An Apple A Day...

Keeps my toddler happy. It's nice when the kids acutally like fruits and veg. It also doesn't hurt that our favorite apple varieties tend toward the sweet - Gala is the best!

But with the fall harvest and all the gorgeous apple displays at our local grocery, we're still given pause when comparing the prices of conventially grown versus organically grown apples. In our area there's about a 100% difference in price $2.99/lb. for organics and around $1.49 or even less for conventially grown. Oh, and we live in Washington, the nation's largest apple producer. Hmmm.

We still opt for the organics and spend a little more time picking out those that don't have any slashes or noticable bruising to ensure a bit longer fridge shelf life. It's worth it to know we're avoiding the chemicals and supporting the growers to keep our lands green. And if you're looking to lower the apple bill, try mixing in other organically grown fruit and getting your kids excited about a fruit salad. You cut and/or peel and they mix. Add some orange juice, fizzy water and/or other fruit juice to give it some zip.

So next trip to the grocery, pick up a few apples and keep your little ones happy and out of the clinic this cold season.

Stay healthy and enjoy!