Ep 63 - Dirty Dozen or Don’t Sweat It? How to Manage Food Pesticides in a Pricey World
Grocery prices are up, budgets are tight, and consumers are more health-conscious than ever. So where does that leave us when it comes to organic produce, pesticide residues, and the popular “Dirty Dozen” list from the Environmental Working Group?
Michelle and Kevin dig into the pros, cons, and context behind the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists. Are strawberries really a toxic nightmare? Should you only buy organic? And what’s the real risk when it comes to pesticide residues in Canada and the U.S.?
Michelle breaks down:
- What the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 actually measure
- Why affordability is shaping 2026 food trends
- What critics (and universities like McGill University) say about how the data is interpreted
- How much produce you’d actually have to eat to be at risk (spoiler: it’s a LOT)
- Practical, evidence-based ways to wash produce properly
- Whether frozen fruit might be just as good, or better, than fresh
- Why avoiding fruits and vegetables out of fear may be the bigger health risk
The big takeaway? Don’t let perfectionism (or scary headlines) stop you from eating your greens. Buy the best quality you can afford, wash your produce, consider growing your own if you can, and above all, practice food joy.
Because at the end of the day, eating real food consistently matters more than obsessing over trace residues.
EWG links:
- https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
- https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php
Tower garden:
- https://ca.towergarden.com/#michelleplants
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