"The Dirty Dozen"- Organic vs. Conventional

When I go to the market, I always try to buy organic, but sometimes double the price doesn't always seem worth it to me.

Whole foods does offer many organic produce options on sale each week, so be sure to grab those while the price is right.  Farmers Markets are also great spots to pick up organic produce for not-too-expensive prices.

I've always wondered which fruits and vegetables I should always buy organic and which ones I can safely get away with buying conventional (grown with pesticides)?

There are some fruits and vegetables that you simply don't need to buy organic.  Bananas.  You remove the peel before eating the banana.  Presto, the pesticides are found on the peel and the fruit inside is essentially "organic" or pesticide-free.

Then there are certain fruits and vegetables that should always be selected as organic when at the grocery store.  This handy guide, courtesy of the Environmental Working Group, outlines the dirtiest, meaning the most contaminated from pesticides, fruits and vegetables.

These fruits and veggies should be the ones that you always purchase organic:

12 Most Contaminated

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries/Raspberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Imported Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

These fruits and veggies can be purchased as conventional:

12 Least Contaminated

1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Peas (Frozen)
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Papaya