Is Organic Worth the Cost?
Hi everyone! I’m Chef Lisa, owner of Homemade Fresh, and I’m excited to partner with Candy Price to provide tips and recipes to nourish your body with whole food fuel. In my last blog article, I introduced my “food is fuel” philosophy and talked about the importance of breakfast. This time, I want to talk about choosing fruits and vegetables wisely.
I’ve had many conversations with people who ask me if organic produce is really worth the extra cost. While organic produce may cost more in the short term, some non-organic produce may cost you more in the future with potential health consequences.
What Does the Science Say?
A recent study by the Environmental Working Group found that nearly 75% of non-organic fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the United States contain pesticide residue. The growing consensus among scientists is that even small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect human health.
But what if you wash and peel your produce? Rinsing produce may reduce the amount of pesticides, but it does not eliminate them. Peeling helps, but you often lose nutritional value when you peel. Some non-organic fruits and vegetables have more pesticides than others. But organic produce is regulated by the USDA, and standards ban the use of all synthetic pesticides.
So how do you tell if something is organic or not? If you look at the stickers on produce, organic items have a five-digit code beginning with “9.” Non-organic produce has a four-digit code. If you see a five-digit code beginning with “8” that means that the produce has been genetically altered.
A recent study by the Environmental Working Group found that nearly 75% of non-organic fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the United States contain pesticide residue.
Tips to Finding a Nice Balance
While it’s best to buy organic produce when possible, there is a guideline to help you decide which produce has the most and the least amount of pesticides. Each year, the Environmental Working Group analyzes commonly purchased fruits and vegetables and releases two lists: The Dirty Dozen and The Clean Fifteen. I’ve included those lists in this blog post so that you can print them and carry them with you when shopping for produce.
Below is a recipe using a variety of spring vegetables–many of them on The Clean Fifteen list! It’s good with shrimp, but you can also substitute chicken. If you would like more information about Homemade Fresh meal preparation or event catering services, visit www.homemadefresh.net.
Produce Shopping Guide: Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen Lists
Would you like to have a list of the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen to take on your next grocery trip? Click the button below to print the list or save it to your device.

Shrimp and Spring Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- ⅓ cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 4 servings cooked pasta (penne, angel hair or linguine)
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- butter
- extra virgin olive oil
- ⅔ cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- blackening seasoning (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Melt a pat of butter and a little olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.
- Add carrots and asparagus and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add onions and mushrooms and cook until soft, stirring frequently.
- Add tomatoes, peas and spinach and cook for another minute or two.
- Remove vegetables from the pan and put them in a bowl.
- Sprinkle shrimp with blackened seasoning.
- Add olive oil to the pan to warm, and then add shrimp.
- Cook and stir shrimp until they are opaque, about five minutes.
- Remove them from the pan and add to the vegetables.
- Add cream, wine, blackened seasoning, salt, pepper and 1/3 cup lemon juice to the pan.
- Bring to a simmer (do not boil), then reduce heat to medium low.
- Simmer for a few minutes, then stir in another pat of butter to thicken sauce.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Add shrimp and vegetables back to the pan to warm through with the sauce.
- Garnish with lemon zest and serve over pasta.
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