One of the main principles – the main principle, it could be argued – of Jillian Michael’s book Master Your Metabolism that has so engrossed me as of late revolves around the admonition to go organic. She advises you upon pain of a permanently screwed metabolism to not only eat organic foods but to drink water filtered by expensive reverse osmosis, buy clothing and bedding made from organic cotton, use all-natural cleaning products, cover any naked bottoms in your house (hey, I’m not judging – every day is like a frat party at my house) with organic diapers, use organic and natural cosmetics and even toss all your Tupperware for glass dishes covered with wax paper. Written out like that it sounds – let’s be honest – expensive, ridiculous, time consuming and obsessive. Very bourgeois Hollywood. When they talk about “So-Cal style”, this is what comes to my mind even before Rodeo drive.
And yet, Jillian makes some compelling points as to why it is so important to go organic. Many pesticides are known to interfere with hormones, high levels of which are found in almost every person of adult age today – even pesticides phased out of use 50 years ago still turn up in children because they are that omnipresent in our environment. Agribusiness will tell us that pesticides in small amounts are not harmful. Obviously if they were going to kill us we’d all be dead by now, right? Except that no human studies are done on pesticides (ethical review board: think, think….) and there is plenty of research after the fact to indicate that even very small doses of these chemicals can cause DNA damage for generations to come. In addition to messing with your metabolism (and possibly making you fat), organic farming is better for both local and global environments, is more sustainable and more “natural.” Many people even say that organic food tastes better.
But even if I do agree, on principle, with the evils of industrial food and food processing, the money is a very hard thing for me to get over. If I were single and living alone in a place where I have easy access to such food items, plenty of money to buy them and nobody to worry about but myself, like Jillian, then I’d have probably jumped on the wagon years ago. But. I live in the middle of suburban Minnesota with a husband and soon-to-be four children. The nearest Whole Foods is an hour away and when you go through 4 gallons of milk a week, the difference between $1.89 a gallon and $4.99 a gallon is $12.00. And that’s just milk. I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read recently on how to go organic on a budget and while they are usually well intended, they often seem geared for people that don’t have a food budget now. I use coupons and shop several stores and have been known to wait in line at customer service for 20 minutes to get $2.50 back that they overcharged me for bananas. Every dollar counts. I’m already scrimping. For me to go wholly organic, would be a significant budget increase. (My fave tip from these articles is to shop the farmer’s markets – while I do love our farmer’s markets here there are two problems: 1) I don’t know what kind of straw-chewing hick farmers they’re used to dealing with but the farmers out here are very business savvy and therefore prices are ALWAYS more expensive than the stores and 2) It’s Minne-freaking-sota. They’re only open 4 months out of the year.)
Jillian has an answer to this: Consider it an investment in your health. Would you rather pay 2/3 more for groceries now or foot a thousand dollar bill for chemo and the possible loss of your life 10 years down the road?
My problem with that answer is that cancer – usually the scary disease called upon by people preaching clean eating – happens a lot. If you live past 60, you have a 50% chance of the disease. Sure lifestyle has something to do with it. But getting older in general has a lot to do with it as well. Sadly we can’t control the latter so we focus our efforts entirely on the former. Not that I’m saying living a clean lifestyle is bad, just that it’s not a lifetime warranty against cancer. I wish it was.
Another issue I have with organics is that while you save the environment with one hand, your hurting with the other by having your organic grapes shipped in from Chile. One answer is to only eat what grows locally but the people who say that do not live in Minnesota, I guarantee it. Local eating is important but unless you live in a very abundant area with year-round production (Holla Cali and Florida!) then you will have to branch out. Especially if you want to “eat the rainbow” like experts so often tell us.
In addition to the save-the-earth problem, another issue with organic food is that you often don’t know what you’re really getting. A friend who works seasonally at a local apple farm told me himself that they bring in all the apples from the orchard and put some in boxes for grocery stores labeled “regular apples” and some in boxes to be sold in higher end stores labeled “organic apples.” Same apples, different box. But rank dishonesty aside, the organic label isn’t a particularly stringent one and is often said to show the financial power of the grower rather than the method in which they grow their food as certifying organic is an apparently expensive process.
