I was asked the most excellent questions on Instagram over the weekend that are inspiring this post! Thanks for asking @angngen!
Do you use organic produce?
Yes! We do! I buy as many things organic as I possibly can. I have this free app on my phone to remind me which foods are on the Dirty Dozen list. The Dirty Dozen is a list put out by the Environmental Working Group of the produce most contaminated by pesticides. I ALWAYS buy apples, berries, spinach, kale, and celery organic.
I typically buy conventional avocados to be price savvy (OMG have you seen how expensive organic avocados can be!). Luckily, avocados are on the Clean Fifteen list. The clean list means that pesticides are extremely rare on those fruits/ veggies. And the savings is HUGE! We just got an Aldi supermarket near our home and I make a special trip there just to buy avocados! At 40 cents each it's totally worth it! We also buy conventional pineapple, cantaloupe, mushrooms, asparagus and mango. I can usually get most of those at Aldi too.
There's a great site called What's On My Food where you can search to see what is literally on your food! Here's what it has to say about strawberries. 54 pesticides including 24 — Suspected Hormone Disruptors and 11 — Neurotoxins. It feels totally worth it to spend extra money on the organic strawberries to ensure those 54 pesticides stay out of my body. Cliff calls it our "supplemental health insurance."
I try to buy local anytime I can. If given the choice I'd eat an apple out of my neighbors yard that is not certified organic over an apple that is certified organic that has been trucked to Texas from some other state. I believe in the power of nutrient density. If you've ever tasted a home grown tomato you know exactly what I mean!
My advice is always buy organic where you can but if you can't don't labor over it. Just make sure you're eating fruits + veggies daily and your health will be the better for it!
What is your weekly grocery list? Or do you shop more frequently?
We shop weekly. Our budget for each trip ranges from $100 - $200. I will go out through the week to get a few things if I'm feeling inspired and working up a new recipe or we need to bridge the gap til the next big shopping trip. We've built up a staple of herbs, grains, dry beans, nuts, seeds, oils and we replenish those as needed.
I always make a list and break it into 4 categories (that make the most sense for us). We start in produce, then go to the bulk section and isles and then end with any cold or frozen items.
1. produce (fruits + veggies) 2. bulk (grains, beans, nuts, nut butter, seeds, spices) 3. isles (stuff in cans, boxes, pasta sauce, salad dressing, almond/ coconut milk, toiletries) 4. cold/ frozen (frozen fruit, hummus, olive bar, pickles and sometimes fish when Cliff is craving it)
Here's my list from this week. You'll notice a little O or C next to the produce items. That is my note to self that I want to buy that item organic or conventional.
Here's what we actually bought:
We make green smoothies or green juices for breakfast each morning. Lunches and dinners will be any combo of the following: veggie stir fries, baked veggies, quinoa salad, chickpea salad, a soup with veggies, beans and grains, quinoa pasta + sauce + veggies. Planning to make a version of this potato salad this week.
Permission granted to eat the way that feels best for your body!
I eat in a very lacylike way... meaning it's perfect for me! We eat mostly vegan/ vegetarian at home. We did a 30-day vegan experiment last year that changed everything. Cliff was able to lower his blood pressure + cholesterol to normal ranges and avoid taking prescription meds. It was a HUGE win! Since then we've settled into a really nourishing + gentle way of living with food. Cliff still loves fish + eats meat on occasion (if we eat out). I stay away from meat and meat products but do still partake in cheese + sweets made with dairy every now and then!
Hope this inspires a wonderful new addition to your grocery routine or list!
Love + veggies! Lacy
