Let’s face it, groceries are expensive.  They are even more expensive when you purchase organic produce.  But, there is a hack that will give you the most bang for your buck.

The Environmental Working Group or EWG.org released its 2024 Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 List.  Should you use these as a guide when making your produce choices?  I say yes!  I use this list all the time, when making the decision to buy organic over conventional produce.

The Environmental Working Group or EWG, tests all produce every year for the amount of pesticides load in each fruit and vegetable found.  They release the results each year in the form of lists.  These lists are called The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15.  

If you have never heard of these lists, get ready to add a great tool to your arsenal toolkit for a healthier lifestyle.  The Dirty Dozen List is the most helpful list for picking clean fruits and vegetables that come with a lower pesticide load.

So, if you are considering starting a diet or changing your habits, these lists will go a long way in helping you save money.  The Dirty Dozen are the 12 top fruits and vegetables that contain the highest pesticide load.  These are pesticides like round-up and others, which we know cause cancer.  You will want to purchase these in their organic form.

The Dirty Dozen is as follows:

  1. Strawberries
  2. Spinach
  3. Kale, Collard, and Mustard Greens
  4. Grapes
  5. Peaches
  6. Pears
  7. Nectarines
  8. Apples
  9. Bell and Hot Peppers
  10. Cherries
  11. Blueberries
  12. Green Beans

The Clean 15

Now, the Clean 15 is the list that has the lowest amounts of pesticides and you can save money by purchasing conventional products instead of organic. This provides a great cost savings when you are at the store shopping.

These are:

32. Carrots

33. Sweet Potatoes

34. Mangoes

35. Mushrooms

36. Watermelon

37. Cabbage

38. Kiwi

39. Honeydew Melon

40. Asparagus

41. Sweet peas (frozen)

42. Papaya

43. Onions

44. Pineapple

45. Sweet Corn

46. Avocados

You can find the lists on EWG.org, and I urge each of you to use these when shopping.  Snap a picture and save it to your home screen on your phone.  That way, you will have it with you every time you shop.  

Alicia