My last problem with organics is my silliest one, which is why I saved it for last. I did this. I went almost entirely organic (never did do the organic cotton sheets or clothing stuff) for about 6 months. I didn’t feel any different. I didn’t lose any weight. My skin didn’t seem clearer nor my hair bouncier nor any of the other things organics are supposed to do for you. Perhaps I didn’t give it enough time. Maybe 6 months wasn’t enough to overcome 30 years of sucking down pesticides, heavy metals and toxins like a poison slurpee. Or maybe it doesn’t make that much of a difference.
I have to admit that I’d mostly given up the organic quest for cheaper pastures until I read this book. And now all weekend I’ve been contemplating trying it again. Would it be worth the financial sacrifice? Would it have any noticeable effect? And even if it didn’t wouldn’t it still be worthwhile?
Help a confused former orthorexic out! What have you decided about organics? You in with both feet? Do you buys some things organic like milk but let others slide? Do you actually carry the list of Top Ten Foods you must buy organic? Or do you not worry about organic but instead focus your shopping energies on avoiding preservatives, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors and colors? Anyone out there just buy whatever?
I want to hear all about what you’ve tried and what you think works. Do I give this one another go?
PS> Anyone ever tried a durian fruit?? I’ve heard they taste okay and are very nutritious but the smell is so rank it makes sulphur-scented car fresheners sound like a good idea.
My husband ate durians while he was in Singapore. He said they were tasty but, yes, smelled like a decomposing corpse left in the sun for 3 weeks.
Also, they’re not allowed on the subway because they’re very prickly and could conceivably be used as weapons (true story!).
As far as organic goes, there are some foods I prefer to buy organic because my kids eat a lot of them. Apples, bananas and lettuce, mainly. And milk, when they drank cows’ milk. (But the milk, in particular, IS ridiculously expensive!!!)
I think you just have to do your best within your budget, and leave the rest of the (well-meaning but sometimes misguided)advice aside. The fact is, not everyone has access to organic everything, nor can we afford it. And I DO NOT think we should have to feel guilty because of that!
Miss Charlotte– I have noticed you, like me tend toward extremes. I don’t believe every single thing you buy has to be organic. Typically there are more pesticides in meat and dairy than on produce, but you are right $12 a week is huge. I say do what you can– when organic is on sale and it comes into the realm of affordable, then great! If it is between no spinach or conventional spinach, don’t sweat it. Don’t forget– all of those studies on the cancer fighting benefits of fruits and vegetables come from use of conventionally grown produce. Another option (if you have the space) is to grow a few things yourself in the summer (maybe lettuce and tomatoes for example). But also, given that you are a busy mom of soon to be 4 kids, that is a project that may have to wait until your kids are old enough to help! 🙂
It does sound a little extreme to me. However I do agree that organic is the way to go with food. Some of the clothes etc, I can’t imagine doing that with.
I had an organic bin delivered to our home weekly for about a year. For the most part, the food was much tastier, but in the winter (I’m in Canada, so it too was shipped mostly from chili) it was often of poor quality. I didn’t notice a difference in how I was feeling and in the end, it was too expensive to continue.
I try to focus more on buying less processed food (though those little snack packs of just about everything are SO handy for toddlers!) and don’t worry so much about organic anymore.
I grow my own veggies in the summer, but like you say, that’s a small portion of the year.
I totally sympathize and wish I had better answers!
We are well-intentioned but haphazard about our organic purchases. I tried to memorize the list of produce that matters the most to buy organic, (and even have it on the refrigerator) but am still always surprised when I look at it because I often forget. And often the organic stuff at many stores (when they do stock it, which is inconsistent) is nearly rotted because it’s more expensive and doesn’t move off the shelves often enough.
