Shop Smarter for Seafood: Supermarket Savvy
1 Comment | Written on December 12, 2011 at 9:00 am, by Rachel Achmad
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This year, I am preparing a traditional Italian Christmas meal, and in our house, that means seafood! I’ve always assumed that the “fresh” fish sold at my market was actually flash frozen when caught. Commercial fishing boats remain at sea for several weeks, so if they didn’t freeze the catch each day, it would spoil. Stores charge more for “fresh” fish, though, so I called my local fish market to ask why.
My local fish guy explained that he travels to Boston (our closest big coastal fish market) twice a week and buys whatever looks good. Apparently, fish caught by day boats is never frozen. It’s stored on ice, but it gets to the market within hours of being caught. So, if I’m buying fresh fish from his store, it’s only as old as his last trip to Boston. He confirmed that fish coming from a deep-sea fishing ship has certainly been flash frozen and then thawed at market. Cod and haddock from Canada or Norway were two examples he mentioned of fish that is almost always frozen.
Another interesting fact: most fresh fish is consumed on the coasts; virtually none of it makes it inland. So, those of you in the Midwest are unlikely to have access to never-frozen fish, unless it’s been caught in one of your local freshwater sources.
My fish guy’s advice to savvy consumers was to question your seafood purveyor, wherever you are: coast or Midwest; specialty fish market or grocery store counter. Learn how their fish is delivered, and on which days. If your goal is to get the freshest fish, shop on or just after a delivery day. If you’re looking for the cheapest price, go just before a delivery day, when the market will reduce prices to make room for the new fish.
And for you landlocked folks out there, you might be wise to try those frozen fillets in your supermarket’s freezer section. One source tells me that they’re often just as good (and cheaper) than what you’ll find at the fish counter. The secret is to remove them from their packaging, wrap them in plastic, and let them thaw slowly in your refrigerator (8 – 10 hours) rather than trying to zap them in the microwave.
Snagged your catch of the day? Try these fantastic 30-minute fish recipes!
Categories:
Save Money, Save Time | Tags: Cod Fish, Fish and Seafood, Fish and Seafood Chowder, Italian Seafood, Quick and Easy Dinners
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One Response to “Shop Smarter for Seafood: Supermarket Savvy”
You are correct about Midwestern fish — unless it is a locally-raised, freshwater variety, the fish and seafood here is shipped in frozen, then thawed for the store’s “fresh” wall. Save your money, and buy out of the freezer case instead.
Also, many people don’t realize that nearly all of the “fresh” meats in supermarkets are shipped in frozen and then thawed for the counter. If the turkey you bought for Thanksgiving wasn’t frozen, chances are it was simply pre-thawed for you back in the meat cooler.
If you have questions about whether your meat is fresh or frozen, don’t hesitate to ask an associate or manager at your grocery store. Better yet, find a butcher or grocer who gets meat from local sources. While the prices at these stores might be a little higher, these mom-and-pop businesses realize they are in competition with the chain stores and will price accordingly. You can also find some good bulk-buying deals at these places.
Anyway, I hope this provides a little bit of helpful information.