MissIsis
Posts: 473
Joined: 1/1/2005 Status: offline
|
I just have to say this. I have worked in grocery meat departments for over 20 years. Just because meat is on sale, does not mean it is old, or that it is bad. Very often, when we have sales, we need to let the producers know a few months ahead of time, so they can plan on having enough of that meat on hand to get us through the sale period. Mark down meats, maybe some meats that are frozen at the store level might be old, or an unadvertised sale on something. But generally, sales advertised in flyers, are not because of the meats being old. Very often we lose money on these sale items. They are put on sale to get customers into the store, who will hopefully buy more of other items. You can pretty much count on most meat you get from the grocer, though to be at least a month old. There is the process of hanging it for a period of time, & breaking the cattle down to manageable pieces, then putting them through a machine that seals them, so the air can't get to them. Add to that, the time it takes to transport to the warehouses, & then split up & shipped to each store. It always amazes me when people ask when something came into the store. We might get a couple cases one week that was slaughter a month prior, & then order the same item a couple weeks later, & have it come in with the exact same slaughter date. And that is if the warehouse is rotating properly. I have received bacon one week with one sell by date on it, & another a couple weeks later with sell by date on it, sooner than the one I just received. Also, you can refreeze meat. Just be sure you aren't waiting to refreeze it till it is almost ready to go bad. You will always loose a little quality & shelf life from refreezing something, but it won't shouldn't harm you. That little George Foreman grill that was mentioned is great. It is very easy to clean, as well. And the ziplock bags are awesome. When I lived alone, I would make extra, so I could bag some for the freezer & have it another time when I didn't feel like fussing much. There are some very small freezers you can get that will fit in closets, if you find you need more freezer space. I am seeing lots of single portion condiments in the stores lately. Things like mayo, salad dressings, coffee creamers, ect. A restaurant supply house if you are lucky enough to have one close to you, can be a great source for these items as well. Essential kitchen items for me are thermometers. The danger zone for food is between 41 degrees & 145 degrees. Your fridge should be about 36-38 degrees. Easy canned foods to have on hand that don't have to be refrigerated till opened: tuna, pasta, rice, beans, salmon, salsa.
|