Can We Talk Organic vs Non Organic

[DaycareMama]

I'm not looking to start a debate about what's best
But I am learning more and more about the crap that's in our foods and it seriously scares me! I have a pretty large group ( 12) daily and I can not afford to go totally organic.

In your opinions what's the top 3 things you wouldn't buy if its not organic?
Like I said I am new to this so please share why?!

I am on the food program and follow their guidelines.
I am currently making meals at the meal times and think it would definitely be a lot healthier to pre-make a lot of the stuff. Especially the "meats" I am ALWAYS running out of ideas for the meat option that the kids will eat.

[MamaBearCanada]

Apples, spinach, berries

However, I try to get most of the Dirty Dozen organic. Here's a link that gives a brief explanation.

[DaycareMama]

I just yesterday read about the Dirty Dozen. I was blown away! You think your doing something good buying fresh fruit but....WOW!

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Another suggestion is to go to your local farmers market and talk with them. A lot of ours us organic methods but aren't certified. I buy from them as much as possible. Doing the CSA thing this year from the farmer I love. I also planted strawberries and veggies so I know. I order from a coop so I get better prices. I buy bulk items not trendy organic stuff. So flour, oats, rice, real salt etc. all of my stuff for childcare kids is not organic but the best I can do and what I can find in small town, no trader joes etc.

[LK5kids]

I would add organic milk and yogurt.

[Willow]

I spring for organic if it's something we'll be eating the peels and skin of...berries, any kind of salad like romaine or spinach, apples, grapes etc.

Aside from that my focus is just as much if not more so on avoiding all refined sugars and as much processed foods as I can too. While my group is generally pretty even keeled I couldn't believe the changes I saw when I cut back and then ultimately eliminated everything with refined sugar, white flour and crap loads of artificial colors and preservatives.

I think doing both go hand in hand.

[DaycareMama]

These are all great changes/advice. Thanks! making my shopping plan today. I wish I could motivate myself to cook ahead ....cook the main part of the meals on Sunday. I know in the long run that change alone would skew a huge difference. Wold seriously cut down on the processed end.

[AmyKidsCo]

We've been incorporating more organic food into our family & the day are for several years. We started with just a few things, then when our budget absorbed the extra cost we added a few more.

I would start with the things you eat most often. For us that was apples, tomato products and "grains" (pasta, cereal, crackers, etc). Thick skinned fruits & veggies we buy non-organic.

The thing is, as you eat more organic your palate will change and you'll taste the difference between organic and non-organic. To me it's like those Claritin commercials where you think the picture is clear until they lift the film away. Organic food has a "clearer" taste to me.

Just remember that even a little is better than none.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I spring for organic if it's something we'll be eating the peels and skin of...berries, any kind of salad like romaine or spinach, apples, grapes etc.

Aside from that my focus is just as much if not more so on avoiding all refined sugars and as much processed foods as I can too. While my group is generally pretty even keeled I couldn't believe the changes I saw when I cut back and then ultimately eliminated everything with refined sugar, white flour and crap loads of artificial colors and preservatives.

I think doing both go hand in hand.

I totally agree!

[daycarediva]

I spring for organic if it's something we'll be eating the peels and skin of...berries, any kind of salad like romaine or spinach, apples, grapes etc.

Aside from that my focus is just as much if not more so on avoiding all refined sugars and as much processed foods as I can too. While my group is generally pretty even keeled I couldn't believe the changes I saw when I cut back and then ultimately eliminated everything with refined sugar, white flour and crap loads of artificial colors and preservatives.

I think doing both go hand in hand.

This, always the dirty dozen organic, and I buy organic milk, cheese, yogurt and meat.

[Cradle2crayons]

I don't do a lot of store bought organic. But my family has a business and they have several gardens year around and fresh chickens... They even slaughter their chickens themselves. So that takes care of almost all veggies... Even onions, cabbage, lettuce, potatoes etc I get from them. In the summer I put up the summer only veggies like peas, beams, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and the list goes on and on.

As far as other meats, there's a local older guy who raises and slaughters his own... I get pork and sausage etc from him as well as beef.

The ONLY thing I have to buy organic is ground beef. Oh gosh it tastes so so much better than non organic.

As far as fruits, I buy those at the local farmers market. My family's garden doesn't grow fruits.

[Play Care]

Like others I try to buy the "dirty dozen" organic. But I feel it's more important to buy *locally grown* than organic for the most part. Like another poster, many of the guys at my local farmer's market grow their produce organically but have not jumped through the hoops to get certified. Definitely something to look into!

[AmyLeigh]

We've been incorporating more organic food into our family & the day are for several years. We started with just a few things, then when our budget absorbed the extra cost we added a few more.

I would start with the things you eat most often. For us that was apples, tomato products and "grains" (pasta, cereal, crackers, etc). Thick skinned fruits & veggies we buy non-organic.

The thing is, as you eat more organic your palate will change and you'll taste the difference between organic and non-organic. To me it's like those Claritin commercials where you think the picture is clear until they lift the film away. Organic food has a "clearer" taste to me.
Just remember that even a little is better than none.

That is by far the best way to explain the flavor of organics! I'm going to steal that, if you don't mind.

[AmyKidsCo]

Steal away!

[tratliff]

I know this comment is late but I thought I would add for future reference, meat is extremely important to get organic and chemical ridden, but, it can also be crazy expensive. Farmer's markets are great options. Also, it may be possible to go in together with other people in the area and buy a portion of an animal to be butchered and split the cost from a local farmer. But, if there is no way to get organic meat, the leaner the meat, the better. Remove as much fat and skin from the meat as possible. Also, pork is the worst meat if it's not organic so I stay away from it. Local butchers and farmers are great people to talk to about finding local, healthy, foods.