Shakin & Bakin Foodie Blog

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Seafood is a big part of many people’s diets around the world. While individuals in the United States don’t eat quite as much as people in the Mediterranean and parts of Europe, you won’t find many grocery stores or markets that don’t stock it.

However, buying seafood isn’t always quite as easy as simply going to the store and picking something out. In fact, what your average grocery store is selling may not be worth buying at all.

Use these tips to help you find and buy the best possible seafood for you and anyone sitting down at your table for a meal.

Buy Local

Not every bit of seafood that you can buy comes from anywhere near your home. Sometimes you’ll be shopping at the grocery store and the fish that you can purchase might have been shipped thousands of miles before it was put out for you.

One of the best things you can do though is focus on buying seafood that is local to your area and caught nearby. That’s going to mean better, fresher fish and seafood. It’s also less likely to have been frozen, which is ideal.

Look for Fresh Fish

Buying local is one way to make sure you’re getting something that hasn’t been on ice for a long time and isn’t of reduced quality already. There’s more to it than just buying local though, especially since many areas simply don’t produce seafood of their own, much the same way some areas don’t produce tomatoes, apples or carrots.

What you should look for is fish that is fresh and somewhat local. Perhaps it came from a neighboring state, or maybe it was brought into the store for sale the same day. Fresh fish will taste better and you’ll have more time to keep it in the refrigerator before you cook it.

Consider Frozen

Some areas simply don’t have a lot of access to fresh fish. If you live in one of those areas, buying fish that might have been sitting around for some time before you buy it isn’t your best bet.

That’s when flash frozen fish that was caught and properly preserved is better tasting and better for you. Your fishmonger should be able to help you locate that fish, and many grocery stores sell it on their shelves.

You might even find flash frozen fish in the freezer section of a larger grocery store or market.

Click here to learn more about seafood and what you should or should not buy.