I wish our freakin’ government would do more to subsidize the growing of SAFE food and less to support the powerful pesticide-addicted agribusiness interests. It’s so hard, at the consumer level, to eat safely even with an unlimited budget, let alone a modest, realistic one.
And good point about cancer.. I tend to obsess about that one, and you’re right, there’s only so much we can do.
Charlotte,
I would love to buy all organic, but my very budget minded husband says, if Costco is not selling an organic version of (insert food here), then we’re buying the regular stuff!. We buy most of our produce there, and although they do have some organic greens, most of what we buy is conventional. These days especially, I look for the cheapest option possible. Last year, I would have paid $1 or $2 more for the organic peanut butter at Trader Joe’s, but now I just buy the cheapest.
The 2 areas I do like to buy organic are meat and dairy. We were buying our organic beef that was grass-fed finished in bulk from a local farm, and it really wasn’t too pricey. Then I backed off from eating beef. Now that Chris is the only one eating it, he insists on buying it bulk from Costco…and I’m not doing dairy anymore either.
So, no, we’re not organic folks as much as I’d like to be. I cannot even imagine what our grocery bill would be if I bought all of our produce at Whole Foods…or Whole Paycheck as Chris likes to call it.
I’ve always been tempted to go more organic, but financially it’s just not an option right now.
Going organic seems like a later step in healthful eating. First Americans actually need to eat produce. Preaching a super organic could be very off-putting to a lot of readers?
I just read Jillian’s book and after being initially freaked out and overwhelmed (throw away ALL of my tupperware/handsoap/sheets/everything in my apartment?!), I’m focusing on the list (which I’ve seen versions of elsewhere) of things to buy organic ‘always/never/if possible’. Specifically, her recommendation to buy stuff you eat “all the time” organic was helpful. I eat a boatload of carrots, yogurt, and apples, for example, so I’m going to try to go organic on that stuff and make little changes as possible elsewhere. Stressing too much about this stuff will just release excess cortisol that will undo all the benefits of eating organic, right?
I don’t do organics. Maybe I will one day, but frankly, I’ve minimized HFCS and various preservatives and now candy.
I don’t know anyone that lives their life totally organic (no going out to eat, no eating non-organic meals, including those at dinner parties, etc.), and frankly, I’m a bit disturbed that there are people out there who do.
Also, LA is choked with pollution, so I’m not sure what Jillian is yammering about when she subjects her body to more toxins/pollution by living where she does.
I usually swear by organics, though to be honest, half of what I mean by organic is really just the concept of not putting crap and chemicals in your food. Often, though, the two go hand in hand. But for me at least, eating foods that don’t have the added preservatives, pesticides, chemicals, fillers, etc – I notice a big change in my body. When I eat crap food, I feel like crap – I get extremely bloated and feel sluggish, want to crash and take naps after meals, etc. And I’m not talking “crap” food as in junk food – I mean if I eat what I’m eating now, only eat the cheap cheap version of the foods with tons of fillers and chemicals added. It just seems to me that if you’re going to eat a cookie, you should eat a REAL cookie – flour, eggs, sugar, etc – and not one with 93847 ingredients that you can’t pronounce but which ensure your cookie will sit on the shelf for 30 years without spoiling. If your body can recognize what you’re eating, it can digest it easier and function better.
That said, with the economy, I’m not buying EVERYTHING organic like I used to. There are some fruits and veggies I always get (anything with a thin skin or where you eat the skin, get organic. Anything with a thicker skin you don’t eat, you’re not as likely to ingest the pesticides.)
I’m a big stickler on organic meat and dairy though, and that and the price are part of why I went vegan. As a 24-year-old with one tumor already removed and one being monitored, who grew up drinking crazy amounts of milk all the time, I can believe the studies that show a correlation (not causation, but still) between the increase of growth hormones in our meat/dairy and the increase of cancers. It just really does not seem healthy to me to ingest growth hormones, no matter how much dairy farmers pay people to say they’re okay.
