Top 6 Green Passover Tips

by Claire Moshenberg for MomsRising.org

I love Seder, and I would never want to give up any of the traditional pieces of the meal, or any of the traditions my family shares. Luckily, I can make Seder less toxic without losing any of the components that I love, and you can too! A few simple changes will drastically reduce toxic chemicals on your table and in your home this Passover.

Charoset: Apples are a key ingredient in charoset; unfortunately, they’re also a member of the Dirty Dozen, a list of the most pesticide contaminated fruits and vegetables. Minimize toxic chemicals in this beloved dish by using organic apples. If your family uses raisens in their charoset, choose organic raisens as well: grapes are also on the Dirty Dozen list.

Wine and grape juice: Like I mentioned above, grapes are a member of the ominous Dirty Dozen, so it’s important to choose organic grapes, grape juice, and wine when possible. The Jew and the Carrot has recommendations on how to choose an organic Kosher wine for your Seder.

Washing the parsley and bitter herbs: The surface of fruits and veggies can be home to chemicals and pathogens, which is why it’s important to thoroughly wash all your Passover produce, like parsley, particularly if it’s not organic. Rub your fruits and veggies for 30 to 60 seconds under warm running water. Wash inedible peels, like the one on the horseradish; even though you discard the peel, cutting into the fruit or peeling the fruit can transfer chemicals into the fruits flesh through your knife. For edible peels, peeling non-organic fruits and vegetables is an easy way to avoid the chemicals that are absorbed into the peel.

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