One of things I have learned since I began my organic living journey was that you have to follow the 80/20 rule with it. The basics of the 80/20 rule is that 80% of the impact is made by 20% of the actions. It applies to many things in life, but I have found it to be true when it comes to living the healthy life.
Some foods have a ton of pesticides on them and some don’t. As a beginner it would be more advantageous to focus on buying organic for the 20% of the worst foods, rather than throwing in the towel trying to buy everything organic.
Saving money on organic food
If you haven’t noticed, organic food normally costs more than the alternatives. Applying the 80/20 rule is just another way to buy organic food on a budget.
I found a list of the 12 foods you should buy organic and the 12 you don’t need to because they have so few pesticides.
The 12 most contaminated fruits and veggies
These you should try to buy organic if you can
- Apples
- Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Cherries
- Imported Grapes
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Red Raspberries
- Spinach
- Strawberries
The 12 least contaminated
These don’t need to be organic
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Kiwi
- Mangos
- Onions
- Papaya
- Pineapples
- Peas
In a perfect world, we would only buy organic foods. But when trying to budget for organic living, it can be very difficult so hopefully this guide will help you out like it has for me.
Any Organic shoppers out there have any other tips?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I tried to go on an all organic diet once. Kind of like a detox. It’s called The Makers diet and it is actually biblically based. But it is so expensive and I am not really sure if I am getting the value I am paying for.
Is there any way to get cheaper organic foods? Are organic foods really worth the extra cost?
@Ryan
I read that book as well and I felt a bit overwhelmed. Check out this post….
http://www.christianpf.com/the-bible-on-healthy-living/
Farmers markets are actually a great way to go. The food is often a lot cheaper, fresher and sometimes you can find organic stuff as well.
As far as them being worth the extra cost. I try to stick with the list I mentioned in the post, just because those contaminated 12 supposedly have the most pesticides. I focus mostly on avoiding those. But bottom line I think eating non-organic apples is always going to beat out eating an organic Big Mac…
Or you could just avoid organic. This is a financial blog isn’t it? To make a long post short, organic isn’t worth the money.
@zg
no, this is actually a Christian Organic Blog. I just changed it
no, but I have to disagree about it not being worth the money. You have to look at it like preventative maintenance. Few people would argue that changing the oil in your car is a good investment.
I look at organic food the same way. There are countless studies that prove that the pesticides on the food that we eat can cause cancer and many other sicknesses and diseases. That being the case, I think it is worth spending an extra $10 at the grocery store each week to prevent the huge medical bills later on in life.
Sure, all the non-organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats, and dairy I’m eating are secretly killing me. Or could it be that they’re what’s keeping me alive? I eat right and exercise and I know I’m healthy.
I have seen that list for a few years, but only now am I really starting to remember it so that I can align my purchases accordingly.
I do by onions, bananas, and broccoli from the bottom list out of habit.
What about oranges? I eat a lot of them. Should I purchase them organic as well?
@Hank
I have heard that the thicker the skin, the fewer pesticides will work their way into the food. So, I have heard that oranges are probably fine non-organic