{"id":10797,"date":"2016-04-15T23:57:10","date_gmt":"2016-04-15T23:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/?p=10797"},"modified":"2023-06-03T19:58:37","modified_gmt":"2023-06-04T02:58:37","slug":"tips-grocery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/tips-grocery\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips:  Grocery Shopping"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/groc-bag.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright aiif12190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/groc-bag.jpg\" alt=\"groc-bag\" width=\"203\" height=\"203\"><\/a>Getting the Best Price<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Pick up newspaper &#8211; look for Loss Leaders &#8211; These are the items that the store will take a loss on, to get you into that aisle, where frequently other prices have been increased.<\/li>\n<li>Cheese . Cheddar is cheddar . It is a regulated label, so go ahead and buy the less expensive stuff<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask for a taste<\/li>\n<li>Buy in bulk when possible<\/li>\n<li>Freeze left over bread . Bread crumbs, croutons, bread pudding, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Buy artisinal fresh-baked breads near the end of the day . They are usually marked down<\/li>\n<li>If you are going to eat something THAT NIGHT, don&#8217;t be afraid to buy things that are on the last day of sale.&nbsp; They are still perfectly good.<\/li>\n<li>A lot of stores have SENIOR DAY.&nbsp; Don&#8217;t be too proud to go on that day.&nbsp; With a $100 grocery bill, if you go on Senior Day you could save up to $20.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Selecting Vegetables and Fruit<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Cantaloupe: Sniff the bottom.&nbsp; It should smell like ripe cantaloupe.&nbsp; True cantaloue is sold only in Europe.&nbsp; Most in the US are hybrids.&nbsp; There should be no cracks or blemishes, and it should be heavy for its size.<\/li>\n<li>Avocados: When selecting an avocado, if you are planning on eating it right away, get one from which the stem falls off easily, but is still somewhat green underneath.&nbsp; If the underneath has turned brown they are overripe.&nbsp; If the stem does not come off, it is good to sit on your counter for a few days until it ripens. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/avocado-tips-and-tricks\/\">CLICK HERE<\/a> for Avocado Tips and Tricks.<\/li>\n<li>Watermelons:&nbsp; You&#8217;ve heard of people flicking melons with their finger.&nbsp; They are listening for a hollow sound.&nbsp; As the sugars mature, the chemistry changes and they start to sound hollow rather than solid.&nbsp; A flat spot is where it sat on the ground.&nbsp; If it is white, it is not ripe.&nbsp; If the spot is yellow, it is ripe.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>To cut and piece a melon, cut a flat spot on the top and bottom, and then cut off the skin<\/li>\n<li>Shake the water off your veggies and you could save up to a quarter just in water weight.<\/li>\n<li>Artichoke should be tight and compact.&nbsp; If the tips have started to open, it means that they are losing their moisture and flavor and will be tougher<\/li>\n<li>Garlic should be heavy for its size, and should absolutely not have tiny sprouts of green on them.<\/li>\n<li>Grapefruit should be heavy for its size<\/li>\n<li>Peaches, nectarines and plums should have a slight give to it &#8211; should not be too firm or too soft.<\/li>\n<li>Bananas should have a few brown dots on the skin, indicating that they are at the peak of ripeness.&nbsp; Too much brown would indicate that they are overripe and are great for banana bread.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Pharmacy Tips<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Try dark chocolate for cough suppression<\/li>\n<li>Black tea has tannins . Use them for baggy eyes<\/li>\n<li>Fish oil . Look for EPA and DHA&nbsp; . Omega 3 fatty acids help headaches<\/li>\n<li>Keep steri strips handy for knife cuts, rather than standard band-aids<\/li>\n<li>Some stores give fuel points.&nbsp; Even though a prescription might be a bit more expensive, consider the hidden benefits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Get cold things last &#8211; take a cooler<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Get cold things like milk, eggs, cheese, meat and ice cream last, so that they don&#8217;t start to spoil before you even get them home.&nbsp; Better yet, take a small cooler.&nbsp; First stop will be the deli, where you can put some ice into your cooler.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Things that fall through the cracks<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Ice reminder<strong>:<\/strong> Why do they put the ice machine AFTER the checkout line.&nbsp; I frequently forget ice until I have finished checking out.&nbsp; To help you remember, write a note card and laminate it in plastic.&nbsp; Put it in your cart with your other groceries.&nbsp; The clerk will see your sign that says something like &#8220;Don&#8217;t forget the ice.&#8221;&nbsp; and life is good once again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Organize your list<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>If you make a shopping list (which you should) put dairy together, fruits and vegetables together, as well as cereals, meats, canned food, etc.&nbsp; It will make your shopping trip much more efficient.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Sandwich toppings<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>For jelly\/jam sandwiches, use fruit preserves rather than spreadable fruit.&nbsp; Actual preserves have a bit less fruit in them, but have a better texture and balance of sweetness than the spreadable fruits, which are flavored with miscellaneous fruit juices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Buying Damaged Goods<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>You can buy older bananas for a discount.&nbsp; If you are making banana bread, rather than buying fresh bananas and letting them age, ask for the discount.<\/li>\n<li>If you are making marinara, ask for a discount on bruised tomatoes.&nbsp; They won&#8217;t sell as sandwich tomatoes, and they are usually glad to get rid of the damaged product.<\/li>\n<li>The same goes for a head of lettuce or a melon.&nbsp; If a piece of it is damaged, ask for half off.&nbsp; The soft spot frequently means that it is at the peak of ripeness, and as long as you are eating it that night, it will be delicious.