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Thursday, October 12, 1972
University Daily Kansan
Wise Shopping? There's a Definite Knack
By KATHY TUSSING
Kansan Staff Writer
Grocery shopping is big business. In 1970, Americans spent $142,915 million on food. This figure was 22.2 per cent of their total expenditures.
In order to get the most out of the shopping dollar, an individual must be a wise shopper. Some basic hints for grocery shoppers include:
Prepare a grocery list before shopping. This may help reduce impulsive buying.
- Shop alone. This also reduces the tendency to buy on impulse. A friend or relative often is good at helping you justify the necessity of something you don't need.
- USE THE QUALITY of a product suited to need, not the highest quality for use with it. A better option is instead of name brands for meals or recipies when the quality of the product does not matter. When meat is used by itself, a higher branded than if it is used in a casserole or cooker.
- Store foods properly and buy foods that you know will be eaten.
- Plan meals around specials and stock up on frequently used items when they are needed.
- Know whether to buy foods in fresh, frozen or canned form. The form the food is stored in will affect its taste.
For example, evaporated or canned milk and milk concentrates are usually a
Citrus juices in most sections of the country are less expensive processed than when made from fresh fruit. And canned or frozen pitatoes, carrots and onions are generally more expensive than the fresh product.
little less expensive than fresh whole milk.
Skim milk and nonfat dried milk are much
more expensive.
In general, frozen fruits and vegetables are more expensive than canned fruits and vegetables. Dried products, with the exception of potatoes, are less expensive than either frozen or canned vegetables and fruits.
BLENDED AND process cheeses are often less expensive than the natural ones.
For meats, fish and poultry, canning affects the price, but freezing doesn't. The
frozen products differ little in cost from the fresh. Canned meats and poultry are more expensive than the fresh product. However canned fish and shellfish are often less expensive than fresh or frozen fish.
—Know how the time of the year will affect the price of fruits and vegetables. Fresh, out-of-season fruits and vegetables usually cost more than the same product in processed form —either frozen, canned or dried.
- **KNOW WHEN products are in-season.** Those on the market during the growing season cost less than the processed. Exceptions include citrus juices, potatoes, and oranges.
The larger the size of the firm, the greater the price increase for the firm. The general law for the firm is that
--KNOW THE QUALITY of the item; it affects the price. The shopper gets what he bought.
- Watch the size of the package. Gener-
er the larger the package, the lower the
price.
Another aspect of grocery prices that the shopper must remember is that some (though not all) prices are based on fixed amounts.
Peaches, apples, bananas, carrots, corn and cabbage generally cost less than strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupes, fresh lima beans, asparagus and spinach.
Vegetables and fruits that store well, such as bananas, apples, onions, squash, rutabagas, cabbage, carrots and potatoes are a better buy than the more perishable items, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, celery and peas.
Expiration Dates, Pricelists Help Shoppers Identify Food Bargains
By MIKE BICK
Kansan Staff Writer
Expiration dates, base pricing and unit pricing for food products make decisions in order to manage the food supply.
Meat Overemphasized Nutrition Expert Says
By SUZANNE OLSON Kansan Staff Writer
Those who beef up their diet pay for the pleasure, said Marie Cross, associate professor of nutrition.
Meat, according to Cross, is one of the biggest expense items on the list of today's shopper and is not necessarily required for a healthy diet.
"Most people eat meat because it commonly has been the easiest and most available source of good protein," Cross said.
Meat is very expensive, not only in economic terms, but also in terms of landuse, Cross said. It is not by any means the only source of protein, she said.
Optional sources of the protein found most readily in meat and meat byproducts are milk, milk products and plant-source ingredients such as cereals, beans and lentils. Cross sausages.
Cross listed the major deficiencies in the diets of most students by referring to her survey of the eating habits of a group of college students enrolled in her nutrition course. She also found deficiencies in milk consumption and many instances of skipping breakfast.
