Food Let's talk ORGANIC food!

[babypie]

Share your thoughts, questions, ideas, websites, books, favorite stores etc. pertaining to organic food.
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In the last 3-4 months DH and I have become interested in eating more organic food. I read with berries in particular - well, fruits/veggies with thin skin - organic is more important as chemicals and pesticides can seep through the thin skin.

After watching Food Inc I can only buy and eat organic free range chicken. Red meat (which we only eat 2-3 times a month) has to be organic and grass fed.

Most of my fruit/veggies are organic, but I have trouble finding everything I want and need organic. I find I'm going to 2-3 different stores. I wish I had a Whole Foods nearby.

All dairy (yogurt, milk, eggs) I'm easily finding organic.

 

[Odette]

Most of the fruits & veggies I eat are organic. Meat can start getting prohibitively expensive (at least for my budget) if you go exclusively organic/grass-fed/etc. I don't eat dairy so that doesn't factor in.

 

[babypie]

Yep organic meat can get pricey. I bought two slices of organic grass fed carne asada from Henry's Marketplace (Sprouts in some States) and cooked it with lots of garlic, onion, ginger and threw in a lot of veggies. It was dinner for two nights for DH and I. The key for me is to not make the meat the star of the show, bulk it up with veggies and/or brown rice and it makes us eat a small portion of meat too.

 

[queennadine]

I eat almost all organic. The only time I wouldn't eat organic is going out to eat or eating a friends or family members home.

I've gotten pickier and pickier over time. I know organic food is expensive...but it's about health, and that's the most important thing, IMO! I would rather go with fewer purses/shoes/etc. and be eating 90%+ organic on a regular, daily basis.

I don't eat meat and very very rarely eat dairy, so cutting those out does save some $.

 

[newmommy_va]

My DH and I saw Food inc, but it wasn't until we saw The Corporation that we went completely organic. For us, it's about both our health and the environment. Luckily for us, we have a Trader Joe's and Whole Foods nearby. Organic has started to take hold where we live, so all of our local chain grocery stores have organic selections, as well. But even so, sometimes we go without, because items on the shopping list are not available. As for household and garden supplies- our family has been non-toxic, biodegradable, safe for children & pets & the environment- ever since having fur babies.

 

[babypie]

Another great documentary is Food Matters.

 

[newmommy_va]

Ooops... correction... we're organic and/or all natural. Sometimes when an organic option isn't available, we opt for the next best thing- all natural.

I liked how Oprah put it in her shows about Food Inc., the founder of Chipotle, vegan diet, etc... about "leaning into" changing how we think about food. It took our family years to get where we are today (especially "training" our palettes to enjoy organic and natural foods). And I feel great about where we are... but most of the people we've talked to, think we're a little crazy for thinking the way we do about food.

Oh well; that's okay!

 

[meganfm]

I'd really like to start eating organic food, but since my DBF lives downtown the grocery stores in the area are fairly expensive already. I've been doing some research though and have found a couple of good independent places just outside of downtown that are supposed to be a lot more reasonable, so I'm excited to check them out! Unfortunately, DBF is a big meat eater (me not so much) so I'm a bit concerned about keeping my grocery costs under control.

I've heard great things about Food Inc-I'm definitely going to watch it now!

 

[babypie]

Ooops... correction... we're organic and/or all natural. Sometimes when an organic option isn't available, we opt for the next best thing- all natural.

I liked how Oprah put it in her shows about Food Inc., the founder of Chipotle, vegan diet, etc... about "leaning into" changing how we think about food. It took our family years to get where we are today (especially "training" our palettes to enjoy organic and natural foods). And I feel great about where we are... but most of the people we've talked to, think we're a little crazy for thinking the way we do about food.

Oh well; that's okay!

That's what I'm doing. I can't completely change over time but more and more my weekly groceries are comprising of a greater proportion of organic foods.

Be careful about "all natural" labels, a lot of the time it can just be a marketing tool.

I'd really like to start eating organic food, but since my DBF lives downtown the grocery stores in the area are fairly expensive already. I've been doing some research though and have found a couple of good independent places just outside of downtown that are supposed to be a lot more reasonable, so I'm excited to check them out! Unfortunately, DBF is a big meat eater (me not so much) so I'm a bit concerned about keeping my grocery costs under control.

I've heard great things about Food Inc-I'm definitely going to watch it now!

I introduced half the office to it and people keep talking about how eye opening it is

 

[Ania]

I'd really like to start eating organic food, but since my DBF lives downtown the grocery stores in the area are fairly expensive already. I've been doing some research though and have found a couple of good independent places just outside of downtown that are supposed to be a lot more reasonable, so I'm excited to check them out! Unfortunately, DBF is a big meat eater (me not so much) so I'm a bit concerned about keeping my grocery costs under control.

