We all have heard that it is healthier to eat organic produce. In the past you had to go to a health food store in order to find organically grown fruits and vegetables. Now most grocery stores, even including Walmart superstores, have an organic foods section. However organic food is often priced 50-100% higher than conventionally grown produce.
An option for keeping these costs down is to buy locally grown vegetables. The Buy Fresh Buy Local program in the Charlottesville, Viginia is one way to buy fresh produce with out the added cost of trucking the fruit and vegetables across the country.
If you cannot afford to only buy organic, it helps to know which foods are most likely to contain pesticides. Even after washing, these foods are likely to posess a pesticide residue. The following are the most likely to be contaminated: apples, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, bell peppers, celery, potatoes and spinach.
Buying local may end up being more ecconomical, healthier, and since it is fresher, it will taste better.