Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Organic packaged foods, like HAPPYBABY meals, are made with organic ingredients and are packaged in facilities that are certified to meet strict USDA organic standards.

Reason #1: It's the best for Baby

The long-term health effects of pesticide exposure are not fully known. What we do know is that children who eat organically grown foods are exposed to fewer pesticides than children who don't. And children are small, so even low levels of pesticides will concentrate more highly in their bodies than in adults. Many experts therefore agree that children are among those who benefit most from eating organic foods.

Certain fruits and vegetables are consistently shown to be more contaminated with pesticides than other produce. This list is sometimes referred to as the Dirty Dozen. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental research organization, recommends buying only organic:

Not only do organically grown foods provide the benefit of ingesting fewer pesticides, they may even be more nutritious! Several studies have shown that organic fruits and vegetables have higher levels of antioxidants than conventionally grown produce. In some cases, organic samples had 2 to 3 times more antioxidants or vitamins.

If the safety and nutritional value of organic foods isn't enough, consider this: organic foods taste better! We know that taste preferences are mostly learned, and begin forming in early childhood. Giving your child fresh and delicious unadulterated foods will help baby learn to enjoy healthy eating now and in the future.

Reason #2: It's the best for our environment

To many people, the main reason to eat organically grown and processed food is to support sustainable farming methods that are more friendly to the earth. Organic methods include crop rotation, composting, and use of insects and natural substances to control pests that may otherwise damage crops. Organic farms have less top-soil loss and generate less pollution than conventional farms.

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FOOTNOTES:

— Curl,CL, et al. Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure of Urban and Suburban Preschool Children with Organic and Conventional Diets. Environ Health Perspect. 2003; 111:377-382.

— Lu C, et al. Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children's Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides. Environ Health Perspect. 2006;114:260-263.