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It goes without saying that when we purchase food at the grocery store, we expect it to be fresh and good quality, right? Unfortunately, most stores care more about their profit margin and are looking to cut corners any way they can. That impacts the quality of food they provide.

Don’t Go For The Pre-Packaged Fruits And Veggies

It may be convenient to grab a fruit or veggie tray, or some chopped up fruits and veggies for dinner, but think again! These foods that have been prepared and packaged in-store are more than likely expired. The “date of packaging” stickers don’t mean much in this case, if the food was already going bad. Plus, as soon as the food is cut and put in a container, it attracts all kinds of bacteria. Instead, you can ask the people in the deli to cut and package the food for you right then and there or just cut up the fruit and veggies yourself.

Be Weary Of Pre-Packaged Salads

Some prepackaged salads are totally fine to eat, and a healthy choice for if you’re in a hurry. However, be aware of some of some things that make your salad go bad! The first thing to notice is if there’s garlic in the salad. Sometimes retailers will use garlic to cover up any food that’s gone bad! Also be aware that salads with meat and/or any kind of dairy-based dressing will expire faster than a veggie salad with oil dressing.

Check The Condition Of The Package

You may have heard of the dented can discount – where if you find a dented or damaged can of food, you can ask the store for some sort of discount because of the messed up packaging. However, think twice before grabbing that can! Any packaging that has dents, cracks, leaks, or any other visible imperfections are probably contaminated in some way. Usually, it is a sign of improper storage, which could lead to a multitude of other issues. In this case, it’s ok to judge a book (or a can) by its cover.

Carefully Examine The Meat Counter

There are all sorts of tricks of the trade when it comes to the fresh meat department. The display case makes everything look delicious. That’s partially due to the lighting, and partially due to some other, more deceptive practices – like spraying the meat with water so it looks juicy. When buying fresh meat, ask the worker behind the counter to take out the piece you want so you can examine it yourself. You might be surprised at how different it looks outside of the case!

Be Wary Of Brightly Colored Produce

A lot of times we associate bright colors with bright and bold flavors, but that’s not necessarily the case! Fruits and veggies that have grown in natural soil will tend to have a duller appearance and imperfections, whereas fruits grown in a greenhouse are perfect – because of added chemicals. The same goes for cheese. Brightly colored cheese only gets that way through chemicals and coloring. Natural cheese is pale in color.

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