I think organic food products are healthier as there is less pesticide residue and bacteria associated with them. However, I know if you thoroughly wash your vegetables, you can reduce pesticide residue, dirt and bacteria. Hence, are organic food products really worth the extra cost?

Yes they are worth the extra cost as you will never be able to wash it all off. Agree with the above answer, follow the D12 list to start of and you'll reduce by about 80% your pesticide intake. Organic is more expensive because more labour is often required, farms are generally smaller and the certification process can be expensive.