If you want to try to eat organic, here are some tips I use on a budget – When and if you do go to Wholefoods/farmers market, etc, buy and freeze. Our farmers markets here are cheaper and usually truly organic if you talk to the farmer, and I stock up on produce from them and freeze it to use during the winter. Often Wholefoods will let you buy items in bulk for cheaper – again, freeze. Look for a Trader Joe’s. They have many of the same items as Wholefoods but for a LOT cheaper. There is a Trader Joe’s near my parents and any time I visit them, I make a HUGE grocery trip and freeze most of it to pull out and use over the next couple months.
And look at labels at your regular grocery store – here, at least, the main chains are starting to carry more and more organic items, even generic brand organic items. They’re also carrying items that aren’t 100% organic or wholefood, but are a lot closer – and while these items usually cost more, it’s a much smaller price gap. For example, you can get the naturals version of Skippy or Jiff or store brand peanut butter, and while it’s not made from organic peanuts, it doesn’t contain the unpronounceable chemicals that are in most peanut butters, and usually has a lot less or no added sugars and oils, depending on the brand. It’s usually about 50 cents more than the regular Jiffy or Skip or store brand, but true organic peanut butter is usually a few bucks more. (Again, unless you find a Trader Joe’s – then it’s actually less than the crappy stuff.) That can be a nice compromise – it may not be 100% organic but it usually has fewer crap, fewer chemicals and additives, and while it’s slightly more expensive it’s not nearly as much so.
And whatever you do, avoid Horizon products! While they’re one of the most expensive organic dairy brands out there, they got sued for feeding their cows growth hormones and claiming their milk, cheese, etc was rBGH free.
A buddy came by last night with a meal he made for us with fresh organic ingredients he had just bought at our farmers market! I don’t know what he paid, but everything was beautiful, and tasted great!!
A friend recently loaned us a CD called “The Future of Food” – very scary stuff.
Rather than hijack your comment section, I’ll write a post about it soon.
Eating organic can be less expensive if it is at all possible to grow some of the food yourself. For people in cities, it is difficult, but not impossible. If you have a backyard, you can have a little garden. If you have a balcony, you can grow veggies in pots. There are community gardens in lots of cities, too.
Okay, I could go on and on, so perhaps I should stop now.
Meat, eggs ($4/dozen), and dairy($4/gallon) are always organic (not necessarily certified, though), pasture-raised, etc. It’s more expensive but even though I’m far from wealthy I’d rather scrimp and save in other areas, and I’m single with no kids so it’s much easier for me. Except for the occasional splurge I get less popular cuts of meat so I’m able to spend a bit less there. I would love to buy half a cow–it’s a lot cheaper per pound–but I don’t know anyone who’d be willing to split it with me and I don’t have the freezer space anyway.
I don’t worry too much about produce. I do a lot of my grocery shopping at farmers’ markets and I often find non-certified “organic” produce for very little money. There’s a list of produce called the “dirty dozen” that one should try to get organic as much as possible because they have a much higher pesticide load than others (off the top of my head: apples, peaches, grapes, and berries), so those I try to get organic, but it’s not a deal-breaker for me.
Nina Planck makes the excellent point that all those studies showing how great for us fruits and vegetables are were done using non-organic produce. Also, it’s much more important to stick to whole food regardless of how it’s produced. An organic chocolate chip cookie is still a chocolate chip cookie, and is no where near as good for you as non-organic spinach.
I’ve considered going organic, especially when I was making baby food for my daughter. However, the cost is nearly unbearable. We buy our produce at the farmer’s market when it is in season, but that’s about it. Living on one income while spending half of that income on my husband’s graduate school tuition means we have to make cuts where we can. My in-laws have a nice garden in the summer, and grow some good greens, tomatoes, asparagus, etc. I just try to buy local as much as I can, so I can minimize the effect of transporting organic food to Pittsburgh… We just try to eat clean and healthy, and even the cost of shopping only produce, meat, and dairy nearly puts us over the grocery budget on a weekly basis.
