March is Meatless Month: How to Save Money on Organic Vegetables and Fruit

March is meatless month, which means it's time to load up on those veggies and fruit.  That's the best way to get all of your vitamins and minerals to boost your immune system and stay healthy.  And let's face it, it's much more fun than swallowing a handful of supplement pills, tablets and drinks.

These days most of our produce is covered in not one, but multiple pesticides.  Many times the pesticides are absorbed into the fruit or vegetable, so they aren't removed by a simple washing in your kitchen sink.  In order to avoid these harmful pesticides, organic is the way to go.  Some produce is safer than others when it comes to pesticides, and considering that not everyone can afford to go completely organic, here are some tips to making the healthiest choices on a budget.

 1.  Shop wisely in the produce section:  Put your money towards organic on the fruit and veggies that are highly contaminated with pesticides, and save your money with the "non-organic" produce that is the least contaminated by pesticides.  Also, try to shop in season and watch for sales! 

*Click here for a printable guide to keep your purse!*

Here are the top 12 items that you should buy organic:

(starting with most contaminated)

apples

celery

strawberries

peaches

spinach

imported nectarines

imported grapes

sweet bell peppers

potatoes

domestic blue berries

lettuce

kale/collard greens

Here are the top 15 items that for non-organic:

(starting with least contaminated)

onions

corn

pineapples

avocado

asparagus

sweet peas

mango

eggplant

domestic cantaloupe

kiwi

cabbage

watermelon

sweet potatoes

grapefruit

mushrooms

You can view a full list of most to least contaminated produce here.

2.  Become a locavore: Shop at the local farmers market.  Not only will you know where your produce came from, but you know it will be fresh.  You will also be supporting your local farmers instead of large corporations.  Sometimes if you go towards the end of the market hours, you may score some great deals.  Most farmers don't want to drag home the leftovers, so they will be more willing to work a deal with you on some fresh local produce! Go here to search for a local farmers market near you.  You may even find a unique vegetable that you've never tried before!

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3. Grow a garden: Section off a small area in your yard and plant seeds or small plants.  You can start simple with tomatoes, peas, and peppers.  If you don't have a yard, consider balcony gardening - just a few veggie producing plants will save you some money on your grocery bill.  Try growing some fresh herbs too - basil grows very well.  This can be a fun educational project to do with your kids too!

4.  Sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture):  This program is becoming quite popular lately.  Basically, a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. You can purchase a share or membership, and in return receive a box of seasonal produce weekly or bi-weekly throughout the farming season.  Sometimes you can choose from different size boxes, depending on how much produce you need for your family.  This program helps support your local farmers by providing cash flow early in the season to cover farming expenses, and you receive fresh local-grown fruit and veggies that will benefit your family's health.  It also helps you to cook more fresh foods and try new things that you wouldn't normally purchase.  Go HERE to locate a CSA farm new you.

**Happy Meatless March**