the dirty dozen

I've been meaning to find & post this for a long time, to have it in one place for reference. Here are two lists. The first is a list of the most highly contaminated fruits & veggies (i.e... if you're going to spend the money on organic, spend it on these items). The second is a list of the least contaminated fruits & veggies, so if you have NO money in the budget for extras this month, stick to this list & freely buy conventional!

Dirty Dozen: *these are in order, 1 being the most contaminated...*
1. Peaches
2. Strawberries
3. Apples
4. Spinach
5. Nectarines
6. Celery
7. Pears
8. Cherries
9. Potatoes
10. Sweet Bell Peppers
11. Raspberries
12. Imported Grapes


Conventional O.K. (top 12 *least* contaminated, again, in order):
1. Sweet Corn
2. Avocados
3. Pineapples
4. Cauliflower
5. Mangoes
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Onions
9. Broccoli
10. Bananas
11. Kiwis
12. Papayas

Though some items are exceptions, I usually stick to the rule that if it has a thick skin that needs to be peeled & discarded, I'm more likely to buy conventional, but if you eat it just as it comes off the tree/plant/out of the ground, I'll throw down the money for organic--and just eat less of it ; ).