<p>Interesting re: the strawberries. Aren’t grapes supposed to be bad (the non-organic) too?</p>
<p>I love Whole Foods. I do NOT shop there because, simply put, it’s just too expensive. I can’t afford to buy $1 each apples. We also go to the local farmer’s market until it ends (which it did last week). We shop mostly at a local smaller grocery store which. We don’t use many processed foods, but we also don’t eat only organic, and we do use canned products. We do spend extra on decent whole grain bread, brown rice, and other whole grain products.</p>
<p>Here’s a link on the best fruits/vegs to buy organic. It’s said to be based on info & studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports, and the Environmental Working Group. </p>
<p>[Top</a> 12 Fruits and Vegetables You Should Buy Organic](<a href=“http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/organicproduce_2.htm]Top”>Which Organic Produce is Worth It?)</p>
<p>Here’s the list (acc’d to this website):
Nectarines – 97.3% of nectarines sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Celery – 94.5% of celery sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Pears – 94.4% of pears sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Peaches – 93.7% of peaches sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Apples – 91% of apples sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Cherries – 91% of cherries sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Strawberries – 90% of strawberries sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Imported Grapes – 86% of imported grapes (i.e. Chile) sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Spinach – 83.4% of spinach sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Potatoes – 79.3% of potatoes sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Bell Peppers – 68% of bell peppers sampled were found to contain pesticides.
Red Raspberries – 59% of red raspberries sampled were found to contain pesticides</p>
<p>They say these are the least contaminated foods - many of these have thick, inedible skins which protect the fruit.) </p>
<p>Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Corn (However, almost all corn is genetically modified)
Kiwi
Mangoes
Onions
Papaya
Pineapples
Sweet Peas </p>
<p>I didn’t research the validity of these lists, but it looks initially reputable…</p>
<p>One thing I do — wash the fruits/veg in a mixture of vinegar/water from a spray bottle. I read an article (in Newsweek, I think) that this is even more effective than an anti-bacterial at removing chemicals, e-coli, etc.</p>
<p>Rachacha - how long does it take to cook quinoa?</p>
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<p>I am envious :). I am a lot smarter now when it comes to food, but I was a fool when young. Have you ever read Paris to the Moon by Gopnik? I will never forget when I read that he had jumped at the opportunity of living in Paris because he wanted his kids to grow up not knowing the hamburger.
There is always hope for next generation 
My daughter will be a total health food junkie :)</p>
<p>^^^Some talking heads on CNBC mentioned this morning that France was the second largest market for McDonald’s after the US. I hope they were joking.</p>