buying_organic

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Buying Organic

By: Colleen | June 17, 2009 | Category: Money

Personally, I don't give a hoot if my food is organic or not.

I know not caring makes me completely un-trendy and quite possibly just plain stupid, but I can list all 50 states alphabetically and recite all the books of the Bible IN ORDER (this makes me an instant hit at cocktail parties). What more do you want from me?

For those of you who are overall healthier and smarter than me, here are some tips to use when purchasing your organic foods. Keep in mind, in 2002 the USDA implemented uniform organic standards for American farmers- organic foods much be produced without chemical pesticides or fertilizers and in livestock, without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

The demand for organic products has grown tremendously in the past few years (making it a $28 billion industry in 2008). Because of this, you no longer need to shop at speciality (and expensive!) organic stores. Many grocery chains offer their own cheaper organic lines- but the best place to go is still a local farmer's stand or market.
Integrate your most heavily used foods as organic first. For most people these are items like milk and eggs. When buying organic fruits and vegetables, focus on items that traditionally carry more pesticides: peaches, apples, bell peppers, and celery.
Buy your produce in season and locally since out of area produce uses more fossil fuel to ship. Also check country-of-origin stickers.
Don't fret over fish. Right now there are no government standards for what makes seafood and shellfish organic.