smart grocery shopping

healthymissfit

hey. i had a couple questions about groceries that i'm hoping collectively, the mfp community can answer for me.
1) is it better to buy bulk fresh fruits/veggies and freeze them for later use, or just go for the frozen fruits/veggies to begin with?
2) is almond milk good in everything regular milk is? (i.e. cereal, demolishing a brownie with a cup of milk, etc)
3) if i buy lots of fresh meats, portion them, and freeze them, will they still taste good?
4) does anyone know of a printable list of how to tell if produce is ripe enough to buy?
5) i typically use virgin olive oil in place of butter, but i kind of miss butter, and my boyfriend uses it. am i hurting or helping by getting i can't believe its not butter and alternating between that and the oil?
6) better idea to buy the fixin's for salad (head of lettuce, several fresh carrots, head of red cabbage, fresh whole onions, etc) or to buy the prepackaged?


THANKS!

lauren3101

1) 'Better' as in cheaper? It would be cheaper to buy the frozen from the start. But personally, I'm not keen on some frozen veg, and most frozen fruit. I' prefer fresh.
2) Again down to personal preference. I like almond milk with cereal and on its own but not in tea or coffee.
3) Yes
4) http://img.wonderhowto.com/img/original/99/11/63512071369706/0/635120713697069911.jpg
5) Butter is not bad for you. Have what you like, just make sure it fits in your calories.
6) You will get more for your money if you stay away from pre-packaged/prepared stuff. i.e. a head of lettuce will make 4 salads for me, but if I buy the prepackaged salad, it only lasts for two servings, and it's more expensive!

I invested in a chest freezer, and on payday I go out and I bulk buy meat, canned items, cupboard stuff like rice and pasta, and freezeables such as frozen veg, bread, etc. If you bulk buy you can often get deals, and if you buy the larger versions of things you get more for your money.
Then, I just buy my fresh stuff week to week. I've literally halved my food bill by doing this.

cindeeflo

If you go with Butter go for organic butter, where the ingredients should just be cream and salt. Try and stay away from processed . Coconut oil is a great alternative as well. The taste can be different for some people. So I also use organic extra virgin olive oil.

When you freeze food of course it can get freezer burn and that freezer burn taste. So think about how quickly you go through your food. I use mine up usually within two weeks. Also to make food last longer in the freezer you can wrap it in freezer wrap then put it in a freezer bag.

I am about the bulk section and buying fresh and freezing.!!! If you are on a budget start of slow with it...see what works or you!

mfoulkebrown

A lot of this is opinion and personal preference, but I'll take a stab at it.

1.) Frozen veggies actually contain the most vitamins and good stuff because they are picked later than their fresh counterparts. If you're freezing them anyway, I'd say buy frozen. If you're using them right away, I prefer fresh. Also, many veggies will last a decent amount of time without freezing such as onions, potatoes, and squash.

2.) For me, yes, as long as I buy unsweetened and unflavored. It can throw things off in baking, though.

3.) For the most part, yes. As long as you don't keep them in the freezer for too long. Many meats/fish you buy at the store are frozen for transport anyway.

4.) Not sure about a list, but I'd bet there was one on the internet.

5.) Nothing wrong with that!!! I also like the butter flavor. In addition, olive oil has about 50 more calories/TBsp than does light butter spread, but does contain more healthy fats. It also depends on what you're using it for. Do you use it for cooking or for spreading? I personally prefer olive oil for cooking, in general.

6.) Way better on your budget to buy whole veggies, but not as quick. Decide if you would rather have more money or time. Also, when you buy it yourself you have more control over what goes in it.

Most of these answers are based on simplicity. Yes, fresh meat will taste better if you cook it that day, but unless you have a super palate or extensive experience cooking, I wouldn't think you'd tell the difference.

rduhlir

1) is it better to buy bulk fresh fruits/veggies and freeze them for later use, or just go for the frozen fruits/veggies to begin with?

- Depends. If it is in season then buy and freeze. If not in season then sometimes the frozen bags are more budget friendly.

2) is almond milk good in everything regular milk is? (i.e. cereal, demolishing a brownie with a cup of milk, etc)

-No. Sometimes things just don't work as well with almond milk as they do with regular milk.

3) if i buy lots of fresh meats, portion them, and freeze them, will they still taste good?

Yes, just make sure you are using freezer bags and using up with in a month or so.

4) does anyone know of a printable list of how to tell if produce is ripe enough to buy?

-I learned from my mom lol, sorry I dont' have any help with this.

5) i typically use virgin olive oil in place of butter, but i kind of miss butter, and my boyfriend uses it. am i hurting or helping by getting i can't believe its not butter and alternating between that and the oil?

-I still use butter. I use olive oil too. Rarely do I use them together.

6) better idea to buy the fixin's for salad (head of lettuce, several fresh carrots, head of red cabbage, fresh whole onions, etc) or to buy the prepackaged?

-The packaged salads are super convinent. And if you can find the big tubs on sale then they are totally worth the buy. But, if it is lettuce season then buy and cut it up yourself.

mhoeff1

1) I buy fresh if it's in season and do freeze some of it and same with veggies too but with veggies you need to blanch some of them first I don’t blanch my peppers or onion. All depends on the prices of the frozen verses the fresh look at oz on both fresh and frozen that will tell you which one is a better deal 2) almond milk is good look for printable coupons on the internet.3) Yes your meat will be fine I try to stock up on clearance meats they are still good they will last in the freezer for about 6 months. 4). there are list out there that others posted so I wont go there 5) I cant believe its not butter is processed big time! olive oil is a great choice if your going to use butter I would use regular butter another option is coconut oil I buy mine at costco a very tiny bit goes a long way! plus its good for your hair as a conditioner and for your skin use it instead of lotion. 6) pre packaged lettuce has that preservative in it and gives some people upset stomachs as well as frequent bathroom trips dont buy more than what you can eat within a couple days or you will have waisted veggies and fruits I know because I use to do this all the time. Let us know what great deals you find. Maybe you can find a fresh veggie market or a road side stand that you will get better deals at good luck.

healthymissfit

thank you all so much! some fantastic answers that I've been wanting to ask all my health-fanatics out there thanks guys and gals!