Hi Charlotte,
I’m from Singapore, and the durian is commonly known here as the “king of fruits” — in fact, if you don’t like the fruit your Singaporeanness is often in question!
It does smell quite a bit, and yes, as azusmom said, they are prohibited on the subway (also known as the mrt). I didn’t know that it was that nutritious; people here usually treat it as an indulgence (especially during durian season), and the Chinese commonly think of it as “heaty”, or more of a “yang” (vs. “yin”) food–thought to be, in excess, the cause of sore throats and other such “heaty” ailments.
Let me know if you want more information on the durian! I’d be happy to answer any questions 🙂
I’m with you on the whole organic thing… both the spirit and the practicality.
I read somewhere that if you’re not going to buy all organic, it makes a lot of sense to spend your organic dollars where it makes a difference. Bananas get peeled, and thus pesticides don’t make as much difference. Strawberries don’t, and so it may make some sense to buy organic berries.
I do buy organic greens probably more than any other organic thing, mostly on this principle.
Oh Tricia, you put it so well!!!
Living in L.A, I had to get used to SEEING the air every day.
SO glad we don’t live there anymore!!!!!!
(wow azusmom! really?! to all of it about the durian fruit!)
Im here for the comments.
I DO get organic ALWAYS but thats usually it.
Ill randomly grab other organiz fruits etc to mix things up but dont stick to it 100% at all.
Not even the cost—Im just NOT convinced.
Miz.
I’m going organic with as much as possible, and growing my own where I can. I started growing my own last year and switching to organic after I became more aware of the fact that GMO is completely unregulated in the US. I come from England where GMO is regulated, it’s stated on the products so the consumer is aware. Companies like Monsanto are making it so that we as consumers have little say over what is used in foods these day, and little say over how our foods are tested.
The studies show that regular foods are ok cos the USDA doesn’t want to cause a panic, anyone eating organic in season foods knows otherwise, sorry but the difference is evident in the taste. Oranges from my trees taste WAY better than store bought. If I did a side by side tasting you would not believe the difference!!! Americans need to realize that the USDA isn’t on the side of the consumer anymore!
Agriculture the way it is farmed now is also NOT sustainable. We’ve created monoculture farming, subsidized farming for no reason other than to rob farmers and create more monoculture farming, it’s a vicious circle.
I say eat natural, avoid GMO/hormone enhanced foods (milk) and eat organic where possible. Best of all grown your own.
I don’t think I’ve ever bought anything organic unless it was an accident. Where I live, it’s even more rural and cold and further from civilization. We don’t really have the option to go ALL organic. there’s one dinky row in the fruits and veggies of the organic stuff. I try and focus my healthy energies on avoiding processed foods. (don’t get me started on boxes of organic cookies). I would like to investigate the milk thing a bit more (but it’s more than organic with it, I can’t remember, something about the pasturization) but I have zero options where I live in that regard.
I printed out the Environmental Working Group’s List of the “dirty dozen” items to always buy organic and the “clean 15” produce items lower in pesticides and I keep it in my wallet. That way, I can pull it out and refer to it in the grocery store.
I recently switched from shopping at the local Kroger-owned grocery store to the locally-owned health food store, so I’m buying more organic in general, simply because they don’t carry as much conventional produce. I didn’t do it for the organic, though. I did it because I’d rather spend a little more to support local business. Also, the produce at the Fred Meyer near my house blows, and went bad so fast or was so tasteless I’d end up throwing it out. I’m probably breaking even, when you consider the spoilage and waste I’m avoiding.
If I were filthy rich I’d go organic. But I’m not, so I don’t.
Here’s an approximation of the fresh fruits and veggies I buy in a 1 week period this time of year for me, my husband and my son:
5-lb broccoli
1-lb spring greens mix
1-lb spinach
4 heads cauliflower
4-lb shredded cabbage/slaw mix
4-lb shredded broccoli slaw mix
5-lb oranges
3-lb bananas
7 bell peppers, red, orange or yellow
1-lb carrots
3 cucumbers
1-lb snap peas
3-lb apples
Can you imagine how much more this would cost if I bought organic? I think the fact that we eat this much fresh produce instead of processed crap has a much larger effect on our health than whether or not it’s organic.
