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Many cities also have co-ops with baskets of organic produce ready
for pickup each week. This is a convenient way to get in your fruits
and vegetables.

Never shop hungry. If you walk into the grocery store with a
growling stomach, you’ll be more susceptible to grabbing unhealthy
foods. Instead, always be prepared with a snack in your purse to
calm your hunger before shopping.
Come to the store with a list. Like shopping on an empty stomach,
coming to the store without a list can lead to unclean ingredients
ending up in your cart. After you’ve gone through the four-week
meal plan this book ofers and gotten used to making your own meal
plans and sticking to the shopping lists, you’ll have a much easier
time sticking to clean eating all the time.

Opt for protein alternatives. Organic meats and seafood can be
expensive. By supplementing with a mixture of vegetarian dishes,
with beans and other protein alternatives, both your appetite and
your wallet will be satisfied.

Buy in bulk whenever possible. Take advantage of your grocery
store’s weekly sales on various items and buy organic meat when it’s
marked down. Place what you don’t need in zip-top plastic freezer
bags with the name and date. When you’re ready to use the ingredi-
ent, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Know what to buy organic. Ideally, it’s best to cook with all
organic produce, but sometimes that’s not possible. The Environ-
mental Working Group has created lists known as the “Dirty Dozen”
and the “Clean 15.” The Dirty Dozen consists of the fruits and veg-
etables that are conventionally treated with a lot of pesticides or
readily absorb the chemicals, and that’s why they’re considered
dirty. Those items should always be bought organic. The Clean 15
refers to fruits and vegetables that are conventionally treated with
very low amounts of pesticide and/or don’t absorb the chemicals as
deeply, so you can opt not to buy the organic versions of these if an
organic option is unavailable or too pricey. Regardless of whether
you purchase conventional produce or organic, always thoroughly

42 28 Days of Clean Eating