Useful tips for safer and more economical grocery shopping
Buying groceries means that each person pays attention to prices, quality and color, smell, appearance and shelf life of food.

1. Milk and dairy products – with these products the purchase is the easiest because the price, expiration date and date of production are written on the item.
2. Canned food – it can happen that canned foods are spoiled before the expiration date. This is easily recognized by the distorted (deformed) can or swollen lid due to gases caused by the decomposition of canned food. Otherwise, the use of these deformed cans can cause poisoning and other diseases. Inflated lids on glasses of yogurt and sour milk also mean that these products have long expired.
3. Fish – to buy fresh fish in the fish market, the color of the fish and gills should be observed. The gills are juicy red which is proof of the freshness of the fish. The bone around the gills fits snugly. The meat is firm and there must be no indentation when squeezing the fish with your finger. The scales are shiny while the eyes are clear. Fish that does not fit this description usually smells unpleasant and should not be bought. Good frozen fish should be firm.
4. Poultry – young poultry is juicier and more pleasant. It can be used for baking, frying and stewing. Older poultry is most commonly used for cooking. There are several parameters on the basis of which you can easily estimate the age of the poultry. The sternum is soft and pliable which says the poultry is young. The color of the legs of young poultry is bright and smooth. Older poultry have extremely dark and rough legs.
5. Other types of meat – it is best to buy light-colored pork that is not too greasy. The red color indicates that the pig is older because the meat is dry and the cutlet is larger while the white border of the fat is thicker. The meat is then streaked with larger fatty veins. To buy beef, you need to be somewhat knowledgeable and experienced. Ask the seller for beef that should be dark red to look like a sail and be streaked with small but not thick veins. The coarse and very yellow fatty veins of beef mean that the meat is from an older herd of beef. Veal is recognizable by its light pink color with a lot of moisture and no fat. Both beef and veal and veal should be aged for a few days to be soft and ready to prepare. It can be kept in oil and spices which gives it a nice taste and a special aroma. The lamb is light pink in color and in young rams (or sheep) it is dark red. The flesh of the older animal is dark red (even brown).
6. Sheep fat hardens at room temperature and in older animals at about 36 degrees C. This is important for serving – mutton is served warm and best in a bowl in which the meat was prepared. This meat (as well as beef) should be “aged” at least 7 days before use.