Referring to the 1965 National Nutrition Survey, Cross said the major deficiencies in the American diet were those of calcium, ascorbic acid and vitamin A.
“These deficiencies can be corrected if one increases his consumption of milk, cheese and vegetables need not be fresh to be nutritious. Modern canning and freezing methods enable one to get the same nutrient-rich meals, which are often less expensive.”
Milk is a necessity to a healthy diet at all ages, according to Cross. Adults require a pint of milk a day to replace the calcium in their bodies. Lack of enough calcium is evident in the frequency of broken bones among older people, she said.
"The deficiency of milk is insidious." Cross said. "It may not show up for years, but when a person grows old and falls, often they break bones because of calcium deficiencies they have built up over the years."
Plant foods are good sources of protein which can often be substituted for meat, and nuts. Vegetables are also a good source of protein.
plant foods such as cereals, legumes, nuts and beans, a person can obtain all the pro-
"There is no harm in the diet of the vegetarian," Cross said. "If used corrosively, it can be dangerous. If we have a conscience as Americans about the hungry people of the world, we could switch more toward this kind of food than we currently do for the sake of efficient use of our land."
Until recently, Cross said, it has been hard for the average shopper to know which plant foods or combination of plant foods would provide the essential amino acids found in meat. This information is now available for the public in a book, "Diet for a Small Planet," by Frances Moore Lappe.
Lappe, along with her husband, did research on plant-source protein. She found that plants can be obtained from plants if one mixes the right plant foods together. The book contains complete diagrams on which plant proteins are needed to sustain a healthy, active life.
Meat need not necessarily be stricten completely from the diet of the average person, Cross said, but care should be made in the choice of what meats a person buys.
"Some meats which commonly are thought economical are not actually so in the long run," Cross said. "Weiners, for instance, are used by the low-income groups and the economical shopper as an inexpensive form of meat protein. The cost of more than a unit of weiners, however, is more expensive than the cost per unit of stalk steak."
"There is no way to save money if you eat meat, but there are certain meats that are cheaper per unit of protein than others. Chicken and some kinds of fish, for example, are especially low in calories and price high in protein."
Another source of inexpensive protein, according to Cross, is pork liver. Pork liver is cheaper than other kinds of liver and has higher protein content per unit. However, because it contains a higher content of alkali, it often is cited as stringy and brackish-tasting. This problem can be solved, she said, by boiling the inginer for a short time before cooking.
easier for the grocery shopper.
In a poll of nine representative food centers in south Lawrence, eight stores use base pricing for all their products. Three of the stores use expiration dates for all perishable items, three use dating on alcohol and beverages, two use dating on dairy products. Three stores use unit pricing, five do not. One store representative could not comment.
Base pricing was initiated under Phase II of the President's economic program. The prices of all items in a store are compiled in book form or listed. The list information is available readily to a shopper if he wishes to check the price of a product. Signs are posted in the front of the store to inform customers where he can obtain the information.
EXPIRATION DATES usually are placed on all perishable items in a store. Given in either numerical or code form, the date is important and product is and how long it will stay fresh if the shopper purchases the product. The dates are placed directly on the items. They are displayed prominently on some of the shelves of the shopper must look carefully to find them.
Unit pricing is a means for the shopper to tell how much a product costs per pound or ounce of the product. The information is placed either beneath the shelf where the item is located or on the back cover of the package.
A BREAKDOWN OF the major stores in south Lawrence follows:
At Dillon's, 1740 Massachusetts St., base pricing is available in book form. If a customer wishes to see the book, he can ask for it at the register. The book is on all perishable foods, but is placed on the
item in code form.
Falley's, 2525 Isa St., has placed signs throughout the store to inform shopkins of available base price information. The information is in the office at the front of the store and can help the shopper find the information needs. No open dating is done, however.
SAFEWAY, 711 W. 23rd St., uses base pricing. Safeway also uses open dating on all perishable items. The store does not use unit pricing.