“Americans need to realize that the USDA isn’t on the side of the consumer anymore!”
Was it ever?
To answer the Q – organic protein (poultry, dairy) when purchasing for home cooking use, veggie wash on the produce.
Otherwise it gets so complicated — the budgeting, the remembering the farmers’ market hours, the Dirty Dozen list memorization — that the overfocus can tip over into obsession, from which it can be a short step (return?) to orthorexia.
You’ve pointed out everything that bothers me about the “go organic” movement.
Mostly, though, we just can’t afford it! GP and I are both students, we don’t make much money, and we have car payments and rent to pay.
I do, however, shop the farmer’s market when I can. I like to support local businesses and farmers, and the guys around here grow the best tomatoes and onions I’ve ever tried. Maybe one day I’ll be able to do more organic or locally grown produce, but that day is a long way and a lotta dollars off.
I don’t think organic has to be all or nothing.
I too, am on a very very strict budget. So, we prioritize based on the cost-health benefit ratio…
We do organic milk and yogurt since those are consumed in larger quantities (although the milk is limited to 1 glass in the am and sometimes a small one before bed). We purchase all cheese (when possible) that does not use cows treated with rGBH.
We purchase organic bananas (because I know too much about human rights violations in Guatemala that I can not buy regular), salad greens, baby carrots, strawberries (when they are on sale seasonally), and….???
whatever makes sense that is on sale. Sadly, apples and grapes are too expensive usually so we opt for as local as possible.
I think you, too, could adopt a rank order of what you’ll buy organic if you can afford to. For me, it’s not completely about health either. It’s also about using my economic “vote” to support a type of farming or company that is practicing natural, more ethical standards for the animals and the food they grow.
Just do what you can, and that’s the best anyone could ask for!
Oh yeah–and we definitely avoid high fructose and as much straight up white flour as we can.
After reading Fastfood Nation and Omnivores Dilemma this year, I have begun to seek out organic and do try to find organic for the ‘top 10’. For the summer, we have joined a local farm coop – not organic but local. I am doing this more to support industries that I believe in (organic and local farmers) rather than just health reasons. Something is eventually going to kill me and I don’t think that organic or non-organic produce will really make a difference.
The only thing I buy organic is milk and that’s only because it takes longer to go bad. We don’t use a lot of milk in our house so I need the half-gallon to last as long as possible otherwise I feel like I’m wasting money.
The only thing I buy organic is milk and that’s only because it takes longer to go bad. We don’t use a lot of milk in our house so I need the half-gallon to last as long as possible otherwise I feel like I’m wasting money.
The only thing I buy organic is milk and that’s only because it takes longer to go bad. We don’t use a lot of milk in our house so I need the half-gallon to last as long as possible otherwise I feel like I’m wasting money.
Oh, organics. I moved to Colorado in August last year and everyone here seems uber-healthy and goes for the organic veggies and tons of exercise. I go organic if I can, but the fact is that I’m a poor graduate student who can pretty much only afford the cheap carbs (like pasta). I went to a lecture on the effects that beauty products with lots of chemicals have on your body and tried the really nice organic stuff, only to find that they made me break out more than anything else has, which is saying something since EVERYTHING makes me break out. I guess I need the chemicals after all … 😉
I buy organic as often as I can.
Another useful thing to do is avoid packaged foods as much as possible. (This might seem obvious, but there are a lot of so-called “organic” and “healthy” processed foods, and I don’t trust them.)
It’s going to sound like I work for these people, and I don’t, but if there are any of the ubiquitous Kroger stores up in Minnesota, they offer a credit card. If you use this card, you get points, and they will send you “store money”. It really has helped us save $.
They will also send you coupons based on what you buy in their store (assuming you use the card in their store, which would be the point anyhow).
