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Shopping for Ingredients for a Well Stocked Kitchen
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.
About the author:
For free cooking recipes please visit www.dailyrecipes.net
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