A friend of mine, who is a real food advocate, usually buys everything organic, however, recently she surprised me by saying there are a few items you don’t have to buy from organic sources. She’s been a great source of good nutrition tips, so I’ll pass these on to you.

Avocados – You’re pretty safe with fruits and vegetables like avocados, which have a thick skin that you don’t eat. Just remember to wash the peel before cutting into them to get rid of any residue.

Eggs – Chickens, as a rule, are not given growth hormones. And research has shown that factory eggs don’t have higher quantities of contaminants than organic eggs.

Frozen Food in Plastic Bags – The risk of leached chemicals is heightened by heat, and frozen produce is, well, as cold as ice. As long as you’re not boiling in the bag, the chance of ingesting harmful chemicals from these is low.

Spices – Even when you’re using spices liberally, you’re consuming such small amounts of each that the risk is minimal.

Clothing – While there’s no question that organic cotton is excellent for the environment, the benefits it has on your personal health are unclear – it’s unlikely that pesticides remain in clothing in quantities large enough to seep into our bodies. The one possible exception is clothing treated with flame retardants (the label will tell you if that’s the case).

My food advocate friend has passed on these good nutrition tips to save money while still eating healthy food by things we can buy that we don’t have to pay organic prices for.