Working at a culinary school can sometimes have unexpected fringe benefits, like receiving a huge stack of Vegetarian Times magazines when a former student decides to clean out her living room.
While I’m not a vegetarian myself (at least, not at this point in my life), I started thumbing through a September 2008 copy of the magazine and found a great article that’s still relevant to grocery shoppers looking to make the most of their dollars in 2011.
The piece, “How to Buy Organic” by Cindy Burke, details which fruits, vegetables and other grocery items you should try to buy organic, versus the ones you can get away with buying non-organic. If you’re looking to save money on pricey organic produce, this list is pretty much invaluable. Print out a copy and take it with you next time you’re going grocery shopping!
Here’s the list of stuff Burke says you should always buy organic:
- almonds
- apples
- apricots
- beets
- bell peppers (all colors)
- butter
- carrots
- celery
- cheese
- cherries
- collard greens
- cucumbers
- eggs
- grapes (imported)
- green beans
- lemons
- limes
- milk
- nectarines
- oranges
- peaches
- peanuts and peanut butter
- pears
- pecans
- potatoes
- salad greens
- soy foods (including soy milk and tofu)
- spinach
- strawberries
- Swiss chard
- winter squashes
- yogurt
And these are the items it’s okay to buy non-organic (either because the plants themselves don’t appeal to pests, or because pesticides don’t work on or are not tolerated by these crops):
- asparagus
- avocados
- bananas
- beans (dried)
- blueberries
- broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- canteloupe (domestic)
- cauliflower
- cabbage
- cashews
- corn (sweet)
- eggplant (all varieties)
- garlic
- grapes (domestic)
- grapefruit
- macadamia nuts
- mangoes
- onions (all except green onions)
- rhubarb
- sesame seeds
- sweet potatoes
- tangerines
- tomatoes
- watermelons
- zucchini
Interestingly, the article also points out that buying local produce is usually best, even if it’s not organic, because these will be the freshest and therefore tastiest foods you can buy. Additionally, you’ll be supporting your local economy and saving the environment by avoiding food that has been trucked across the country or flown in from distant lands.
Going local isn’t just a fad; it’s good common sense. Good to know, as Austin’s farm-to-table community happily continues to increase in size and scope!
P.S. If you’re looking to add more fuel to your vegetarian fires, don’t miss the new flick, Forks Over Knives, now playing in Austin at the Regal Arbor Cinemas at Great Hills. (Click the link to view their thought-provoking trailer.)
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Tags: buy local, Cindy Burke, farm to table, Forks Over Knives, How to Buy Organic, organic vs. local produce, Vegetarian Times
