9 Secret Grocery Shopping Tips You Need to Know

We all desire to find only fresh food in grocery stores and supermarkets, but the truth is often different. Expired products are often displayed alongside fresh ones on store shelves, and it can be challenging to differentiate between them.

1. Fish

In grocery stores and supermarkets, we all desire to purchase only freshly stocked food items. However, the unfortunate reality is far from this ideal, as expired products often coexist with fresh ones on the shelves, making it challenging to distinguish between the two.

2. Meat

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to tell whether meat is fresh or not. When buying it, you should pay attention to several factors at once: the color, smell, and even your feelings when you touch the meat. Fresh meat is always solid, and when you press it, the indent quickly returns to its original shape. If the indent on the meat remains, the beef, pork, or poultry is stale.

3. Milk

The primary indicators of milk freshness include its aroma, flavor, and appearance. While the smell and taste can only be assessed after buying the milk, its color can be observed directly in the store. Fresh milk exhibits a clean white hue with a slight yellowish tinge.

4. Cereals

Cereals come with an expiration date too. Corn, wheat, rice, and oat cereals can retain their freshness for up to 5 months if refrigerated. However, if stored at room temperature, their freshness is preserved for only 1 month.

5. Eggplant

You can typically assess the freshness of fruits and vegetables by examining their firmness and any soft spots they may have, but when it comes to eggplants, there’s another indicator to consider — their stems. If the stem of the eggplant starts to turn brown and changes from green to a reddish hue, it’s a sign that the eggplant should be discarded.

6. Butter

While unopened butter can remain usable for up to 9 months when stored in the freezer, it is important to check the color after cutting off a piece before using it. If the inside of the butter matches the color of the outside, it is fresh and safe to consume. However, if the inside appears lighter than the outside, it has likely oxidized and should not be consumed.

7. Persimmon

Select persimmons with a deep orange or red hue. Minor dark spots on the skin are typically harmless unless they are accompanied by sunken or broken flesh, indicating decay.

To avoid the astringent taste, it is important to ensure that persimmons are fully ripe before using them. A ripe persimmon will be soft enough for its flesh to break through its skin.

8. Oysters

The color and aroma of oysters can be used to assess their freshness. Fresh oysters typically appear plump with a shiny, tan hue, whereas spoiled ones have a dry, cloudy appearance and emit a strong fishy odor.

9. Caviar

One of the most effective methods for testing the freshness of caviar is through the sense of smell. Fresh caviar is virtually odorless, whereas spoiled caviar emits a strong fishy smell. If there are still uncertainties regarding the caviar’s freshness, another technique to employ is pouring water over it: fresh caviar should descend to the bottom, while rancid or expired caviar will float to the surface.

Share any additional approaches for assessing the freshness of food in the comments section below.