Chemical Free

I grew up in a pretty whole-wheat lovin', organic-embracing, sugar-free zone household. My guy friends knew our house wasn't the stop for a Costco enabled chow-down, but they were willing to eat a little rabbit food if it meant they could play my brother's James Bond video game. Life is about compromise.

Anyhoo, this way of eating is in my bones, and I've always been big on produce. When I get stressed, I eat more apples. I used to eat three/day (at least)when studying for med school tests. I intermittently bought organic produce, but often ended up with whatever fruit I could pick up at TJ's, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, or Giant. Since I buy produce in bulk, price was an issue. We've all read the articles about the chemicals that are poured onto the non-organic produce. Many, many articles. Then one day recently, I reached my tipping point. An innocent msn.com headline pulled me in. "Learn which fresh produce products are best bought organic." They outlined the types and amounts of chemicals that are used for various types of fruits. The scales fell from my eyes, and all of a sudden it seemed so horrifying. I'm ingesting that?

I talked to Chris that night, and we both agreed: this family's produce is organic or bust. Now of course we'll still eat something non-organic if we're out and about or at a family/friends house, but we want to stock our own fridge with the most natural variety of things. We're exposed to so much crappy stuff these days, we might as well minimize what we can.

We ended up signing up for a service that my sister told me about: Washington's Green Grocer. They deliver a small or large box of organic or organic/regular produce to your door. You can have it delivered weekly, biweekly, or on an as-needed basis. No contracts, no long-term obligations. Try it and if you don't like it, you can just stop. You get the list for what they'll deliver the week before. You can change out things you aren't interested in, and exchange them for more apples. You wouldn't want something else, would you?

Anyway, it's awesome. Chris loves experimenting with new veggies (they have recipes, by the by, on their website to guide you), and he made a delicious, colorful, all-organic salad for dinner tonight. Love it.

So, are you in the mood to go freshy fresh?

All in favor of apples el natural, stand up and cheer!


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