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Meat Products
The Instacart buying guide to meat
Many of the meals we make are built around the meat we choose for them. Odds are, you choose and create side dishes to fit the flavor profile of the meat on your plate. If you and your family eat meat, your options for recipes grow exponentially.
Here's a quick guide to help you maneuver your way through the meat options available at grocery stores and butcher counters. Whether you know exactly what you're looking for or you need a few ideas, take a look at what you can order through Instacart.
Pre-packaged versus meat and seafood counters
Depending on the store you choose, you'll have up to two main categories of meat options. You can choose either prepackaged meats or order from the store's in-house meat and seafood counter. Meat and seafood counters vary from location to location. Some offer more options than others.
Some grocery stores blur the line between the two. The meats may be cut or collected in-house and then packaged to be put on the shelves. Some items, such as bacon, are often offered only in packages created by distributors. Though you might find fresher options at the meat counter, your only option might be prepackaged meats, depending on the items you're looking for.
What sounds good to you?
As we mentioned, you have quite a few options when it comes to meat. Whether you're looking for pork, beef, chicken, seafood, or something else, a good grocery store should offer the perfect foundation for your week's dinners.
Think about what you want to eat throughout the week. Does chicken breast sound good to you? Search for a chicken breast recipe to try. If you want to take your breakfasts to the next level, add a package of bacon or sausage to your cart. Get the ground beef you need to make your family's meatloaf recipe. Sometimes, just looking at the meat options can inspire recipe ideas that you can get excited about.
Buy for this week
Though the meat you purchase will likely have an expiration or sell-by date, you should aim to use raw meats within three to five days after purchase. Each type of meat and cut has its own recommended storage lengths.
When you shop for meat, try only to purchase items that you plan to eat within the week unless you intend to freeze them. Overbuying meat won't be a money-saving move if you have to throw out what you can't finish. Our recommendation is to create a weekly meal plan and only buy enough meat to prepare those dishes. If you find you need more between your weekly grocery runs, Instacart can make it easy to replenish your stock.
FAQs about shopping for meat
If you find that you can't use your meat supply fast enough, you may be able to freeze it to prolong its shelf life. For example, FoodSafety.gov recommends keeping steak in the refrigerator for three to five days or in the freezer for four to 12 months. If you thoroughly wrap steak to protect it from freezer burn, it shouldn't lose its quality during a stay in the freezer, as long as you don't leave it in there for years.
Most meat can be frozen successfully to preserve its taste and quality. However, ground meat and seafood won't last as long as whole cuts of beef, lamb, and pork. Take a look at recommendations for freezing to determine how long you can store each kind of meat. As with steak, all meat should be wrapped properly, with any trapped air squeezed out before you put it in the freezer.
It's important that you cook meat well enough to make it safe for you and your family to eat. Each type of meat has a recommended doneness temperature that it should reach before you put it on a dinner plate. We suggest that you purchase a good meat thermometer to ensure that the meats reach these safe temperatures. Here are the minimum cooking temperatures, according to FoodSafety.gov:
- Ground beef, pork, and lamb: 160°F
- Poultry: 165°F
- Steak, roasts, and chops: 145°F
- Fresh pork: 145°F
- Fish with fins: 145°F
- Shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops: Until pearly or white, and opaque
- Clams, oysters, and mussels: Until shells open during cooking
Some recipes, such as rare steaks, call for lower temperatures. You should prepare these recipes carefully.
Always be careful when you're handling raw meat. You should implement a few tips into your storage and preparation routines to ensure a safe kitchen and dining experience.
- Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. If it isn't thoroughly packaged, gravity may pull bacteria from the meat down to any food sitting under it.
- Wash your hands before and after touching raw meat.
- Disinfect any counter or other surface that comes into contact with raw meat.
- Don't use the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables.
These are just a few smart meat handing tips. The idea is to reduce opportunities for cross-contamination. A good rule to follow is if that raw meat or its juices touch another object outside of cooking, that object needs to be decontaminated, thoroughly cleaned, or thrown away.
Let Instacart save you valuable time during the day by collecting the items you need for this week's dinners. Simply fill your virtual cart with the meat products and anything else you need for your recipes, hit the checkout button, and let Instacart shoppers take care of everything for you. Depending on the store you choose, you can order your meat and other groceries for pickup or delivery. When you don't have time to explore the store's options in person, Instacart can be a valuable tool for you and your schedule.