Since we're in college, we cant have our parents grocery shop for us anymore. This means that we have to know the rules and regulations for when we buy certain foods. We may think that our food is perfect when we buy them, but that's not the case. Don't let the perfect packaging and set up fool you! There's still some food that you have to really check and look at before you put them in your cart. According to kidshealth.org, they offer some great tips on how to grocery shop safely and to look out for certain things. First, once you get all your dried foods like cereal, bread, granola bars, and chips, you then get all your refrigerated foods last. Second, check expiration dates on whatever meat, poultry, or fish you buy. Third, don't buy any food that has a weird smell or odor. Even if it's not expired, you need to trust your instincts to know that certain meat or fish isn't good. You should even tell a worker so that they can get rid of it to make sure no one else purchases it. Fourth, I didn't even know this, but make sure to place meats in their own plastic bags so that no juice can flow onto any other foods you have in the cart. But if you don't want to get a plastic bag, just make sure your meats are separated away from other foods so they don't clash or mix. Fifth, separate your raw meats, poultry, and fish from any fruits and vegetables that you'll eat raw. I'm sure once you bite into your apple you don't want the taste of fish in your mouth. That's pretty gross. Sixth, make sure the eggs you buy aren't cracked and that they're clean. Also make sure that their grade A or AA. According to southernstates.com, Grade AA means the eggs are nearly perfect and grade A means eggs appear the same as AA, but slightly lower interior quality. A few last things would be don't buy fruits that are spoiled or have dents because bacteria can easily come through, don't buy unpasteurized milk, ciders, or juices because they can have harmful bacteria, and make sure to pre-stuff your turkey or chicken before cooking. I believe this information is important for us because we don't come to realize that it does start in the grocery store. We have to have our eyes and mind open when we're picking out whatever foods we want. One wrong decision can lead down a dangerous road.
Gavin, M. L. (Ed.). (2014, November). Food Safety. Retrieved February 23, 2018, from https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/food-safety.html#
How to Grade and Size Eggs. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2018, from https://www.southernstates.com/articles/size-grade-eggs.aspx
Great post! I will most definitely consider this information the next time I go shopping. Just like you, I didn't know that you should put your meat in a separate bag from other foods. I always seen my parents do it, and I never knew why, but the reasoning you had explains everything. I remember going shopping with a couple of friends to get food for our home cooked meal. We were going to make a cake too, so I grabbed the eggs and looked inside to see if they were cracked, and one of them looked at me weird. I guess not everyone follows the same rules when shopping. I personally think that your topic is the core for all health requirements; yes, the other topics are extremely important, but something we all have in common is that we all eat food, so if we don't practice great food safety, it can corrupt everything else we do.
ReplyDeleteI honestly never thought about placing meat, fish, etc in their own bags. I mean, that makes total sense but I never knew that was something that you should always do! I usually spend a lot of time at the grocery every time that I go shopping. I always check the expiration dates and I always look at produce before I buy it. Eating healthy is something that I am becoming passionate about and I think that all of these tips are very important for anyone. I like how you started talking about the grocery store. What about food safety when it comes to fast food/sit down restaurants? Are there specific things that you should always check for when you go out to eat? That is something I am curious about if you don't already have something for your next blog. Anyways, I really enjoyed your post! Great job!
ReplyDeleteRachel Kaiser
How we handle our food is important. We do not want to contaminate foods just by mishandling them. I was watching a cooking show and a contestant didn't wipe down her cutting board after cutting the chicken before she started on the vegetables and the judges did not even want to try her meal because they were worried about contamination. This was just from not changing her cutting board so imagine if the juices from a packaged chicken run all over your cart and you end up eating those thing before you wash them? No, thank you!
ReplyDeleteGreat post
Italia,
ReplyDeleteGrocery shopping for me is actually such a task! I always find myself looking at things I know I shouldn't or buying them just because they're cheap. Also, I learned the hard way. Going to the supermarket hungry is a trap, it is the worst mistake I've made! You just want to buy everything you're craving, suddenly everything looks good. But keeping in mind what you're there for and having a list is a great way to stick to a budget and buy the things that you came there for. When shopping, looking at the ingredients in certain items is vital, as you said certain eggs are better than others and considering them could be an option. Great tips for college students!
I learned a lot from this post. I usually just go get what I need and get out. I never put much mind into how I grab my groceries! All these rules are actually good and I will definitely carry this information with me from now on. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteKayla J. Ruiz
Wow! Loved how informative this piece is! Straight to the point and effective. The tips are perfect for relating to college students because it is a big step having to shop on your own. The first time I bought eggs I had no idea that you should open them up to check and see if they are cracked. I agree with making sure fruits and veggies don't have dents before purchasing. Sometimes I just cut off bacteria if there is some spots on my fruits that are ripening too much. I hope this tactic is okay. Overall Loved this post I will use theses principles when shopping next.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this post. I am someone who takes my food very serious so when I think food is bad or spoiled I instantly throw it away. And I love to eat and try new things, so I am glad you gave us these tips so that we know what to look out for. Nice job!
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