I’m not a fan of big biz, or having my spending habits monitored, but we have saved so much money, that it’s worth it.
Insert “Mon-freaking-tana” and I have the exact same experience!
We buy our organic produce at Costco as well. But buying the “bulk” size often means that by the end of the week I have OD’d on that one fruit (trying to finish it all before it spoils).
I wish I had the money to buy all organic but I just don't.. especially meat. I tend to buy organic for those top 10-15 veggie/fruit/grain items that they say are more important to buy organic. From there, I am a label reader & try to buy foods with minimal ingredients & ones that I can actually pronounce! I stay away from most processed foods & try to eat veggies, fruits, whole grains etc.
I do what I can without spending too much money that would leave me out on the street. Real bills do need to be paid.
As for cancer, so many questions & not enough answers. I have more experience with this than I care to know & some go back to smoking but I lost my mom to a cancer that is not even hereditary & they don't even know what causes it or even mini cures for it so I just don't know what to say on that. I just do the best I can & that is all I can do.
I agree that the regulations on organic stuff can be really silly sometimes. It’s a tough choice to make. If we can, I think it’s great to go organic. And natural cleaning products, definitely. I’m willing to shell out a bit more money for that. But it makes sense to be wise about it: pick and choose what things you’ll get organic and what you won’t. Organic bananas doesn’t make as much sense as organic apples because of how much the pesticides can get through the skin. So I guess with some research and careful financial balancing we can get the best of both worlds!
A thought:
(which based on being the mama of four kiddos may or may not be workable!)
Would it be possible to have a small greenhouse in your yard? That way, you could have a couple of square foot raised garden beds, grow some of your own veggies, and not have to worry about the lack o’ farmers’ markets so much?
I’m not convinced on organics. I bought organic honeycrisps because they were better and they were the same price as the regular ones – oddly enough. My fiance kept joking that my 2 dollar each apples must be good if I kept buying them.
Yeah, I’m just happy my cart is full of the produce instead of frozen, pre-packaged stuff. One day, maybe I’ll make the jump. For now, I’ll just be happy I am munching on cucumbers instead of pizza rolls.
Greetings from not so sunny CA! I think there are certainly good environmental reasons to go organic, likely health ones, too, but I don’t see how it would make a difference with weight loss. I am lucky enough to attend a year-round Farmer’s Market, and we get the best food. And to tell you honestly, I’m one of very few whiteys there. Not much is certified organic, but it looks kind of organic, and rots like organic. I think because many people bargain and just won’t pay Whole Paycheck prices, the farmer’s don’t bother to certify, and like to leave themselves the option to use chemicals if need be. That’s A-OK with me, it means I can eat great produce all week for $35 or so, vs $75 it might cost at WF, or the yuppie tourist Farmer’s Market. I eat a lot of produce. I would not be able to eat this way if all I could find was Whole Foods, which oddly enough, is my closest supermarket. I try not to patronize them.
Charlotte,
Just because you can't afford it, or it's too far, or you live in Minnesota doesn't mean that eating organic isn't better – it just means that it's difficult for you to do.
I think it's better for Jillian to put it out there, and then people can figure out what they can and want to do.
I think it's better that she gave examples of all the things that can be organic, and pointed out the top ten things that are laden with pesticides when produced conventionally.
Since reading The Omnivores Dilemma and Animal, Vegetable Miracle I have found local sources of grass fed beef, pastured eggs & pork, organic and local veggies, and have developed a pantry and freezer system so that these things are available all year round, at non-outrageous pricing. I still buy my milk at whole foods, and my chicken since I haven't found a local source for those yet. But I am getting my own chickens for eggs soon.
And I'm not in sunny California, I'm in a suburb south of Boston. So it's really possible to find local farm grown food no matter where you are.
People can check out http://www.eatwild.com for local farms.
Here's what's in Minn.
http://www.eatwild.com/products/minnesota.html
I don't think you need to feel guilty for what you can't do, buy maybe you could do another post about the changes you can make and the resources you've found near you to eat more locally and organically.
