A growing number of families in the U.S. are making a concerted effort to shop organic for their children. "Parents want their kids to be healthy, and that takes work," said Dr. Mark Wippel, pediatrician with Marshall Pediatrics.
He said families are becoming increasingly aware of what to look for while grocery shopping, and local stores have responded by carrying a wider selection of healthy foods. Wippel, a father of three who eats a vegetarian diet, said parents should start with what are commonly called "whole foods" - foods that have been processed or refined as little as possible and contain no additives or artificial ingredients.
"When you can, buy organic. There's a lot that goes into the USDA organic certification that has to do with basic ecology, protecting the land and the way things are grown. Fewer chemicals are used, for one, and there's a lot of scientific evidence that the chemicals we spray on our foods and add to our foods are harmful to us. That's the bottom line - these are things that are not good for our kids."
Most local grocers carry organic options for produce and other foods, and even restaurants like Panera and McDonald's have begun removing preservatives from their menu items. The availability of healthy options is "1,000 times better" than 10 or 20 years ago, Wippel said.
Doable on a budget
Courtney Ballengee, mom of six, said green grocery shopping is even doable for moms on a budget.
"We made a decision to cut out dyes, high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils, and we're actually able to do the bulk of our shopping at Aldi," said Ballengee, who also visits Sam's Club and the Heiner's surplus store once a month or so to restock her family's deep freezer. "It has cut our grocery bill in half."
Every parent has different priorities when it comes to grocery shopping, she said, but for her, buying organic isn't as important as finding food that has been minimally processed.
"If I can find something organic without too much of a cost difference, that's definitely a perk," she said. "But for me the most important thing is reducing the additives and the processing. It can definitely be overwhelming when you decide to start reading labels at the store, especially if your kids are right there with you, but that's the great thing about Aldi. You don't have a million options, and you're not going to be there for four hours. It keeps you focused."