Rusty's Food Center, 23rd and Louisiana streets, displays base pricing in list form, at their courtney booth in the front of the store. Dating also appears on all perishable items only in code form. If the shopper wants to know the date, a clerk or manager can tell him. Rusty's also uses unit pricing.
&A&P Supermarket, 1040 Massachusetts St., displays a base price book in the courntess booth at the front of the store with a sign stating that the information is available. A&P brand products are dated in the store, and all other products gradually are sold. The store is responding to Joe Sumner assistant manager. The store does not use unit pricing.
KROGER Family Center, 23rd Street and Naismith Drive, has a base pricing list in the front of the store where customers cash checks. The expiration date is placed on some products by the manufacturer. Kroger does not use unit pricing.
In the smaller stores, base pricing is not as readily available to a shopper in larger stores. At the Jayhawk Food Mart, Macy's and Eleven 20 Low St, base pricing is available out-of-street. The Kwik Shop, 1714 W. 29rd St., does not use base pricing.
Fruits and Vegetables Are Body Builders
Bookish build help for PRIES BRANDSTED
Kansan Staff Photo by PRIS BRANDSTED
Report Cautions Meat Consumers
Kansan Staff Writer
By DON JEFFERSON
Because an American's average yearly consumption of red meat is about 185.5 pounds or $200, according to a report by the Kansas State Extension Service (KSES), a person simply cannot afford to eat too much meat. A basic knowledge, he can buy with confidence meat that is both economical and of good quality.
A wise shopper looks for quality first and an inspection stamp is the foremost guide to quality, according to Roy Gilliland, inspector for the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The stamp assures the buyer that all meat has been examined for and drug residue and has been processed in a controlled and sanitary manner.
MEAT IN LAWRENCE most frequently carries a USDA stamp of approval.
Grocery Shopping Can Be Frustrating
. . . Unlike, like this young man, you know what you want.
Kansan Staff Photo by JOE COLEMAN
However, a local shopper occasionally may find a KSDA stamp. This means the item was processed under state inspection in a packing house that operates solely within Kansas. The state stamp, Gilliam said, is as trustworthy as the USDA stamp.
The USDA, unlike the KSDA, augments its inspection stamp with a grade stamp on cacao bean. This indicates a rating of "good" or "standard," "good," "choice," or "prime."
"USDA Standard" is the lowest grade
in the list, less little fat and low
mildness of fats.
"USDA Good" is usually the lowest grade a store will sell. It is relatively free of fat, but has only average qualities of tenderness and taste.
THE MOST COMMONly advertised grade, "USDA Choice," indicates beef of high quality. However, there are several types of choice ranging from "low choice" to "high choice." "Low choice" has excellent taste and tenderness, but an excess amount of fat can be detrimental for beef that contains less fat, yields more cuts and retains excellent meat qualities.
According to retailers of meat in the Lawrence area, a choice stamp is good when one prefers to be with the choice rating but, instead, order their beef on the basis of size. Most beef in Lawrence is cut from quarters that weigh 12 pounds and carry a "medium" choice" rating.
"USDA Prime" is the highest grade that beef can receive. It indicates meat that has only a small excess of fat, yet has enough protein, taste, and proportion of meat to bone.
IF THE BEEF is not graded or if its quality is doubtful, examine it closely. According to the KESSE for meat of beef, the amount of meat in proportion to bone, a coverage of firm white fat, a firm, fine texture, a uniform bright orange pulp; and red, porous bones.
The most tender cuts are from the rib and loin. These are usually cut into steaks; rib and rib-eye steaks from the rib; and Tbone, fillet, KIC, sirloin and top sirloin cuts most suitable for grilling and frying and they tend to be the highest in price.
THE ROUND may yield round steak,
outside round, inside round, rump roast, or
round-eye steak. You can also roast
round-eye steak. These are somewhat
tough cuts of meat and require moist,
slow cooking. They are relatively high-priced cuts, but tend to have very little
The chuck is usually cut into roasts or steaks that also require slow, moist cooking.
are arm runs or steals, English-cut arm
seats, check rots or steals and neck
clips.
