Clean Fifteen, Dirty Dozen, Organic, Pesticides Susan Morrison Clean Fifteen, Dirty Dozen, Organic, Pesticides Susan Morrison

CW Vol 2 Ed. 27 - Red, White & Clean Fifteen: Eat Smart This 4th—and All Year Long

As we fire up the grills and fill our picnic baskets for the 4th of July, it’s the perfect time to talk about what’s really on your plate. Whether you’re slicing watermelon for a backyard BBQ or grabbing fruit for the kids’ snacks, being mindful about produce can support both your health and your wallet.

Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases its popular Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, ranking fruits and vegetables based on how much pesticide residue they carry. Their lists—the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen—help shoppers like you make informed choices about when it’s worth buying organic and when conventional is just fine.

Clean Fifteen – Ideal for Your Summer BBQs & Picnics

These top 15 items have the lowest pesticide residues, according to the 2025 EWG data:

  • Pineapple

  • Sweet corn (fresh & frozen)

  • Avocados

  • Papaya

  • Onions

  • Frozen sweet peas

  • Asparagus

  • Cabbage

  • Watermelon

  • Cauliflower

  • Bananas

  • Mangoes

  • Carrots

  • Mushrooms

  • Kiwi

Pro Tip! Many small farms use organic practices but haven’t gone through the expensive certification process. If you’re shopping at a farmer’s market, don’t hesitate to ask farmers about their growing practices. Consider buying produce from small farms—even if it’s on the Dirty Dozen—if they follow organic methods but aren’t certified yet.

⚠️ Dirty Dozen – Buy Organic When You Can

These 12 fruits & vegetables were found to have the highest pesticide residues in 2025:

  • Spinach – has more pesticide by weight than any other type of produce.

  • Strawberries – the average American eats about 8 lbs of fresh strawberries a year - and with them dozens of pesticides!

  • Kale, collard & mustard greens – more than ½ of kale samples tainted by possibly cancer causing pesticide!

  • Grapes

  • Peaches – almost all peaches are contaminated with pesticides - some with as many as 19.

  • Cherries

  • Nectarines

  • Pears – among the most pesticide-contaminiated fruit in EWG’s Dirty Dozen.

  • Apples

  • Blackberries – the USDA tested for the first time in 2023.

  • Blueberries

  • Potatoes – the most consumed vegetable in the U.S. – join this year’s Dirty Dozen.

Did You Know? These lists are based on real testing of more than 47,000 samples by the USDA and FDA, and they’re updated annually.

See the full EWG Dirty Dozen / Clean 15 list and links to related articles by clicking here.

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View this Newsletter here!

7/2/2025

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