Reduce the Risk of Pesticides in Your Child's Diet

When Possible, Go Organic

You may choose to purchase foods and beverages that are certified as organically grown and processed. Organic food is produced according to certifiable guidelines, using renewable resources and conserving soil and water. For animal products, organic means antibiotics and growth hormones are restricted. For fruits, vegetables, and grains, restrictions pertain for most conventional pesticides , petroleum- or sewage-sludge-based fertilizers, bioengineering, and ionizing radiation.

Before a product can be labeled organic, a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food must be certified as well.

Today, many groceries carry organic food, but you can also grow your own chemical-free produce in your backyard. When you grow your own, you have more control over your food. This can be a great family activity.

Lower Pesticide Risk in Foods

• Choose a variety of foods. This will give your family a better mix of nutrients and reduce the likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.
• Trim the fat from meat and poultry. Pesticides tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals.
• Remove the skin from chicken and fish. 
• Discard the fat in broths and pan drippings. 
• Wash produce under clean running water.
• Peel skin or outer leaves. 
• Buy produce in season. Not only is it less expensive, but it is also less likely to have been treated with fungicides and other preservatives. 
• Buy from local growers. In this way you avoid buying food shipped over long distances or stored over long periods of time, and there is accountability for the manner in which it was produced. It also provides tremendous support to the local farmers. Moreover, it can often mean lower prices, too. I think local produce is fresher and better tasting than anything in the grocery store. To help find family farms, farmers markets, and other sources of sustainable produce grown in your area, go to http://www.localharvest.org.
  

Buying organic can be more expensive, so you may have to make hard choices. The produce most important to buy as organic produce are the fruits and veggies that, if not grown organically, have the highest pesticide residues.

Between 2000 and 2007, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed the results of nearly 87,000 tests for residues on produce collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Nearly all the tested produce had been rinsed or peeled. According to EWG, a person eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables a day will...