Shopping RIght

 Many home chefs don't know how to take advantage of their grocery stores. They may not know how to shop in a discount store or take advantage of a more expensive grocery and what it has to offer. It's time to shop right.

I found this out recently when a friend complaind about Lidl. She said the food was not good quality. That surprised me because I've had nothing but hits from the store. Her mistake was buying their fresh meat, namely chicken. She should have bought from either a chicken farm or a store known for its' meats. For any kind of meat, whether its' steak or chicken she should have headed to stores like Acme, Stop and Shop or Shop Rite simply because they have butchers there. Whatever you buy will always be fresh and better tasting. Lidl is excellent for freshly baked goods like their breads, pretzels and focaccios along with their frozen foods. Thir pizzas are from Italy and taste better than Blaze's or local pizzerias. Other Lidl must buys are their frozen veggies and dinners like their frozen risottos. These re extremely flavorful and easy to store and cook. Another Lidl plus is their good variety of fruits and vegetables. Their seedless purple grapes are wonderful, sweet and delicious. The same can be said to their competition Aldi, They have good and well priced veggies and fruits along with very inexpensive instant dinners like packaged flavored spaetzles and risotto. Their soda, like Lidl's is not only delicious and better tasting than Coke but also much less in price.

What happens if you want to still shop at the bigger supermarkets? You can. Yes, will get better quality meats and fish along with fresh deli food like salads and rotisserie chicken but a bit more in price. You'll also have a wide range of baked goods like Acme 's and Stop and Shop's where their array of freshly baked goods are better than local, privately owned bakeries. However they can be expensive regarding many items. The best bet is to bargain hunt. I'm a huge fan of their lunch meat ends which are always price below two dollars. These are usually hidden in a corner of their hero section.. The turkey one is especially delicious and cheap  $1.45 for a half pound of cubed ends. Buy their jar of in house Signature gravy for $2.45 for a quick hot lunch or supper I've also bought their lunch meat ends ham which is perfect for salads. As with any large grocery store, take advantage of their coupons, and their apps. Acme gives you points toward major discounts and you can save as much as $20 on an order. Another tip is always buy the inhouse brands. They'e just as good as the national and usually taste much better too.This also applies to their toothpaste, mouthwash and some beauty products too as far as with cost.

It does take some savvy and hunting but you can do well both in the better and more cost effecient supermarkets. Use these tips to get the most for your dollar. You'll  do well and also have tasty food and drink.