When to Buy Organic?

There are so many great options these days when it comes to produce, dairy and meat. A recent trip to Pavilions in Newport Beach, CA displayed an abundance of fresh kale, squash, onions and beets that looked divine. Some were organic and some were not which raised the question, when should I buy organic?

Fruit and Produce:

• I always recommend buying organic especially if an item doesn’t have a peel and the skin, that is edible, has been exposed. For example, I never buy organic bananas because the peel protects the deliciously sweet interior. Apples, greens, like the kale mentioned above, and fruit I always try to buy organic. However, that being said, sometimes organic has a lot more “character” – shall we call it – than non-organic because it was grown without the cookie-cutter mold of hormones and injections that help create a particular look.
• Do you ever wonder why organic greens may be “dirtier” and have more “blemishes” than non? Organic products don’t use harmful chemicals that prevent that from happening. All this being said, if non-organic looks better than organic, I may go that route but spend extra care and attention to cleaning and preparing the product.
• Would you spend more on a less quality product? First use that as your base and buy what looks best. And, if you are adamant about buying organic and organic kale looks worse than non-organic, adjust your shopping list to what looks best! This is another reason why I often go to the store with a general idea of what I want but allow myself the flexibility to swap things around depending on what is fresh and looks best.

Meat:

• When it comes to meat, I try to buy organic wherever I can especially when it comes to chicken. Have you seen a chicken in real life? There is no way their breasts are that big and if they were, how would they be able to support them? Just think about that for a second….
• Grass-fed, free-range etc. etc. etc. If organic isn’t available, I try to make the best choice I can with what I have. First off, if you have a choice, shop where you know they carry a nice selection of organic and sustainable products. There is a small store near where I live that doesn’t carry a large selection of organic meat so I shop there knowing that and save my protein for another store.
• Call around, talk to the butcher, go to your farmers market, ask your neighbors, do your research. Where do YOU buy your meat? There are several great meat shops around town that will most likely have what you want, or possibly, can order them for you with notice.

Dairy:

• ALWAYS buy organic. I don’t need growth hormones and antibiotics in my diet!
• Eggs: Always buy organic! Brown and white eggs are not any different – simply put, some chickens lay white and some lay brown - so don’t get caught paying extra for brown. I like the way they look so that’s the choice I make.

Whatever choice you make and wherever you find yourself in the constant conversation of organic vs. non-organic, I hope that you consider both sides and do your research. I do think spending extra money for a “purer” and “cleaner” product is the way to go, but that’s my personal opinion.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!