The Dirty Dozen Solution – Try this easy to make produce cleaner and soak for non-organic produce!
The produce on the Dirty Dozen list contains the highest amount of pesticides – and if it’s on the list, then you should buy organic whenever possible. The list includes almost all of our favorites – apples, strawberries, grapes, peaches, blueberries, cherry tomatoes – and the complete list now includes over TWO dozen!
The Clean Fifteen is another list of produce that contain a very low presence of pesticides and you can buy “non-organic” and consume safely.
Well, having the list is great – but sometimes organic produce just isn’t readily available – and sometimes we just don’t have the extra $$ to spend for produce that has been organically grown.
The Dirty Dozen “Solution”
Luckily there is a solution – literally! This easy to prepare solution of vinegar and water can be used to clean any fruits and vegetables – and will remove pesticides and up to 98% of the bacteria on any produce.
All produce should be thoroughly cleaned and washed before use whether or not it’s organic, and we’ve found this to be the easiest and most inexpensive way to do it! We use this soak on all of our produce before we eat it.
It’s super easy to do – and the ingredients are very inexpensive – just vinegar and water. You can also add a fresh lemon juice “boost” if you like. You should use about 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.
We also wash the produce before soaking with soap – yes soap!
Make sure you have enough solution to cover all the produce in a big bowl or just use the sink!
For berries and leafy greens – soak for about 2 minutes. Set a timer – it’s easy to be like my husband and forget about them! 🙂
The leafy greens will be crispy and fresher tasting after soaking too!
Soak fruits & veggies on the Dirty Dozen List for at least 5 – 15 minutes (remember berries and leafy greens only 2 minutes)
Thoroughly rinse and drain to remove any traces of vinegar – and then dry the produce completely.
Now you can store them and they’re ready for eating or cooking!
Hope you find the produce soak helpful – and you can also check out the following page to find more “healthy, great tasting recipes”
If you have any aging concerns. Let me help you.
Drop me a line anytime, and either myself or one of my representatives will respond to you as soon as possible.