What to Buy Organic (and What You Can Skip) + My Broccoli Soup & Stuffed Peppers Recipes
When I posted my latest meal prep creations on Instagram, one of my followers asked two great questions: “How do you know what to buy organic? And can you share your delicious recipes for soup and stuffed peppers?” Let’s dive into both!
What to Buy Organic and What to Skip
The Dirty Dozen vs. Clean Fifteen Approach
When choosing what to buy organic, I follow the basics:
Dirty Dozen: These are the fruits and veggies that tend to have the most pesticides, so I prioritize buying these organic. Think strawberries, spinach, apples, and grapes.
Clean Fifteen: These items usually have fewer pesticides, so I don’t worry about buying them organic. Examples include avocados, onions, and corn.
Budget-Friendly Tips
Look for sales at organic supermarkets for food items or your in the organic aisles of your local supermarkets:
Seasonal shopping hacks: Organic produce is often cheaper in season.
Local farmer's markets is an excellent organic option.
Additional Organic (A Nonnegotiable for me)
Dairy products and meat if available, as they may contain fewer antibiotics and hormones when organic.
Snacks like peanut butter and oats, which tend to be heavily sprayed.
Quick Grocery List for Organic Must-Haves
Here’s a simple list to help you prioritize your organic purchases:
Dirty Dozen (Buy Organic When Possible):
Strawberries – One of the most pesticide-heavy fruits.
Spinach – Pesticides linger on leafy greens.
Apples – Conventionally grown apples are often heavily sprayed.
Grapes – Imported grapes can carry pesticide residues.
Peppers – Especially red and green bell peppers.
Celery – A high-pesticide vegetable.
Tomatoes – Often treated with pesticides.
Cucumbers – Conventionally grown ones may have pesticide residue.
Nectarines – These have high pesticide levels.
Potatoes – Their skins often absorb pesticides.
Cherries – They tend to have higher pesticide levels.
Lettuce – Particularly romaine and other leafy greens.
Clean Fifteen (You Can Skip Organic Here):
Avocados – Their thick skin keeps pesticides from getting to the fruit.
Onions – Minimal pesticide use.
Pineapples – The tough skin protects the inside.
Mangoes – Little pesticide residue.
Papayas – These tend to have very low pesticide levels.
Sweet Corn – If it’s non-GMO, corn’s residue levels are low.
Asparagus – Generally safe, even conventionally grown.
Peas – Low pesticide levels.
Eggplant – Typically low on pesticide residue.
Cabbage – It has a tough outer layer that protects it.
Cauliflower – Like cabbage, it’s pretty safe without being organic.
Honeydew Melon – Pesticides don’t usually affect this fruit.
Kiwis – Their skin is thick and protective.
Watermelon – Its thick rind shields the fruit inside.
Sweet Potatoes – Lower in pesticides compared to regular potatoes.
What to Buy Organic: Beyond Produce
While fruits and veggies are important, it’s also worth paying attention to other grocery categories when choosing organic:
Dairy
Milk & Cream: Organic options are free from synthetic hormones (like rBGH) and antibiotics.
Cheese: Prioritize organic for softer cheeses (like brie or cream cheese) since they can absorb more additives.
Yogurt: Organic yogurt comes from cows not treated with antibiotics or hormones, and it’s often made without artificial sweeteners.
Butter: Organic butter ensures better animal care practices and fewer artificial additives.
Meat & Poultry
Chicken & Turkey: Organic ensures the birds are raised without antibiotics and have access to organic feed. Look for “pasture-raised” if possible.
Beef: Grass-fed and organic beef is ideal—it ensures no antibiotics, hormones, or GMO feed.
Pork: Organic ensures cleaner feed and no synthetic additives.
Processed Meats (Bacon, Sausages, Deli Meat): Organic helps avoid preservatives and artificial nitrates.
Eggs
Look for organic, pasture-raised eggs to avoid antibiotics and ensure better animal welfare.
Pantry Staples
Grains & Flours: Organic ensures no synthetic herbicides (like glyphosate) in the growing process.
Nut Butters: Organic is preferable to avoid pesticides in peanuts and almonds.
Olive and Avocado Oils: Choosing organic ensures that the fruits used are grown without synthetic pesticides or harmful chemicals. Non-organic oils may come from crops sprayed with pesticides, which can affect the oil during extraction.
Two of My Favorite Recipes
Broccoli Parmesan Soup
Ingredients:
Two bags of the organic broccoli Florets two large bunches
Organic Low Sodium Chicken bone broth or Veggie Broth.
Parmesan cheese as much as you want. Makes it creamy. You can do Cheddar cheese as well but melt first in a pot with chicken broth. Then add to blender.
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:
Steam the broccoli in a double steamer just to make it soft.
Heat up chicken broth according to instructions while steaming broccoli
Take the broccoli and put it in your blender (I have a Vitamix) with the juice from the steam
Pour in the chicken broth (start with a cup to maintain creamy consistency, add more if necessary)
If it’s too much broccoli in the blender you can blend it in batches.
Blend until it gets creamy!
Serving Suggestion:
Serve with a slice of sourdough bread for a cozy, satisfying meal.
What I love about this recipe is you can’t mess this up. If you add too much stock, just add more broccoli. I add leftover Kale I may have leftover in my fridge. The recipe yields a lot of soup. You can freeze in an airtight container. Store and refrigerate what you don’t put in the freezer in mason jars. Those nights when the meals are getting low, the soup is your savior.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
3–4 large bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise and seeds removed
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 pound ground turkey, ground beef or chicken
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups muir glen tomato sauce
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice or
quinoa or Right rice
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Extra basil and fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
Heat a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and then ground turkey. Brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.
Once the turkey is brown, add the diced onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the onion is tender.
Add the marinara sauce and chopped spinach. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 more minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown rice, chopped basil, and parmesan cheese.
Stuff the pepper halves with the filling and place them in a 9×13 casserole dish.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and top the peppers with fresh parm.
Return them to the oven and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
Garnish with extra fresh chopped basil and parsley.
Serving Suggestion:
Plate it and eat! Any filling I have left over, I slice zucchini length wise, scoop out zucchini filling, and stuff with meat and bake in the oven just like the stuffed peppers. This is such a nice alternative. Makes a great lunch time meal too.
Enjoy These Delicious Recipes!
I hope these recipes inspire you to get creative in the kitchen. Whether you're cooking up a cozy broccoli soup or stuffing colorful peppers, don’t forget to pair them with nourishing choices that fit your lifestyle. Bon Appetite!
Empowering Choices with Confidence
Making smart grocery decisions doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on organic where it matters most and understanding where you can skip it, you can fuel your body and your family with confidence. Remember—it’s not about perfection but about creating sustainable habits that work for you.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going!
If you make the soup or stuffed peppers, I’d love to see your creations! Tag me on Instagram so I can give you a share or a shout out.
Do you have any favorite organic staples or shopping tips? Drop a staple and a tip in my DM’s
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