Let’s go shopping!

Food Shopping

Mama’s Food Shop

Let’s go shopping!

Article by Jean-Louis Vosgien

Let’s go shopping!!!

Generally, it is a good idea to have a shopping list before you go but don’t be too rigid with the fresh produce, meats, fish, cheeses etc. as freshness and price may surprise you when you get to the store. Be flexible. Instead of those way-to-soft turnips that you need to make soup with, why not buy those wonderful and fresh carrots that you see, that are also on sale? If you are willing to change your plans, you’ll be able to make a much better carrot soup than a turnip soup, with the available vegetables.

When I shop, I like to take my time to see what is the freshest and to compare prices. It’s always a good idea to buy what is in season, as it will not only be much fresher, but it’s cost will be much lower than at the rest of the year. I tend to eat very different food in different months of the year, making use of what is in season and generally eat lighter, less warming food in the summer and in the winter, lots of soups and a lot less salads but that is all up to you.

I love to shop in farmer’s markets, where one can buy the freshest produce. I personally love to food shop and mentally create the menu in my head as I go along. (Remember, that with books or ebooks, you don’t have to stick to recipes alone. If you see something that inspires you to cook it, just buy it and when you get home, go to the section in the book or ebook related to what you have to cook and start creating by yourself, using the correct technique for that type of food.)

With fish, for instance, you can generally substitute one fish for another if you understand that there are oily fishes and non-fatty fishes. The more common oily ones (which can extremely healthy oils that you should be getting even if on a diet) are salmon, whitebait, sardines, mackerel, tuna, herrings and most other fish are non fatty (but if in doubt, ask where you are buying your fish).

In general, it is not a good idea to buy fresh fish on Monday as this will most often be leftover from the week before. Try to buy fish on a Tuesday, or better still, ask what day their fish is delivered and then make sure that you buy the fresh fish!

When you buy meat, the idea of freshness is not quite the same. Meat becomes more tender when it is correctly aged in the right temperature and the right level of humidity. This is done in special refrigerators and not something that you should attempt at home!

When buying prepackaged meat, you should always pay attention to the “sell by” date and also inspect the package to ensure that it hasn’t puffed up with bacteria.

Try to shop for produce as often as possible so you have the freshest possible ingredients with which to cook! In the U.S, a fruit and vegetable stand is a fast place to get in and out of, generally has very fresh ingredients and very often has great prices! It is always better to buy local seasonal produce, as it is much tastier and less expensive. Try to get into the habit of not buying too much at a time so that your produce is always fresh.

Last but not least, when you shop, buy what inspires you! Don’t worry if you don’t have a recipe to go along with what you want to buy. Buy it anyway and when you get home, explore the chapters of cooking books or ebooks, which will give you many choices in how to prepare what you have just bought and you will find that the range of food with which you can cook will become wider and wider as you find yourself discovering new things!

Jean-Louis Vosgien www.photos-and-recipes.com

Food Shopping question by : what do you get for your weekly food shopping?
what do you buy for your weekly shop?

Food Shopping best answer:

Answer by Hman
The regular groceries.
So far all I have on my list are
Milk
Bread
Eggs
It will grow today and tomorrow when the weekly mailers arrive and I put some thought into it.