You?ve probably heard of the ?Dirty Dozen,? a list of 12 fruits and vegetables named annually by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to be the most laden with pesticides. The US advocacy group?s message is that people can limit their exposure to pesticides by buying these 12 products from the organic aisle. Toddler favourites are routinely among the top offenders, and this year?s list, released in March, is no different: strawberries and grapes are named as pesticide peddlers. If you?re pregnant or parenting little ones, the list could drive you to buy these foods organic, or, at the very least, feel guilty for eating the non-organic variety or serving them to your kids.
But is it really necessary to buy strawberries and grapes in the organic section" Is it actually safer" It?s important to note that the EWG is heavily funded by organic food companies, says Erin MacGregor, a registered dietitian and co-owner of the Toronto-based food and nutrition company How To Eat. She calls the guidelines ?a marketing tactic by a segment of the food industry that really benefits from the fear of pesticides.? And she worries about the impact of this tactic. ?If you?re a parent that has a strict grocery budget and you?re not able to afford organic fruit and vegetables, this messaging can make you feel like you?re not doing the best you can for your children or you?re risking their health, when that?s not the case,? she says.

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