Green Insight >> Talk

After experiencing yet another sticker shock moment at the grocery store, I remembered that I once printed out an organic cheat sheet before I went shopping. The list helped me figure out which items were worth a splurge, and which ones aren't.

As food prices continue to soar, I went in search of that list, which will come in handy for anyone who wants to buy organic food, but also need to pay attention to their wallet.

The list comes from data from the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit association that tracks pesticide residue levels. Here's a quick cheat sheet for your next shopping trip.

Fruits: Buy organic when buying apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, imported grapes and other fruits without a peel. Save money, and opt for conventional bananas, oranges, lemon and other fruits with thick peels.

Vegetables: Buy organic when you're buying spinach, lettuce and leafy greens, bell peppers, potatoes, and carrots. Skip the organic bins and buy conventional broccoli, asparagus, frozen corn, sweet peas, avocados, and onions. These tend to have lower levels of pesticide residue.

Milk & Dairy: Buy organic milk and other dairy products. The animals that produce organic milk and meat are given pesticide-free organic feed or graze on pesticide-free land. This ensure that their products don't contain residual pesticides.

Meat & Poultry: If you can afford it, splurge on organic meat. Buying organic poultry may be dicier, because the USDA required that chickens must have access to the outdoors, but doesn't set a limit on how much access is available for each bird.

Seafood: Never spend extra for organic seafood. Remember that there are no standards for organic seafood.

Grains: Save some money by buying conventional grains, breads, pastas, chips and similar products. The real benefits of organic products come from fresh foods. Since grains are processed, they can carry an organic label, even when they're made from non-organic ingredients.

 By Su Avasthi