Decoding organic produce

Shape magazine ran an interesting piece in their most recent issue, taking a look at how to shop for organic foods without breaking the bank. Buying green without spending too much of it, I suppose you could say. The article itself was based on the new book The Organic Food Shopper's Guide, written by Jeff Cox. Here is one of the tips mentioned in both the book and the article. It is certainly worth considering the next time you're in the grocery store and want to go Green.

How do you know for sure that you are buying organic produce?

Decipher the Numbers. For the most part, an organic banana looks like a non-organic banana. Same goes for apples and most other fruits. So, how do you know for sure that some rogue non-organic fruit isn't trying to pull a fast one by hanging out in the organic bin? Easy - check its numbers.

Most produce items have stickers affixed to them, and on those labels are a series of numbers. The labels or organic fruits and vegetables have a five-digit code on them that always starts with the number 9. Non-organic produce, however, has a four-digit number. And, genetically modified produce also has a five-digit code, only it always starts with the number 8.