Organic???

So, here's a loaded question: do you buy organic???

If I can afford it, I do. Why do I buy organic? Because I really believe that farming without pesticides and eating food that isn't covered in pesticides is better for the earth and our bodies.

I am lucky in a lot of ways. I can go to the commissary, where organic items are significantly less expensive (most of the time anyway) than regular stores. I also do not have a very large family, so I don't need to buy huge amounts of it. Costco also carries many organic products.

I even buy natural/organic personal products. Yes, they are really expensive. But again, I can go to the commissary. And sometimes they even have coupons so it becomes about the same price non organic personal items.

I do have a few personal rules about buying organic produce. If we eat the skin, like an apple or berries, I do my best to buy organic. If we don't eat the skin, like banana's or avocados, then I usually just buy non organic. Yes, it's mostly because of the price, and also because we're throwing away the majority of the chemicals when we peel it.

I have even found something very interesting. My son Superhero has ADD. And while we don't medicate him, I do try to watch his diet. Anything processed from a store, like a cookie or a popsicle, when eaten at a certain time of day, does crazy things to his body, which then makes him act like a crazy person and then he won't go to sleep and has an incredibly difficult time listening and following directions. I know, this sounds a little crazy, but just stick with me here. While as a general rule, we do not allow him to have any sort of treat after dinner (not even one small scoop of ice cream people, it does get that bad) when he has a cookie or brownie or something that I've made with the organic sugar I buy from Costco (I saw the same sugar at Whole Foods, 16 oz. bag, for $3.99. I buy a 10 lb bag from Costco for a little more than $8.00)(and it's even fair trade!!!) he does not exhibit that same behavior. I know, it sounds crazy, but it happens every time. Also, as a side note, during the school year, I make sure he gets a good amount of protein with only a few carbs for breakfast, and it really improves his behavior at school. So, it's worth it for a few extra dishes to wash to make his teachers day a bit easier, as well as give him the opportunity to make good choices, and to learn things better.

So, for us, it's worth it. Maybe someday, when I live in a place that actually has sun for at least half of the year, I'll garden and grow my own stuff.