Is Sunday typically grocery shopping day for anyone else?! I thought it might be, so I wanted to give you some helpful information to take with you as you go purchase food for the upcoming week!
These days you hear the word “organic” a lot. Basically, it refers to something that is grown or produced without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or other artificial agents. In a perfect world, everything we eat would be organic…but that is just not feasible or realistic. Not only do organic foods tend to be more expensive, some stores just don’t carry a lot of organic options!
Thankfully, a non-profit called “Environmental Working Group” or “EWG” puts out a new list each year ranking pesticide residue levels of fruits and vegetables based on samples taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This is called the “dirty dozen.” These are the produce items you should try and buy organic, if at all possible!
To get your own printable guide, visit www.ewg.org/foodnews
Regardless of whether your produce is organic or not, you should always wash them before consuming! We already talking about chemicals that could be on them, but also think about all the hands that have touched them between being picked, packed up, transported and put out in the store! I’m going to venture to guess most fruits and vegetables probably have all kinds of dirt and bacteria on them! I clean mine with Norwex fresh produce wash and Norwex veggie and fruit scrub cloth. You can also find organic fruit and veggie wash in the produce section of most stores. Whatever you choose, keep it next to your sink so you don’t forget to use it! And always use cool tap water. You can also soak your fruits & veggies in a big bowl or the sink in cool water diluted with a little bit of produce wash. Sometimes this is easiest if you have a bunch to wash at once or with things that aren’t easy to scrub, like broccoli and strawberries.
I will definitely be sharing more with you about EWG in the future! Their website and app have helped me “clean up” my life in various ways… including food, personal care products, cleaning products, etc. I’m very thankful for the work they have done and the database they have put together!
I hope what I shared in this post helps you to make informed choices about the produce you are eating and feeding to your family! Have a great week!
Although I am a nurse by trade, I am not a doctor or an expert, and the information I provide on this blog is for educational purposes only. Each person is unique and their needs and circumstances vary, so I always recommend that you consult your medical provider before making any changes.
This is so helpful! I’ve been craving salads in the last few months and cringe every time a new recall report comes out. Do you know if the Norwex/veggie cleaner helps to combat any listeria/salmonella type of things?
Hey Kelli! I definitely think scrubbing or soaking your fruits and vegetables with cool water and a produce cleaner and rinsing them well helps cut down on any type bacteria, but it is impossible to know for sure if it gets all of it! It certainly doesn’t hurt!