Do You Feed Your Kids Organic Food?

[Anonymous]

I have an almost toddler and did organic purées and some finger foods when he started solids. We buy organic milk but that’s really it. I will buy organic if it’s on sale but rarely do. My husband thinks we should start eating organic and grass fed meats, dairy, and fruits and veggies. Do you feed your kid organic?

[Anonymous]

Wasn't there a thread identical to this last week?

[Anonymous]

I do if it's equally convenient to get it. For meat, I am pretty nsistent on antibiotic free, hormone free stuff, not factory farmed.
For fruits and vegetables, there's a pretty well accepted list of the "dirty dozen" where organic makes more of a difference because the fruit is thin skinned and absorbs more chemicals.
For meat, organic is hard because the field on which they graze has to have been organic for a certain number of years--but the important thing is just to look for meat sources that don't feed their animals a lot of chemicals and antibiotics.
We quit organic milk in favor of local milk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wasn't there a thread identical to this last week?

OP here. I don’t know. I’m rarely on here and decided to ask what others do. I don’t look up older threads.

[Anonymous]

I don't. I believe it's more of a marketing gimmick with no health benefits.

[Anonymous]

I would if I could afford it. I try to buy organic eggs and milk and meat

[Anonymous]

It's mostly a gimmick, and in fact a lot of organic produce is actually less regulated when it comes to what farmers can use on them. That being said I think organic eggs, grass-fed beef, and organic milk (basically any animal-related products) are nice but maybe I'm a sucker... but organic produce isn't worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do if it's equally convenient to get it. For meat, I am pretty nsistent on antibiotic free, hormone free stuff, not factory farmed.
For fruits and vegetables, there's a pretty well accepted list of the "dirty dozen" where organic makes more of a difference because the fruit is thin skinned and absorbs more chemicals.
For meat, organic is hard because the field on which they graze has to have been organic for a certain number of years--but the important thing is just to look for meat sources that don't feed their animals a lot of chemicals and antibiotics.
We quit organic milk in favor of local milk.

Are you under the impression that organic produce is grown without pesticides? Are you aware that common organic pesticides are just as dangerous (in high concentrations) as synthetic pesticides. Did you realize that chrysanthemum, from which pyrethrin is derived, is the same chemical that you get as a prescription lice treatment?

Wash your fruit.

[Anonymous]

Depends if you want organic for health reasons or environmental reasons?
If it's for health, buy the "dirty dozen" organic, buy hormone-free milk, and if you buy factory-farmed meat then be really careful about cooking and handling.
For environmental, buy local first, eat what's in season in your area. Grass-fed dairy and meat are kinder on the environment as long as they aren't shipped long distances. Organic label is less important than how and where it's grown/produced.

[Anonymous]

OP I'm like you, if it's on sale or an option, yes. But I don't go out of my way for it. I ALWAYS do organic apples. I try to follow the EWG dirty dozen and clean fifteen. https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

[Anonymous]

It's mostly a marketing label. Organic produce is not more nutritious, organic produce has been treated with pesticides, pesticide residue on produce poses minimal health risks, and you should be thoroughly washing all your produce anyway. I'd rather buy local and in-season produce. I do buy grass-fed beef, because I prefer the taste, and I like grass-fed milk, for the same reason. These days, regular milk is very unlikely to have any added hormones, and most cartons include a statement that the milk comes from cows that were not treated with rBST. I do look for that statement.

[Anonymous]

We try to buy local first. Organic second for dirty dozen.

[Anonymous]

I buy organic and non-organic foods. Organic is mainly eggs, meat, fish, poultry, milk, berries and the dirty dozen

Organic -
1. Meat,
2. Fish,
3. Eggs,
4. Poultry
5. Milk (I make my own yogurt and paneer)
6. Raisins

and the following 12 veggis/fruits -

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes

Non-Organic -
1. Hard Cheese
2. Grains
3. Cooking Oils
4. Condiments
5. Beans and Lentils
6. Spices, herbs, condiments

Also the clean 15
They are:
1. Avocados
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet peas (frozen)
7. Eggplants
8. Asparagus
9. Cauliflower
10. Cantaloupes
11. Broccoli
12. Mushrooms
13. Cabbage
14. Honeydew melon
15. Kiwifruit

We try and grow some of our own herbs. Mainly we try and eat non-processed foods. We also wash the veggis and fruits well.

[Anonymous]

No and I also give them Chef Boyardee’s. I should probably banish myself from polite society.

[Anonymous]

I once listened to an organic farmer who said that there are still pesticides used on organic foods..just different ones but the rules regularly change on what is good or bad for you. He grows organic because there is a higher profit margin but does not buy it for his family. I do not buy it...