June is National Fruit and Vegetable Month, and summer has plenty of fresh, delectable produce to offer. To safely enjoy nutritious produce, it's important to thoroughly wash fruits and veggies to make sure food is free of pesticides and fit for you and your family to eat. Buying organic can help eliminate the risk of pesticide contamination, but it's still necessary to properly wash produce to remove bacteria and dirt. Plus, properly washing food will allow its true flavor to shine! Registered Dietitian Sharon Richter shares with us five important steps when it comes to washing produce:

1. Before you begin, always wash your hands and any surface that the produce will come in contact with, such as counter tops or cutting boards. When cleaning these areas, avoid harsh chemical cleaners and use a safer natural product.
2. Never use soap or detergent to wash fruits and vegetables. Instead, you can make your own fruit and veggie cleaning solution by simply mixing 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water. The vinegar will help kill any bacteria and remove pesticides that may be on the skin or peel. You can put this homemade mixture in a convenient spray bottle to use on smoother-skinned fruits like tomatoes and peaches. 
3. For rough or firm-skinned vegetables such as zucchini, prepare a bowl of your vinegar solution to soak the produce in for around 2 minutes. Delicate fruits like berries as well as leafy greens like spinach can also be soaked. In addition, you can use a special brush to gently scrub away dirt on foods like potatoes.
4. After spraying or soaking produce, rinse well under cold, running water to remove residues and the taste of vinegar.
5. Pat dry with a clean cloth or let dry on a towel.
6. Even if you plan on discarding the rind, washing will prevent contaminants that can be transferred from the outer skin to the fruit flesh when you cut it.

Your produce is ready to enjoy!