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A head of Romaine is up over $4 a pound. Field-grown tomatoes reached $2.69 earlier this year. Don't get us started on the price of berries.
Buying fresh fruits and veggies shouldn't feel like a luxury, but the sticker shock in the produce aisle these days can be pretty discouraging. Between extreme weather, rising labor costs, and new trade policy, many of the staples we count on are rising much faster than overall inflation.
Fresh vegetables cost 10% more than they did a year ago, led by a staggering 32% increase in lettuce and a 19.5% spike in tomatoes, according to the June Consumer Price Index. As a category, the hike in fresh fruit hasn't been nearly as steep, though the CPI doesn't break out many individual fruits. Apples are up over 7%; citrus fruits, over 6%.
So what?
Cutting back on steaks or snack foods is one thing, but fresh produce feels non-negotiable. If you buy organic versions at least occasionally, knowing where you can safely stick to conventionally grown produce could be an easy way to help protect your budget.
According to a LendingTree analysis of USDA data, organic produce cost an average of 59% more than conventional alternatives as of January, and some items — including Roma tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and bell peppers — were more than twice as expensive.
What's more, the premium seems to be widening: Between January 2025 and January 2026, organic produce prices rose 10% on the whole, while conventional produce barely budged.
The thing is, some non-organic produce can have minimal pesticide residue, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an environmental advocacy group that puts out an annual shopper's guide to pesticides in produce.
Each year the EWG ranks 47 fruits and vegetables using USDA data from pesticide residue tests conducted on samples (this year 54,344 samples.)
The 15 with the least residue, known as the “Clean 15,” includes:
1) Pineapple
2) Sweet corn (fresh and frozen)
3) Avocados
4) Papaya
5) Onion
6) Sweet peas (frozen)
7) Asparagus
8) Cabbage
9) Cauliflower
10) Watermelon
11) Mango
12) Banana
13) Carrot
14) Mushroom
15) Kiwi
And the 12 with the most residue, known as the “Dirty Dozen,” includes:
47) Spinach
46) Kale, collard, and mustard greens
45) Strawberries
44) Grapes
43) Nectarines
42) Peaches
41) Cherries
40) Apples
39) Blackberries
38) Pears
37) Potatoes
36) Blueberries
Lettuce and tomatoes actually fall right in the middle, making neither of the official lists:
16) Broccoli
17) Cantaloupe
18) Sweet potatoes
19) Eggplant
20) Snap peas
21) Grapefruit
22) Raspberries
23) Summer squash
24) Oranges
25) Tomatillos
26) Plums
27) Tomatoes
28) Winter squash
29) Cherry tomatoes
30) Celery
31) Cucumbers
32) Tangerines
33) Lettuce
34) Bell and hot peppers
35) Green beans
In case you're wondering, pesticides have nothing to do with the recent outbreaks of an intestinal illness caused by the Cyclospora parasite. This infection starts when people consume food or water contaminated with feces.
Related Reading
Americans Are Sick of High Prices. Companies Are Finally Doing Something About It. (The Wall Street Journal)
Why Is Food So Expensive? (NerdWallet)
The New Math of Eating Out: Is It Still Worth It? (SoFi)
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