the most chemical pesticide residue left on them when purchased and consumed. These unwanted chemicals can be avoided if organic is chosen instead.
For this reason, I drive twice as far to pick my strawberries from the organic farm in our area. And whenever I buy applesauce or even apple juice, I always choose organic. This list (as well as their Clean 15 list) can really help simplify your decision-making at the grocery store. But it’s also important to remember that it’s better to consume conventional fruits and veggies as opposed to none at all!
High-Risk GMO Crops
GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) refers to crops whose DNA have been modified to produce genes, and therefore traits, not found in nature. For example, instead of a chemical pesticide being sprayed ON the crops to ward off pests, some GMO crops actually produce the pesticide IN the plant itself. It’s not something I personally want in my food! Which is why I like to refer to the list of high-risk crops that is put together by the Non-GMO Project group to help us.
This one is a little trickier. Although corn is listed, it’s not trying to warn us about corn on the cob per say. But it’s more referring to the plethora of additives developed from corn. We’re talking about everything from obvious ones such as High Fructose Corn Syrup to less obvious ones such as Maltodextrin. For a complete list of highly processed additives produced from corn, go here.
Since GMOs are currently not labeled in our country, the best way to avoid them is to buy organic. Hence my reason for adding them to my “What to Buy Organic” list above! The good news is, if you avoid highly processed food in general, you’ll be avoiding many of – but not all – the GMOs out there since they are not quite as prevalent in real food (except for the cases of papaya and squash). I think it’s also worth noting that, contrary to popular belief, wheat is not one that is commonly genetically modified.
I hope this helps make food shopping a little easier for you. Are these lists new to you or something you already use as guidelines?
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Mary White
May 3, 2017 at 1:48 pmJust curious, because this confuses me all of the time! If I am shopping at a local farmers market, are those fruits and veggies still considered dirty dozen? For example, I just bought strawberries at the produce stand near our house — does the farmers market also have to specify organic farming or something?
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food
May 3, 2017 at 2:15 pmHi Mary – If the farmer is not certified organic, then you have to ask if they use chemical pesticides. Many small farmers will follow some or most of the organic guidelines but not go to the expense of certification. If you trust the farmer or have visited their farm to see how they operate, then no worries. But keep in mind many roadside produce stands sell conventional produce, and unless you are speaking to the farmer, the person working there may have no clue about the farming practices and give you misinformation.
Lisa
May 3, 2017 at 3:01 pmGreat question – Whether it’s a local farmer or a huge company the crops are grown either using organic methods (even if they aren’t officially certified) or conventional methods (which involves chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers). The main difference with local farmers is that they are also locally grown – a bonus for sure! But yes, locally grown strawberries can still have unwanted chemical pesticide residue if they aren’t grown organically.
Stephanie
May 3, 2017 at 2:25 pmI just learned that organic strawberries maybe even more toxic that regular strawberries if they were treated with certain organic pesticides that are even more dangerous than man made pesticides. How do you know? How would you know what organic Driscolls strawberries have gone through? In the meantime, I have stopped eating very many strawberries. Used to eat organic ones daily. Thank you.
Kassie
May 3, 2017 at 9:27 pmI just read the same thing :(
My family is obsessed with strawberries, we eat them daily,but now I’m so confused on what to buy. It’s so frustrating that we can’t even trust the organic ones now
Rachel
May 4, 2017 at 10:48 amStrawberries are very easy to grow on your own! They won’t provide for for you all the time, but they are the best treat! They grow well in pots and raised beds, and if you have enough room you can grow extra to freeze. Homegrown is so much more flavorful than store bought, even in peak season!
amanda
May 4, 2017 at 12:04 amHow are organic strawberries worse? Looked it up but couldn’t find anything.
Rene
May 4, 2017 at 10:49 amI still eat them – bought some this morning.
Christina
May 4, 2017 at 10:12 amWhat about other berries like raspberries and blueberries?
Rene
May 4, 2017 at 10:35 amI have blueberry plants. They are pretty easy to grow. I packed away 30 gallons last summer but I have quite a few bushes.
Crystal
May 4, 2017 at 11:21 amCan you grow them inside a house?
Nancy
May 4, 2017 at 10:59 amI am absolutely confused. There is too much conflicting info out there about organic vs. non organic. I read about the strawberries as well! I realize life is not a perfect one but there has to be a more reliable source/guideline to follow for what a person needs to do about buying groceries. I go to EWG website all the time and it’s getting exhausting. All I am trying to do is lead a healthier better quality of life. Stress and expense does not help that plight! I spend a bundle on organic everything and quite frankly it’s an expense I’d rather not have to do. I have already become a prisoner to my own kitchen so that eating out is minimal to not at all. I refuse to start growing my own fruits and vegetables to be sure of what I am eating. This should not be the case if the foods we bought were already healthy, non GMO’d they way they should be! So frustrating.