There’s a very cheap option that you missed here. Grow your own organic produce…
Oh, forget about going organic with skin and haircare. I have too many issues in those departments stemming from adolescence that there’s no friggin way I’m taking any chances (although diet has actually done a fantastic job with my skin). I don’t care how many bunnies have to die or how much more greenhouse gases build up* for my skin to stay clear and for the frizz to be under control.
You can actually make your own cleaning supplies very cheaply. I’m lazy, so I don’t do it often, but you can even make your own laundry detergent (grated bar soap + washing soda + borax). You can get a lot of cleaning done with vinegar and baking soda, and distilled white vinegar is a great replacement for fabric softener, believe it or not. Just pour 1/4 – 1/2 cup on the rinse cycle. It’ll make your towels more absorbent and your clothes will not smell like vinegar.
*Actually, none of the stuff I use on my skin and hair has been tested on animals, but that’s coincidental.
I think the same way. Its my weekly battle. Save money or spend for quality… I still dont know the answer.
I ate durian in SE Asia last summer and became somewhat addicted. Yes, it smells disgusting and in Thailand and Vietnam, where it’s in the 90’s, humid, and pretty dirty, smelling it is kind of gross. They won’t let you bring it into your hotel. But once you get past the smell, the taste is really good, subtle and sophisticated, kind of like a floraly vanilla custard flavor, very creamy texture, like a rich flan, and only a tiny little hint of the stink. I love extreme things, and eating durian, I felt, gave me bragging rights. If you try it, try it more than once. Give it a fair chance. And eat it cold (mutes the smell).
For organic, do the best you can. I think it’s more important to get the really bad stuff out (HFCS, transfats, etc). Then start incorporating more good stuff. Plus, you do know that a lot of smaller farms use organic methods but aren’t certified organic b/c of the expense in going thru the certification process. In farmers’ markets, ask. When you take baby steps in changing habits, you set yourself up for success, rather than trying to do everything at once and driving yourself crazy.
Good luck, stay healthy, and try the durian.
Oh, man. I buy organic when I can. I don’t eat much dairy, so that’s not an issue for me, but in your shoes, I think I’d just look for milk that’s rBST free. I think even Knudsen makes that now.
As for produce, if I eat the peel I buy organic. That’s my rule of thumb, anyway.
But even then . . . sometimes I get sucked in by the sales at the conventional grocery. 😉
“The prophet said to plant a garden, that’s just what we’ll do!”
I don’t even garden organically, and to be quite honest, sometimes I don’t even garden. I am so frugal, though, that frugal doesn’t begin to describe. Screaming cheapskate comes a little closer.
After reading an article on what things to buy organic if you have to be choosy for cost reasons, the non-organic column had an * with some fine print saying that non-organic varieties contain trace amounts of pesticides.
Good grief. I don’t feel so bad anymore. Though I do admit, when organic is the same price, I buy it happily. And when our store-brand milk announced it now hormone and pesticide free (not legally organic, but hey!) I was very happy!
And no, I have never felt any different when eating organic, using herbal medicine, or any supplement. I challenged my husband to justify his expenses on supplements etc by documenting if he felt any different on or off, and he could never find even a small result, much less one large enough to pay for! What makes me feel the most different is maintaining a healthy weight (which even though I maintain by exercise and clean eating, I never notice any difference if I’m only doing one or the other) and getting enough sleep.
Also, check out this web site
http://www.groceryshrink.com
I’ve known her online for years, before she started that site, and she’s the real deal! Great tips for even this frugal mom! Life is too short to spend it feeling guilty, especially when we are doing the best we can!
This is a good question. Even though I have access to organic food (I live less than a mile from a Whole Foods), I don’t make a point to buy it. I guess because I wasn’t raised on it and have never bought it regularly up until now, I don’t get the feeling that it would make a big difference.
Have you tried durian yet? I had some in China. It tasted and smelled so gross that I almost threw up. Hope your experience with it is better 🙂