If you’re anything like me, then you’ve likely had a moment when you’ve been stopped in your tracks in the produce section of the grocery store. The culprit? The sign next to the organic cucumbers that says $3.00, or the $7.00 strawberries. At that point I often wonder to myself, or aloud for that matter, how the same produce in the conventional aisle costs less than half of that amount.

So what is there to do? For me, I prioritize what to spend the extra money on. How do I do that? Great question! I use a list prepared by the Environmental Working Group called the “Clean 15” and “Dirty Dozen”. It basically breaks down which fruits and vegetables contain the least and most pesticides. It also takes into account how much of the pesticides are absorbed into the food.

For example, avocado is on the “Clean 15” list. This means that buying organic avocado is not something you need to prioritize. If you think about it, it makes sense. An avocado has a tough shell that gets removed before eating. Works for me.

Now think about strawberries. Strawberries grow very close to the ground and are sweet, attracting lots of bugs. They also don’t have a shell of any kind, which can make them more vulnerable. Hence, more pesticide usage. Strawberries are on the “dirty dozen” list.

Check out the full list above. The “Dirty Dozen” are the fruits and veggies with the most pesticides found on them, and the ones you want to buy organic. The “Clean 15” are the fruits and veggies that have the least amount of pesticide residue. These are the fruits and veggies that you don’t need to worry about buying organic. Some people like to post this list on their fridge or keep it stored on their phone for when they go to the grocery store.

Just remember, there is no need to get overwhelmed by this information. Eating vegetables is great, even conventionally grown vegetables. You can also wash and peel non-organic vegetables to remove some of the pesticides. Are organic better? Sure. But eating vegetables at all is a great thing for your body. If your budget allows for it, prioritize buying items off the “Dirty Dozen” list organic.

And, as a side note, dairy, eggs and meat should always be bought organic and, when possible, grass-fed or pasture raised.

Here are some of my budgeting secrets when buying organic:

• Sales, sales and more sales! Even Whole Foods has sales! I know I was super happy when Whole Foods was selling organic Swiss Chard for $1.50 per bunch.
• Trader Joes has really competitive prices on organic cucumbers, celery, kale and collards.
• Buy frozen. Frozen organic berries can be less expensive than the fresh ones (and better off season).
• Shop at Farmer’s Markets or at a local farm (yes, we have local farms in the city!) and ask questions. Sometimes farmers can’t afford to get the organic designation, but they don’t use pesticides or herbicides on their land. Smaller farms also often use less pesticides.
• Buy in bulk when you can and cook and freeze what you can’t eat.

Happy shopping!

*this post was originally posted on 5/26/14

Friday morning I made a pit stop at Trader Joes before heading to the Farmer’s Market to do some cooking and nutrition classes. At checkout, the cashier (hey, Pamela!) and I started chatting and she asked me what I was up to the rest of the day. I told her what I did and she got really excited! If you know me, you know how much I love enthusiasm, especially around food. So, she asks me a slew of questions: what’s the ultimate nutrition advice I can give, what should she eat, does everything have to be organic?

I love these questions. And, they’re surprisingly important given the all the nutrition advice online, on TV and from “experts” and MLM representatives claiming to have the next easy fix. There are tons of different diets out there, and none of them are the “perfect diet”. It’s easy to get caught up in debates about what’s better for you, smoothies or juice. Should I eat paleo or vegan? What about ketogenic? Are carbs bad? Unfortunately, when we’re given too much, and often contradictory, information and too many choices, we get stuck in overwhelm and inaction.

We are all different, our bodies are different, our energy requirements are different, our health and our concerns are different, our ethics and budgets are different. What does that mean? It means there is no one right answer for what each of us should eat. But, there is some basic nutrition advice that all of us can follow.

As Michael Pollen says, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

1. Eat whole unprocessed foods.
2. Cut sugary drinks out of your diet.
3. Cook your own food.
4. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. More vegetables.
5. Enjoy what you eat. Food should taste good.
6. Learn to read nutrition labels. Avoid foods with more than a handful of ingredients or ingredients you can’t pronounce.

It’s not complicated nutrition advice, but it does take time, effort and planning to integrate. And, once you get there, then you can start looking at some of the other more nuanced questions. Maybe there’s a specific diet that would be better for you. If you have digestive problems, maybe a low FODMAP diet would work. If you have autoimmune issues, the AIP diet or Paleo diet might be right for you. But, taking on a restrictive diet without first mastering the above categories is a recipe for major overwhelm and stress. So, take it slow! Start by becoming more aware of what you’re eating. Start listening to your body for cues about how what you are eating is effecting you. Your body has so much wisdom to offer, but it starts with learning to decode your bodies specific language.

Good luck and have fun with it!

With love,

Samantha