Lee Gilmer
May 4, 2017 at 2:52 pmWhy do you choose not to grow some of your own food? It takes 3 years for soil to be totally organic but you can buy organic soil and grow veggies in containers right away. With a drip watering system, you don’t even have to water them. Just attach a timer to your hose. And weeds are almost nonexistent in a container garden.
You might want to start with strawberries since they are #1 on the Bad 12.. We didn’t do organic but my mother had a big bed of them and never had to use any pesticides. Also, dwarf fruit trees can be grown in containers. Or to start, grow mixed greens in a container for salad makings. You can cut what you need every day.
Also, pots of herbs are easy to grow on a windowsill.
Susan
May 4, 2017 at 3:30 pmNancy- I understand your frustration. Eating clean takes a lot of time and money. I think all any of us can do is to just do the best we can. But honestly, you kind of answered your own dilemma in your statement, and it’s something many people have started to do because they were as frustrated as the rest of us.
Stating that you refuse to grow your own food means you will never solve the frustration you have. The ONLY way to ensure you know exactly what you are eating IS to grow your own food. This is why homesteading has made such a huge comeback in recent years: people are fed up relying on any government agency to ensure our food is actually what they say it is. It’s never going to happen. That’s like trusting the government to come to your rescue in a catostrophic event; sure they might get to you eventually, but it won’t be the next day. We are all we’ve got in this big world; we have to take care of ourselves.
I think that is the biggest lesson I’ve learned since turning to real food. No one is going to take care of your family the way you will. I don’t have a ton of room for gardening myself, but do have containers for growing potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, etc, I have small citrus trees in pots. I can’t garden the way I’d like to, so I fill in the things I can’t grow by buying from a farmer I trust. Is all of this time consuming? Yes, it is, but I never get stressed about it anymore because now I know exactly what it is I’m eating.
Eating real food is a commitment, for sure. But growing your own is the only way to truly know the quality of your food.
Lindsay
May 4, 2017 at 11:15 amYou have 2 sidebar ads for Bayer and Monsanto, both of which are producing poisons to spray on commercial crops….big issues about extermination of bees. Do some research, plse.
Thanks
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 8, 2017 at 5:40 pmI promise we do plenty of research! We try to make certain that ads which do not match our philosophy are not present on our site, however, from time to time something slips through. Thanks for pointing it out.
Sandy Carr
May 4, 2017 at 1:33 pmA suggestion: when you place HFCS on your website, you might want to print the words out. Many people will gloss over it because they have no idea what it means…and that would be bad.
Keep up the good work!
Celia
May 4, 2017 at 2:18 pmIf I buy conventional apples and pears, is it better to peel them to avoid the pesticides or does that significantly diminish the nutrient value because you’re not eating the whole fruit?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 8, 2017 at 5:35 pmI always peel off the skin of anything on this list, given it is possible, if they are not organic. You do sacrifice some nutrient and fiber but it beats ingesting the other stuff if you can avoid it. :)
Cheryl
May 4, 2017 at 2:34 pmWhat about meats & milk, poultry & eggs? I know that it’s said animal products is a must for grass fed/organic, but these foods are where the grocery bill stacks up. I would love to feed my family the best of the best, but that’s not always affordable. How can I make sure to feed my family well when we can’t afford to buy these items organic?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 8, 2017 at 5:31 pmHi Cheryl. Just do your best and don’t be hard on yourself. This is what has worked for my family concerning those items: I try to buy organic dairy always because when you are buying real, full-fat dairy products, you have to be aware that toxins (herbicides, pesticides etc) are easily stored in fat of the non-organic products. As far as meats are concerned, we go with eating a lot less of it and buying higher quality and humane when we do. Meat can become a compliment to your veggies and grains vs being the main attraction. I rely on Costco for many organic products, so a big box store like that might be a help, as well. I try to hit the farmer’s market as much as I can, too as does Lisa, for sure. That’s where the good local stuff is found and where you can talk directly with the farmers about their practices. Many farmers use organic methods but just can’t afford to jump through all the hoops of certification. Hope that helps a little. Remember that baby steps move you forward, too!
Erin @ burdenfreecaregiving.com
May 4, 2017 at 7:32 pmVery helpful information! The comment about the roadside farmers is equally frightening. I love patronizing the people who seem to be selling healthy fruit on the side of the road- this certainly makes me think twice.
