What Foods You Should (And Shouldn't) Buy Organic

Organic food is all the rage these days. Sixty-nine percent of Americans say they occasionally buy organic products and 28% do so weekly. And retailers are in on the trend. You can find organic food practically anywhere—from Walmart to your local farmer's market.

Organic food can be a bit pricey. And it's usually only available when the fruit or veggie is in season. So while you might wish you could buy all organic, all the time, it might not be possible. The good news is, experts agree you don't have to buy everything organic. There are some fruits and veggies that assimilate more pesticides than others when grown conventionally. So it's OK to buy some non-organic foods (great news for your wallet!). Here's a list of the "clean 15"—the stuff you can get away with buying conventionally without worrying about your family scarfing down mouthfuls of pesticides:

• Onions
• Avocados
• Corn
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Sweet peas
• Asparagus
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Cantaloupe
• Watermelon
• Grapefruit
• Sweet potatoes
• Sweet onions

If you want to play it safe, you may want to avoid convention versions of the "dirty dozen"—the foods that soak up more pesticides when grown non-organically:

• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Spinach
• Nectarines
• Celery
• Pears
• Cherries
• Potatoes
• Raspberries
• Sweet bell peppers
• Imported grapes

Of course, everything in moderation. So try not to freak out if a non-organic grape passes your kid's precious lips. He'll survive and even thrive as long as he's getting enough fruits and veggies, organic or not. Happy eating!