I've heard great things about Food Inc-I'm definitely going to watch it now!

Have you thought about getting organic fruit&veg and meat boxes delivered? They are really convenient and, depending on the deal, ensure that you don't get in a rut of always getting the same veggies and fruit.

 

[oogiewoogie]

Have you thought about getting organic fruit&veg and meat boxes delivered? They are really convenient and, depending on the deal, ensure that you don't get in a rut of always getting the same veggies and fruit.

Ahh.. great idea!! I just signed up for a weekly organic food delivery.. of mostly fruits and a few vegetables (the items I usually forget at the grocery store..lol) ... going to try it out for a few weeks and see.

 

[babypie]

Ahh.. great idea!! I just signed up for a weekly organic food delivery.. of mostly fruits and a few vegetables (the items I usually forget at the grocery store..lol) ... going to try it out for a few weeks and see.

Ohh can you share where from? I see we're both in SoCal

 

[babypie]

Dirty Dozen: The 12 Fruits And Vegetables With The Most Pesticides

Could an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Maybe -- but it may also be coated in pesticides.

Today, the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy nonprofit, released its latest "Dirty Dozen" list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that are most contaminated with pesticides, as an update to its 2010 rankings. And taking first place this year? Apples. The ubiquitous fruit beat out last year's top spot, which went to celery (now at number two).

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables are, without a doubt, a known fact -- reinstating the message was last month's release of the USDA's MyPlate food pyramid replacement, which suggests filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables.

But the potentially darker side of fruits and vegetables is centered around concerns about their pesticide loads, which some studies have linked to possible health problems, particularly among women who are pregnant and children. So when organic foods typically carry a higher price tag, what's a frugal shopper to do?

That's where the new shopper's guide comes into play.

"Picking five servings of fruits and vegetables from the 12 most contaminated would cause you to consume an average of 14 different pesticides a day," the group reports in its findings, which were based on data collected by the United States Departure of Agriculture of food samples that often were ready to be eaten (meaning that they had already been peeled or washed as necessary).

"We have very good data showing that if people eat organic that measurable pesticide levels in their tissues drop, and this has been shown with kids as well," HuffPost blogger Dr. Andrew Weil told EWG last year when they released the 2010 Shopper's List. "I've always said that it would be wise to learn which crops are more likely to carry pesticide residues and in those instance to try to get organic versions or to reduce consumption or avoid the conventional varieties."

(1) Apples. According to the EWG report, nearly 98 percent of apples tested positive for pesticides and 92 percent contained two or more.

(2) Celery. Ranked the "dirtiest" vegetable, more than 95 percent of celery samples tested positive for pesticides, while almost 90 percent contained more than one pesticide.

(3) Strawberries. 13 different types of pesticides were found on a single strawberry sample in the analysis.

(4) Peaches. More than 85 percent of peaches contained the residue of more than one pesticide -- "As a category, peaches have been treated with more pesticides than any other produce, registering combinations of up to 57 different chemicals," according to the "Methodology" section of the report.

(5) Spinach. Spinach is the second vegetable on the list, after celery.

(6) Nectarine. Every nectarine sample tested positive for pesticides, according to EWG.

(7) Imported grapes. While domestic grapes didn't make the "dirty dozen" list, imported grapes turned up 14 different types of pesticides on a single sample.

(8) Sweet bell peppers. Almost 70 percent of sweet bell peppers contained multiple pesticides.

(9) Potatoes. More than 91 percent of potatoes tested positive for pesticides.

(10) Domestic blueberries. Blueberries are the sixth and final fruit on the dirty dozen list.

(11) Lettuce. Lettuce is among the vegetables most likely to retain pesticides, according to EWG.

(12) Kale/Collard Greens. Rounding out the dirty dozen list is kale/collard greens.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/13/dirty-dozen_n_875718.html?ir=Food#s290785&title=Apples

 

[diana]

here's a good website to look for places that deliver organic products:
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

 

[oogiewoogie]

Ohh can you share where from? I see we're both in SoCal

I checked out Farm Fresh To You http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/index.php & Spud.com https://www.spud.com/index.cfm

I ended up ordering from Spud.com.. because you're able to customize your box to the tee... whereas Farm Fresh To You.. has a variety of boxes you can choose from.. but you're not able to customize it. Plus.. the reviews on yelp weren't that great. So I went with Spud.com.. and I'm going to try it out for a few weeks (You're also able to suspend service anytime via online) Let me know who you end up trying~!

I figure.. that I'll get the fruit organically, and still purchase some vegetables & meats at the grocery store (Fresh & Easy) on Sundays.. for the upcoming week.