How to Choose the Most Important Organic Foods

Federal guidelines for certified organic foods include prohibitions on the use of chemical pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, genetic alterations, and ionizing radiation. As with non-organic foods, not all labels can be trusted, and not all the promotional wording can be trusted. Organic foods can be costly, so knowing how to get the most organic bang for your buck is very important. When it comes to wise shopping and organic food, there are a few general rules of thumb to keep in mind.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Grocery shopping list
• Coupons and sales ads
• The latest list of top organics to buy

1. Go to the produce section in order to select your fresh fruits and vegetables. Only select organic produce that is from an area of the produce section separate from the non-organic produce. This is because grocery store produce misting systems can wash the residue of pesticides found on the non-organics onto the organic produce.

2. Carefully look over your choices in the separate area of the produce section. The general rule of thumb is that those produce items with thick peels or rinds that are removed before eating such as cantaloupe and watermelon are less important to buy organic. This is because removing the outer covering removes the part subject to chemical pesticides. Thin-skinned food items are more important to buy organic.Some important vegetables to buy organic: lettuce and all other leafy greens, potatoes, celery, cucumbers, bell and hot peppers, corn, green beans, and carrots. While tomatoes are technically a fruit, they are most often found by vegetables. Grape and cherry tomatoes should be added to the important to buy organic list.Some important fruits to buy organic: grapes, all berries, cherries, lemons and limes, peaches, apricots, apples, bananas, and pears.

3. Skip this step if you do not eat meat. Go to the meat section of the store. The organic label to look for on meat is the ‘Certified Organic’ label. The term ‘Natural’ on any food label is essentially meaningless.

4. Skip this step if you do not consume dairy products. Go to the dairy section of the store. Non-organic milk is notorious for being produced with growth hormones. Look for organic milk and milk products.

5. Think about the fresh foods on the important to buy list, and the rest of the foods left to buy. Processed food products made from those items on the top organic foods to buy are important to buy organic, as well. These items would include raisins, dried apricots, dried apples, dried bananas, corn chips, cereals, and juices.Other items to look for with the organic label are rice, baby foods, soybeans and soy products.

Tips & Warnings

• As with other products, organic foods go on sale. Stores and manufacturers also offer coupons for organic foods. When you see organic food coupons, keep a close eye on the sales. Generally, the coupon packs that accompany newspapers are for items that will go on sale before the coupon expires. Using coupons on items that are on sale increases the savings. Even better, use the coupons at stores that double or triple their value.
• Stock up on organics when they are on sale, and learn how to preserve perishables so they may be stocked up and stored, as well.
• Look for store or generic brands of organic foods. Many store and generic brands are very competitive in taste and quality with their brand name counterparts.
• Some stores will match or beat competitor's advertised prices. Be sure to take the ads with you when you shop, and ask about your store's price matching policy.
• Adding more recipes to your arsenal and creating meals around what is on sale and in season are great ways to add to your savings.
• It can be very expensive to buy organic foods. It is fine to start slow and just buy the most commonly used or most expensive organics first. As you get more into organic shopping, your wise shopping choices will save you money and allow you to add more organic foods to your purchases each time you shop.
• Growing your own organic produce can be easily done in small amounts of space. Choose the most frequently used and most costly items to grow for your own use. A wealth of information is freely available online and in public libraries regarding how to grow your own organic produce in small spaces and in containers.
• Children are more susceptible to chemicals and pesticides in foods than adults. Even processed foods may contain some pesticides after processing, so for babies and children, organic processed foods are more important to buy -- or to make at home from organic ingredients.
• The list of the most toxic, genetically-altered, and otherwise worst foods is continually being updated for domestic and imported food items with various online sources. Be sure to update your list before you shop as some expensive items may be dropped from concern, while other items may be added. Keeping up with the changes can add up to big financial savings.

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Resources

• Organic Kitchen: A great resource for finding organic products and suppliers near you
• Organic Consumers: a wonderful source of current organic product news
• Eat Well Guide: a fabulous resource for shopping local and recipes for your organic cooking
• Information from the USDA about its National Organic Program