Maria
May 4, 2017 at 9:13 pmDo any of you buy conventional sweet corn even though it’s on the clean 15? Or do you opt for organic? Thanks
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 8, 2017 at 4:43 pmI, personally, find that organic sweet corn is very hard to find. I’ll buy it if I see it and if it looks like a good batch but I don’t forgo delicious sweet corn over the summer. It is too much of a treat! ;)
Boxon
May 4, 2017 at 11:08 pmVery good information, our family likes to eat fruits and reading this article makes us more careful in choosing food, especially fresh fruit
Ruth
May 4, 2017 at 11:09 pmI’m glad I’m not the only one who gets confused and frustrated! I appreciate this post, and I had not heard about the strawberries but have started to have concerns that even “organic” foods could have something not good for us on them. I’ve read before that organic farmers might even use older product not included in “bans” but still not good. The truth is, there is a reason why pesticides were developed–it’s hard to group fruits and vegetables in large quantities without it. I’m not sure what the solution is but I will say, I try my best but I’m not going to feel guilty about feeding my children real food that isn’t organic. I will try my best, and do believe “real” is better than processed over the long term.
Jessy
May 22, 2017 at 4:33 pmI am with you Ruth!
I can’t afford to do much organic, but I CAN afford real, unprocessed foods. I think that far and away has more benefit than anything we can do. :)
Ann
May 5, 2017 at 6:32 amI live in your area. What farm do you pick your strawberries from?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 8, 2017 at 4:36 pmHi there. This was a good option when I still lived in that part of town: http://wiseacresorganic.com/.
Jeff
May 6, 2017 at 6:40 amGreat post, thanks. On a related note, gardening season is upon us. I like to grow my own vegetables and have tried organic plants in the past and gotten ZERO results. I’d be willing to try again but it’s too much work to not get anything. Is there a dirty dozen list for hybrid vs organic plants? I realize this might not be your area, but maybe you know of a partner link? Thank you!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 8, 2017 at 4:38 pmHmmm. I’ve personally have not had trouble with my organic plants producing. I do buy from a local nursery that I trust and can answer my many questions but I am not growing from seed.
Steve
May 13, 2017 at 10:01 pmGrowing food is not as simple as putting seeds into soil or transplanting them from the nursery and watching them grow. It took me about 5 years of diligent reading and practice before I got good at it. The key to organic produce is compost. You must amend your soil with compost as most people do not have a natural soil content amenable to vibrant annual vegetable growth. You must also put back into the soil what your vegetables take out. Don’t give up!
T
May 18, 2017 at 12:48 pmThanks for the What to Buy Organic list that includes the High-Risk GMO crops. I made a copy for my purse. I’ve seen the clean 15 and dirty dozen lists b/4 but never the high risk GMO one. Thanks again
Sasha
May 21, 2017 at 5:31 pmGreat article! Very informative. Didn’t know about the dirty dozen.I understand the confusion @ Ruth. Me too. I started learning about the GMO foods and organic etc and have already started making changes. I reading labels more. I’ve cutting out or limiting anything with soy and corn which because like article states most is GMO here in the United states. I am finding alllllot food have soy or some type soy in the ingredients which makes it more difficult. I look for products labeled NON-GMO if possible.
Jessica
May 22, 2017 at 1:40 pmSo, the dirty dozen is what I should be sure to buy organic?
and the clean 15 I could buy non-organic and be (somewhat!) safe?
I saw a list that had like 50 — just trying to understand all this.
Thanks
Also, currently prepping parsnips for the 1st time ever and wondering some tasty ways to prepare them?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 24, 2017 at 11:55 amYou got it. If it is on the Dirty Dozen list, buy organic. If it is on the clean 15, you do not need to worry about buying organic. The list of 50 just shows the rankings of fruits and veggies that fall in between bith lists. Regarding parsnips, I love them roasted after drizzling them with olive oil: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-parsnips-and-carrots-recipe-1949073 but this might help, too: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/how-to-cook-parsnips.
Anna
June 2, 2017 at 9:23 amMy family has recently had to switch to a heart healthy diet due to my husband’s health. I was looking at Lisa’s newest cookbook. Would the recipes included be mostly heart healthy?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
June 20, 2017 at 4:15 pmHi there. Lisa’s recipes use a large variety of real/whole food ingredients. You can make any adaptations necessary that fit in with your dietary needs. We don’t make health claims outside of saying real food is far more healthy than processed food. :)