Most grocery stores stock organic staples in a special section and organic vegetables in their own section in the produce aisle. Sometimes the organic sections include bulk foods. In chain stores, the fresh foods (produce, dairy, meat and bread) are on the walls of the store, while aisles contain processed foods. Sticking to the perimeter keeps you in the fresh zone.
Read the label: if one of the ingredients is high fructose corn syrup it’s a pretty good bet the item is a product of the industrial food system. Remember a picture of a farm on the label doesn’t mean the product came from a farm.
Organic when possible, local when possible, organic local is the best! Natural is an unregulated word. Look for milk with a “no RGBH” notice, and check the meat labels for no antibiotics or hormones.
A word about organic: this term is regulated by the USDA for industrial food producers. Local farmers may not be able to afford the certification but use organic methods. Talk to the farmer at the market, our Kitsap farmers are usually happy to explain how they grow the food we are eating.
