“KI Green,” the official sustainability blog for Kindermusik International, is excited to bring Sustainability to Minds on Music with an initiating post the great debate: Organic vs. Non-Organic shopping! We’re happy to get a leafy green start to feeding our families the right fall produce. From now on, you’ll be able to check Minds on Music for family-based sustainability solutions that keep sustainability active as a Kindermusik core value.
Why Buy Organic Food for Kids?
But let’s play devil’s advocate just for a minute. Buying organic doesn’t always make a difference, right? The average “dollar difference” per item isn’t worth the “so-so” benefits of USDA organic produce. Right?
In this study from the Natural Resource Defense Counsel, scientists found that children age 5 and under ingest an average of 8 pesticides per day. Young children, whose internal organs are developing rapidly, are most susceptible to the harmful effects of pesticides.
Let’s take a look at your shopping cart today, October 9. Almost everything you have is spring produce, which is out of season. Your asparagus was grown using nearly 22 different types of pesticides. Your grapefruit required about 10. Your mango, 13. Peas: 5, pineapple: 6, corn: 3, avocado: 2. It may be time to do the “reverse shopping cart…” the dance move you learned wherein non-organic produce is put BACK on the shelves, and fast!
Tips for Buying Organic Produce
When you consider the harmful effects of any one of these pesticides, especially for kids, the right choice is always the organic choice. Understandably, though, time and money can be an issue. Here are the NRDC’s helpful tips to make buying organic easier:
- The best foods to buy organic are apples, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and strawberries.
- If you buy produce in season, it is less likely have pesticides. Seasonal asparagus, avocado, sweet peas, grapefruit, onions, and cabbage, are far less likely to have pesticides when grown in season.
- The five cleanest fruits and vegetables are onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, and mango.
- If you need an out of season item, buy it frozen.
What’s in season now? Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, leeks, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, greens (spinach, arugula, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, collards), turnips, winter squash, and apples!
For more information, check out the NRDC’s helpful list of resources.