Grocery shopping for your family is such a huge responsibility, and teaching our daughters how to do it efficiently and affordable will be a wonderful blessing to their future families. Not only do we need to teach them how to shop within a grocery budget, but also how to choose the healthiest foods.
Our nation is really facing a crisis regarding our personal health. We need to do all that we can to reform our thinking about what we eat and how it is grown. One of the most important books I have read on this subject is Health for Godly Generations by Renee DeGroot. This book gives a wonderful overview of why what we’re eating should be of great importance to us. As Christians we need to do all things to glorify God and since mealtime comes around three times a day it should be given careful consideration.
As you teach your daughters about food choices at the grocery store use the following lists to help you choose the best choices for your health and budget. Yes, the price difference can be a shocker at times, but keep looking. I have found organic apples in our area for just a small amount higher than conventionally grown apples. Our local grocery store also runs sales on their organic foods that many times make them the same price or even less than the conventionally grown, so be sure to watch for sales.
The following list of produce will hopefully help you to make the wisest choice when purchasing produce for your family. You can also find this list here.
Produce with the highest concentration of pesticides:
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Cherries
10. Kale/Collard Greens
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)
Produce lowest in pesticides:
1. Onions
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Cantaloupe
12. Watermelon
13. Grapefruit
14. Sweet Potato
15. Honeydew Melon
Looking for the organic seal (USDA Organic) will help you while shopping. The PLU (price look-up number) will also help you to determine if the produce if organic or conventionally grown. Organic produce will have the number 9 at the beginning of their PLU.
If you are able to grow your own produce, that would be a wonderful blessing to your family. You will know exactly how it was grown.
As with anything in our budget – including food – we need to do the best we can with what we have to work with. (Avoid “exceeding your income.”)
For further reading:
– Health for Godly Generations – You can sign up to receive her newsletters and also read the downloads available on the home page.
– Deep Roots at Home – A wonderful blog full of gardening and health wisdom.
– Local Harvest – You can find a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and other resources by typing in your zip code in their search box to find what is available in your area.
– What does organic mean?
– Where to find “Pick Your Own” Farms