The other beef primal cuts are used in a variety of ways. The shank may be sliced for boiling beef, boned or sliced for stew meat, or boned and ground. The brisket often is made as a roast or is diced for boneless stew meat. It may also be pickled for corned beef. The ribs are sliced for boiling beef, boned and rolled for a roast or used for ground beef.
THE FLANK, a very tough piece of meat, may be tenderized and used for steak. The flank can be minced steal or roasted around a piece of fat and sliced for London broil steaks. The ribs may be cut into short ribs, boned for stew meat or boned and curried for beef
Hamburger or ground beef is made from the trimmings of these cuts and ground bull meat to give it the desired amount of lean.
In Kansas, according to Gilliland, a product can be called "ground beef," only if it contains less than 30 per cent fat, contains no hearts, tongues, additives or water, and contains no beef trimmings that are more than 88 per cent fat.
ACCORDING TO Gillianl, anything that is labeled "ground chuck" must come from the chuck, and "ground round" must come from the ground. He also varies grades of "ground beef" according to the fat content, he said, the retailer may use his own judgement on grades and prices as long as the product comes no more than the 30 per cent fat allowance.
"Hamburger" is different from "ground beef" in that the beef trimming may contain more than the allowed amount, he said. It is the same in other regards.
Gillard said that ground products that contain beef by-products or other additives must, by Kansas law, be labeled with their ingredients. "We don't label the labeled beef by-product" or "around beef."
THE KSDA, he said, makes periodic checks of retailers' ground meats and inspects them for additives or excessive fat content.
Not to be overlooked are the variety meats. These include liver, sweetbreads, brains, ox tails, heart, tongue, tripe and kidney. Recipes for these can be found in almost any cookbook and these cuts carry an extra level of less expensive than the other cuts of beef.
An important aspect of selecting beef is the ability to judge what is being offered for its price. I cut the price by 10% and cut a cut: it's the cost per pound of cooked edible meat.
For example, a rump roast containing bone rum roast yields 35 per cent cooked edible meat and a boneless rump yields about 43 per cent, according to the KESs.
Assuming that the cost of a boneless roast is $1.39 and the cost of a roast with bone is $1.09, the boneless roast would cost $2.18 in terms of cooked edible meat and the bone-in roast with bone would cost $1.99.
Carcass meat recently declined in price, making it a good time to buy a quarter or side. Beef is sold in this manner because the meat usually includes wrapping and freezing.
A WISE RULE to follow is that no one gets something for nothing. When a boneless cut is priced, the cost of the bone and the labor to remove it is included.
About two-thirds of a carcass consists of edible meat for the freezer. The cost of the meat per pound is about 50 per cent higher than the carcass price. If that cost is lower than the same amount of the same quality meat, then, a carcass is an economical buy.
For variety, there are many types of meat other than beef, and several are liver.
FRESH PORK and ham are possibilities for breaking the beef routine. As a rule, pork cuts are cheaper than their beef counterparts and provide equal food value. Pork also can be purchased easily as a carcass.
Lamb, though high-priced and not generally popular, is a favorite with many people. Leg of lamb and shish kabob are popular lamb meals.
Poultry is a real money-saver. In Lawrence, chicken sells for about 39 cents a pound and, even considering the large cost of buying it, you can good buy for the amount of edible meat.
Although battered and shrimp, which sell at about $6.50 and $3.00 a pound, have sharply declined in popularity and availability, fish continues to be popular. Cuts that are especially worth the money are fillets of cod, hambul and sole.
REGARDLESS OF THE type of meat, prices are seasonal. All meat, especially beef and pork, declines in price in the early spring. This is the time to stock on umpire.
A frezer is a good thing to have to take advantage of both the seasonal price declines and sales in the retail stores. If a freezer is not available, a locker can be rented at many grocery stores or retail locker companies.
A locker costs from $15 to $a year most places, but the possible gain far outweighs the cost—especially for someone who knows how to buy meat.