30 March 2026

April is nearly here and, with it, an extremely early Passover and Easter! Both of these holidays represent a season of rejuvenation. After this harsh winter, it’s fair to say…we need it! Even if you don’t celebrate either, “spring cleaning” is a thing.

So if you already gave up on your new year’s resolutions, here’s your opportunity for a mindful revitalization.

You may have noticed that eggs are a big part of these spring celebrations, symbolizing fertility and renewal. Since I re-homed my last chicken at DIG Farm many years ago, I have found lots of great alternatives for eggs in my cooking. See last year’s April Fool’s blog for real food solutions to the egg dilemma, but flaxseed works great in baking and tofu makes a great scrambled sub.

Whole egg alternatives are a bit trickier, although Sam Turnbull has a delicious Vegan Egg Yolk recipe that can be poured into a tofu “egg white”, and I did make “hard-boiled” potatoes a few Passovers ago.

Speaking of cleaning and things that come in dozens, the other thing that normally comes out around this time is the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list of the fruits and vegetables that show the highest levels of pesticide residues when grown conventionally. I’m not linking it here because - while I appreciate much of EWG’s work in promoting health - this list generally has the opposite effect.

Let me explain.

The Dirty Dozen is based on USDA’s own data, but what they don’t tell you is that 99% of the produce tested through the annual Pesticide Data Program have residues well below the EPA’s safety guidelines (which, by the way are set 10-1,000 times lower than those that caused no adverse effects in testing). Although it might seem like common sense to assume that organic is pesticide free and naturally-derived means “safe”, neither is a given.

In 1538, Swiss physician Paracelcus coined the adage we use today as, “the dose makes the poison,” originally:

All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison.

Now let’s zoom out to health data we have on fruits and vegetables. True, our food system has changed since the beginning of evidence-gathering. Nonetheless, all evidence-based research to date has connected high produce consumption with health…longevity, reduced risk of chronic disease, even brain health. And few of these studies differentiated conventional versus organic. With organic making up about 12% of produce sales in the U.S., we can assume that most of the produce eaten in those studies was conventional.

EWG publishes its annual list with zero context about the amounts of pesticides found and the risks of said residues. A team of scientists with expertise in risk analysis, toxicology and nutrition noted that the EWG study contained significant errors and data manipulation (they didn’t even include potatoes). If you have concerns about the pesticides in your food, you can check out this handy pesticide residue calculator. While the non-profit Alliance For Food & Farming may have a special interest in selling more fruits and vegetables, the data on public health don’t lie. Veggies save lives.

With only 10% of Americans eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, we can’t really afford to dissuade anyone from eating produce. Studies have shown that those who can’t afford organic often choose none (rather than conventional). Personally, I choose organic when affordable, solely because I think it may promote a healthier food system (although even this isn’t strictly true - it’s more about regenerative than the organic label).

While I disagree with the food bullying of a Dirty Dozen list, I do appreciate some of the awareness EWG has spread through its research. I just wish they would focus on nutrition equity and policy change. In this new report, they have raised alarm-bells about PFAS in foods. Despite Lee Zeldin’s (US Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency) stated goal of reducing PFAS contamination, the recent approval of five PFAS pesticides and gutting of protections against PFAS in water seem to contradict that. These actions together increase long term exposure risk.

Major staffing cuts and elimination of advisory committees at the USDA, FDA and CDC mean reduced accountability, fewer inspections of our produce, and less chance to prevent or contain foodborn illness outbreaks. Funding cuts have taken “teeth” from some provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act, making food less traceable. These are big picture concerns that, if addressed, could help all Americans. EWG’s report of tiny pesticide residues is a low priority for me.

As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I recommend eating a plethora of fruits and vegetables - conventional, organic or home grown (stay tuned for my adventures with the community garden club). Diversity and volume always help (allergies aside). What if, instead of worrying about the Dirty Dozen, we focus on the Thriving 30? Why avoid when we can choose? Eating 30 different plant foods each week - and feeding our gut with the diversity of nutrients they provide - is a delicious way to improve our health.

Because developing new habits takes time - and sometimes requires we write it down - reach out if you want my Thriving 30 worksheet for ideas and tracking.

Have you heard of the Dirty Dozen before? How do YOU make decisions about fruits and vegetables? I want to know! In the meantime…