We are in the peak of the growing season and I love this time of year for the fresh local produce found at farmers markets, and even conventional grocery stores. I’ve always been conflicted when choosing between local, seasonal, and organic produce, and sometimes it takes work to find the trifecta of all three in one. I want to buy organic to avoid the damaging pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides that are known or suspected carcinogens, neurotoxins, or hormone disruptors, but I also want to avoid buying produce that has been shipped from the other side of the country or the globe, even if organic, because of fossil fuel damage to the environment.
Some days I am diligent, and other days I just need to put some fruits and vegetables on the table, knowing that wherever it came from, at least whole, unprocessed produce is giving us lots of disease fighting nutrition from a variety of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It also fills me up so I don’t have to turn to other unhelpful foods as much.
I love avocados, but they come from far away, so I buy them sparingly. Organic blueberries are abundant and inexpensive right now, so I will buy extra to freeze and enjoy in the fall.
Buying organic produce can be more expensive, but to avoid buying higher priced produce that is not treated with harmful chemicals, I use the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list, as well as buying what's in season.
During these summer months I find produce in higher scale grocery stores with more organic options, specialty markets, the bi-monthly organic coop, farmers markets, health food stores, and my own backyard. I rarely have to step into a conventional supermarket for produce during the growing season.
So what is best? I try to choose the best I can from what is available and maybe go without a certain favorite if I can’t find what I want. I avoid buying produce on the Dirty Dozen list such as apples, celery, bell peppers, peaches, grapes, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, blueberries, potatoes, strawberries, green beans, kale, lettuce and other greens, unless it is organic. Prepare the produce simply, eat mindfully, and your body will treat you well.
How do you handle these decisions?