How do you buy organic?

[Anonymous]

I know this seems like a silly question, but I'm wondering how people buy organic produce. Do you only buy it the day that you're going to eat it? I ask because every time I buy organic groceries, I end up throwing out half of it. I went to a farmer's market and got a jar of jam. I opened it up on the same day I brought it home and there was a layer of mold on it. Same thing with a tomato I brought home. I didn't realize it had gone bad until I cut it in half and could see the fuzzies growing in it. And the stuff that isn't bad the day I buy it, soon rots the next day. I really am trying to be healthier and eat better, but it is so difficult when I'm on a budget and half of the organic produce I buy gets thrown out. Does anyone have any advice?

[Anonymous]

So there is a list called the dirty dozen, it has the top 12 produce you should always buy organic. When you buy the dirty dozen make sure you get them from a reputable farmer who recently picked everything. You should also make sure your storing the produce properly, some items need to be refrigated and other just in a cool cabinet. Your produce should last 4-7 days so buy only what you plan to eat during that week.

[Anonymous]

Also, where you buy your produce makes a bigger difference, in terms of mold and going bad, than whether it's organic or not. We've sadly had much better luck when we spend oodles of money at Whole Foods than when we buy the organic produce at Safeway. The sole exception to that would be the tomatoes at Whole Foods.

If your jam had a layer of mold on it, it was because it was improperly canned, not because it was organic.

[Anonymous]

If you buy at a farmers market, you can also ask the farmer how long it should last and how to store the food. They'll be able to tell you that organic berries are not going to last a day on the kitchen counter like non-organics that have been sprayed. They just aren't. And your jam? Bring it back! The seller should know that something went wrong (for safety) and you need your money back.

[Anonymous]

I just plan to eat it quickly. Some things last longer than others. I buy a lot of frozen organic berries so by the end of the grocery week I still have fruit to eat.

Spinach for salads tend to last a bit longer than say organic rasberries. Tomatoes last a little while as do peppers and carrots. I just plan to use everything in a few days and plan accordingly. So the end of the week we might eat stir fry made with frozen veggies, or soup or chili or a pasta bean salad for example that doesn't require as many fresh ingredients (although I did buy organic scallions for the pasta bean salad this week and they did last a few days).