Cleaning homegrown vegetables prior to consumption

Question

I grow vegetables and fruit in my backyard. Everything is grown organically so I don't have any concerns with pesticide or chemicals on my edible fruits and vegetables. However, they do get exposed to insects and other animals (squirrels). I am not sure if insects lay eggs on my leafy vegetables or some of them get eaten by caterpillars. Whatever the case may be, I would like to know what care I need to take prior to consuming these fruits and vegetables. I am growing leaf vegetables (lettuce, kale), root vegetables (beet, carrot), tomatoes, zuccinni, cucumbers, peppers, apple, pear, grapes, etc.

Answer 1

Just wash them all in clean tapwater - the hardest are the leafy greens, so the way to do that is immersion in a sink full of water, then picking out the leaves and running them directly under the tap, at the same time as inspecting for eggs and caterpillars. Then a salad spinner if you've got one, or just leave them to drain down in a colander. You may need a vegetable scrubbing brush for the carrots if you're not going to peel them before cooking.

Answer 2

If you subscribe to the hygiene hypothesis, then there's no need to wash anything.

If you're not keen on eating insects and eggs, then a good immersion in warm salty water removes insects, and inspection is needed to remove eggs. Insects are a good source of vitamin B12 for those who are strict vegetarians.