|
Kitchen Survival: How to Shop for Ingredients
You've read your recipe. Now it's
time to go shopping for all the ingredients to create
your culinary masterpiece.
Make a list of what you need.
Do you have any ingredients in stock? Do you have enough
for your recipe? Are the ingredients still fresh or
have they spoiled? List what you're missing and how
much you need. If you're just cooking for one or two,
don't get the family packages of perishables unless
you can freeze the extra and use it up before it gets
freezer burn. Most dry spices keep quite a while, but
can lose potency if stored in warm, damp areas.
Check the food ads.
See what's on sale. There's no sense in paying more
than you have to. Consider how many people you're cooking
for and how much refrigerator and freezer space you
have. Nothing is a bargain if you can't store it long
enough to cook and eat it. A large roast, for example,
can be chopped into meal-sized pieces and frozen, or
you can cook the whole thing, eat what you want, and
save the rest for sandwiches, stews, casseroles, and
snacks--if you have the refrigerator or freezer space
to store it.
Using coupons: Coupons can save you
money or cost you.
If the coupon is for something you would have bought
anyway, it's worth using. If it's just a different brand,
the coupon makes it cheaper than your regular brand,
and you can't taste the difference, use it. If the only
reason you're buying the product is to use the coupon,
forget it! If it's something new that you'd like to
try, and you don't have to buy a large quantity, look
at the price and decide if it's worth the money to you.
Go ahead and treat yourself occasionally. Little treats
make it easier to stick to a healthy routine the rest
of the time.
How much should you buy?
Most supermarkets have the prices marked on the shelves,
and show a unit price on the ticket. Sometimes the larger
package costs less per pound, or ounce, or whatever
unit is used. Sometimes the smaller package is actually
the better buy. Small calculators are so inexpensive
nowadays that getting one to take shopping with you
can save you money, especially when one brand, for example,
lists the price per pound and another shows the per
ounce price.
With foods that have to be frozen or
refrigerated, or fresh fruits and vegetables that spoil
quickly (known as "perishables") only buy
as much as you can use before they perish. The fresher
it is, the better the flavor and nutrition, so, even
though you can keep a lot of stuff in the freezer for
long periods, it's better not to keep it for more than
a few weeks. (Keep track of what's in the freezer--date
everything as it goes in--so that nothing gets buried
in the back or bottom for years at a time.)
It's real easy to overbuy when things
are on sale. Then you risk either having to eat so much
of it that you can't stand the thought of it for a long
time afterward, or being forced to throw out some of
it when it spoils.
Are national brands worth the price?
Are house or generic brands just as good as the national
brands?
All of the major chain supermarkets
have house brands or plainly packaged generic products.
Some chains have both. Check out your local chains,
try the house products, and decide for yourself when
(or if) you want to spend a little more for the national
brand. If you really prefer a national brand, especially
in non-perishables, watch the ads, and when it goes
on sale, stock up. Many of the house brands are made
by the same companies that make the national brands.
The only difference is that the supermarket chain buys
in quantity, and the manufacturer has no advertising
expense.
Staple supplies that every kitchen
needs.
All-purpose flour, cornstarch (for thickening gravy),
assorted noodles and pasta, rice, oils (vegetable, olive,
peanut), vinegar (white wine, red wine, apple cider,
plain distilled), canned soups (beef broth, chicken
broth, tomato, cream of mushroom), assorted spices and
flavorings (dried minced onion, oregano for Italian
dishes, salt, pepper, any others you like.)Buy small
quantities on new items and taste test before stocking
up.
Other good things to keep on hand.
Canned meats and vegetables, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup,
favorite salad dressings, horseradish sauce, ready-to-eat
cereal, quick cooking oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cream
of Rice, grits, gravy mixes, drink mixes, any other
favorite foods.
With these basic pointers you should
be well on your way to having a well stocked kitchen
and great cooking experience.
1howto.com
--------------------------------------------------
Please
Share Your Tips with Us
|
