palatable palette – shinjite's kitchen canvas

some cool times from racheal ray on your next visit to the supermarket – from money saving tips, to how to understand product placement in the store, to how to choose freshest produce.

1. Avoid health & beauty items.
   Health and beauty items are cheaper at beauty supply stores or drug stores with one exception: laundry detergent: stores will cycle through the lowest price available for that item once every 12 weeks, in which case you should stock up and buy three-month’s worth.
2. Beware of endcap product placement.
   Some bargains are on the store’s endcaps (the sections at the end of aisles) but the store might place some high priced products next to it, figuring they’ll trick you into buying it for the convenience.
3. Soba substitute.
   Buy Japanese-style buckwheat noodles when you can but if the store doesn’t have them, a great substitute is a whole wheat spaghetti or a thin spaghetti. This bumps up the protein and the fiber every time you make spaghetti or noodles or pasta.
4. Look high and low.
   When shopping for staple items from the shelves, look high and low because the middle is often paid for by slotting fees and you may miss out on smaller companies that are offering products that may be more nutritious and less expensive.
5. Unit price vs. ticketed price.
   Never compare the ticketed prices of two products, but rather compare the unit prices, the smaller number to the left of the ticketed price. The unit price is the indicator of which item has the best pricing and the better value for your dollar.
6. Deceptive packaging.
   Some companies may reconfigure the packaging of their foods to give the impression that you’re getting more product than you actually are; be sure to compare the weights of products when choosing the best value, don’t go by the size of the box or container alone.
7. Dry off your produce.
   Many grocery stores have “misters” in the produce department to keep the items looking fresh all day, but since water can add weight, make sure you shake off any excess water from your produce before placing them on the scale.
8. Use paper bags for mushrooms.
   Moisture is not a friend of the mushroom. If you run them under the water they’ll turn rubbery and take longer to brown in the pan. The same applies in grocery stores. Ask for paper bags for your mushrooms because plastic bags will keep the condensation inside and turn them rubbery and tough.
9. “Loss leaders.”
   Every week, stores carry “loss leaders,” items that they sell at a loss to themselves in order to get you in the store. Take advantage of these kinds of deals in produce or meat. Freeze and save them for when you do need them. Before freezing meat or chicken, pat it dry to cut down on freezer burn, and bring the meat back to room temperature before cooking for juicier meat.
10. The best dairy dates.
    When they stock the dairy department, whether you need milk or eggs or whatever, they put the freshest items in the back because they load it from the back of the cooler. Move a few aside and grab items from the back because they will have the longest usage time.
11. Chicken breast vs. cutlets.
    When your store is offering a great price on chicken breasts or cutlets, do the math – for cutlets, all they did was take two seconds to take the breast and cut it across. You’re paying for that labor, so really think that one out.
12. Inspect wrapped meats.
    If you see puddles of blood in plastic wrapped meat, that means it’s been out there longer. You want your meat packaging to appear nice and clear with no residual juices pooled up. If you don’t see that, ask for the product that’s on special but that you’d like it wrapped fresh.
13. Don’t avoid clearance racks.
    While most people steer clear of these displays because they think it’s full of stale or expired food, you can find great deals. Sometimes the company the store bought it from discontinued the style but there’s nothing wrong with it, like with mops or brooms. Lots of times stores buy a fancy gourmet item and it just doesn’t move, but it’s a great price and a fantastic item. Or things like paper goods and party cups; if it’s past the season for them, they have to move it out to make room for the next display. But it’s paper, that stuff is not going to go bad! Put it in your paper drawer and you’ll be ready the next time that holiday rolls around!

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see video from Rachael Ray Show: Rachael Hits the Grocery Aisles