<\/li>\n<li>Dented cans are another source of good savings, but if the top lid is puffed out at all, turn it in to the manager.&nbsp; You will keep someone from getting sick that doesn&#8217;t know better.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Buying Ground Meats<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>You can usually ask your butcher to grind your meat for you.&nbsp; That way, you know you are getting 100% meat without fillers.&nbsp; The exception to this could be chicken or turkey.&nbsp; Because of the potential for contamination, small butcher shops may grind chicken only one or two days per week.&nbsp; Larger shops will have a dedicated grinder.&nbsp; Call before you go.<\/li>\n<li>It is risky to grind your own poultry.&nbsp; There are special contamination issues that need to be addressed.&nbsp; Trust me &#8211; it is more of a hassle than a benefit.&nbsp; Let the grocery store deal with the grinding.&nbsp; Ask them if their chicken is ground by them or by a third-party provider.&nbsp; If it is them, they can tell you if it is 100% meat, or if it has other chicken parts in it.&nbsp; You can ask them if they grind chicken on demand, or on a specific day of the week.&nbsp; If it is the later, you can buy poultry and ask them to grind it for you.<\/li>\n<li>Meat Dept . Look for the loss leaders and freeze it.<\/li>\n<li>One of the newest scams is buy one get TWO free.&nbsp; Check out the unit price for one, and compare it to the same item at other stores.&nbsp; You will be shocked.<\/li>\n<li>80\/20 meat is a good meat for grilling and for sausage.&nbsp; A bit more grease than leaner portions, but a whole lot more flavor.<\/li>\n<li>Use a coarse plate grinder for a more robust hamburger.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Buying Quality Meats<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>I think it is safe to say that you have all had a $4 steak from the grocery store, and wondered why it doesn&#8217;t taste as great as those that you pay $15 for in a restaurant.<\/li>\n<li>The reason is not only atmosphere, it&#8217;s quality of product. Here in Arizona, you can go to The Meat Shop to preorder restaurant-quality cuts of meat. Another good source is Hobe Meats at 16th Street and Bethany Home Road; or if you are not in Phoenix visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omahasteaks.com\/shop\/\"><strong>Omaha Steak Company<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>A much more convenient option is to buy from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omahasteaks.com\/shop\/\">Omaha Steaks<\/a>.&nbsp; You will pay a bit more than a quality local grocery store, but your meat will arrive at your front door step the day after you order it.<\/li>\n<li>YES, they cost you more than what you would pay at the grocery store, but you are worth it. The old adage &#8220;<em><strong>You get what you pay for,&#8221;&nbsp;<\/strong> <\/em>really comes true in this scenario.<\/li>\n<li>Sterling Beef is one of the top quality meats available to consumers.&nbsp; One of the chief factors is the inter-muscular marbling.&nbsp; Good quality meats will be under 2 years of age.&nbsp; The grades are:\n<ul>\n<li>Utility Grade &#8211; Good for ground beef.&nbsp; Cows about 3 years old.&nbsp;&nbsp; This is good for raw dishes such as carpacio or steak tar tar, because eating raw fat is not something we do often in America.&nbsp; Usually entirely grass fed.<\/li>\n<li>Select &#8211; This is good meat, but it is fairly lean, so will not be as fall-apart tender as meat with marbling. 30 months old or less.&nbsp; (about $5\/lb)&nbsp; Sear and keep center about medium.&nbsp; Cut against grain for something like fajitas.<\/li>\n<li>Choice &#8211; Bit more marbling.&nbsp; A very good choice for home grilling.&nbsp; (about $8\/lb)&nbsp; A top quality home steak.&nbsp; Fed its final days on ground corn, so it can be easily digested.<\/li>\n<li>Prime &#8211; Lots of marbling, lots of fat.&nbsp; Represents only about 3% of the meat available for purchase.&nbsp; (about $12\/lb)&nbsp; Seared over very high heat, leaving the center rare to medium rare<\/li>\n<li>Wagyu or Kobe Beef &#8211; Even more marbling&#8230; almost too much for some people. (can be as high as $25\/lb or more) Usually slice VERY thin and then seared briefly, not cooked as a steak.<\/li>\n<li>There are visual differences:&nbsp; Check them out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uwHUsgxYxq8\">BY CLICKING HERE<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Buying Fish<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Use this link for tips on buying fresh fish.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/buying-fresh-fish\/\">CLICK HERE FOR TIPS ON BUYING FRESH FISH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Food Fraud<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Meat . Have them reweigh meat . Frequently has juice added<\/li>\n<li>Veggies . Shake off all excess water<\/li>\n<li>Real lemon juice . Look for 100% lemon juice, not just <strong>contains<\/strong> real lemon juice.<\/li>\n<li>Look at ounces and portion size and number of portions<\/li>\n<li>Check Unit price<\/li>\n<li>Paper towels . Consider sq ft, square size, etc<\/li>\n<li>Cheese counter vs dairy section . Labeling in the dairy section is regulated<\/li>\n<li>Peanut butter . Look for a bottom dimple . The same goes for many similar items: if they indent the bottom, they can make the container appear larger, and actually give you less product.&nbsp; Always look at ounces and unit price<\/li>\n<li>EVOO . Look for certification seal CERMET . Don&#8217;t get blended olive oil<\/li>\n<li>Honey . Look for raw, unfiltered, unheated, unpasturized&nbsp; Locally produced honey also provides anti-allergens that can help you if you have local allergies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting the Best Price Pick up newspaper &#8211; look for Loss Leaders &#8211; These are the items that the store will take a loss on, to get you into that aisle, where frequently other prices have been increased. Cheese . Cheddar is cheddar . It is a regulated label, so go ahead and buy the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/tips-grocery\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Tips:  Grocery Shopping&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tips-tricks-and-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10797"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22912,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10797\/revisions\/22912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}