Grocery shopping can be really hard and challenging for some of us. While we all know what we like, many times we end up spending hundreds of dollars and then going home only to later realize we have nothing to eat.
Why? Because we all buy things we like, but oftentimes things that either expire quickly or, that don’t even go together to make a full meal.
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Fortunately, a professional chef has shared some words of wisdom to help us grocery shop.
Reddit user u/aichliss made a very long and very informative Reddit post that detailed all the things that we need to know about grocery shopping.
And, he’s a professional, so you know that he knows the real deal about everything.
Always keep cans of beans in your cabinet.
“Keep a stock of beans, lentils, and dried chickpeas around if you can. They’re cheap, almost always available, and virtually imperishable. As such, assuming you don’t throw them out and keep them properly stored, buying these is a 100% return on your investment,” he said.
Buy rice in the bulk.
He also says that rice is something that you can never go wrong with, as it’s the “staple” of many meals.
He suggests waiting until those giant sacks of rice go on sale and then buy two, as it’ll last you forever and it never goes bad.
Buy sale fruit.
“Generally when you buy produce you should go, in order, to the discount rack, then the sales, and then everything else. Someone out there has a recipe for literally everything, and some of them are even good. A pepper with a blemish or tiny spot of mold is still fine, assuming you cut away the blemish or tiny spot of mold,” the chef wrote.
Avoid Superfoods.
Not because they are bad for you but simply because they are overpriced.
The chef says that the things you can get in superfoods you can also get from many other foods that are not so costly and so overpriced.
Buy frozen veggies.
“Maybe dodge the chopped carrots and corn a lot of us ate growing up or find in bad takeout Chinese food, but hey – grab that bag of frozen berries or peas and throw ‘em in anything that warrants it.
Technology for frozen produce has improved dramatically in the last few decades, and we should capitalize on that,” they said.
Buy the least processed meat you can buy.
“Whole chickens, meat on the bone, and ground meats are your best friends. Go to butcher shops, if you can.
Freezing meat is fine, but try to avoid buying pre-made frozen protein options. Get raw product and do the work yourself to save a LOT of cash and get better food out of it,” they continued.
Avoid junk food like the plague.
“Chips, sugar cereals, premade salad dressings, sweet juice/pop, and processed foods like KD or tv dinners are not the way to go if you’re looking to get the most out of your dollar at the grocery store.
They’re bad for you, they’re expensive relative to the cost of production, and they put a burden on your body that you’ll pay for down the line,” they said.
Remember most grocery store items are a luxury.
He points out that alcohol and meat, as well as coffee, are luxury items that you should focus on what you are buying and not how cheap it is.
The cheaper items are not always the ones that are better, especially with food.
Make your own coffee.
” I know Starbucks is delicious. Guess what? You can find a recipe for every drink they make online, and then make it better. Some restaurants literally survive because they can sell coffee at a nearly 2000% markup.
I recommend making cold brew the night before, since you literally just have to strain it in the morning rather than brewing a pot,” they wrote.
And, most importantly, learn to cook.
“All of this information is fundamentally more useful if you know how to cook. Not knowing how to cook is a luxury afforded to those with the means to afford living in ignorance of this most basic human skill.
You are living outside your means if you live in a well-off country, don’t make a least $60k a year, and can’t cook,” he concluded.
Well, this definitely helped me!