Factors to consider when buying food
Do you always find yourself in a dilemma when it comes to buying food for yourself or the family? Perhaps, you get confused and don't know what to buy and how to buy it. Worry no more, This guide will give you details on factors that need to be put into consideration when buying food. Factors to consider when buying food.
Some of these factors help an individual and the family at large to avoid excess spending. It saves money when you buy wise and plan before going to the market or food shops.
To maintain good health, food is very essential. It is therefore important that individual feeds well. Some foods are expensive and perishable. Therefore, food purchase should be through plan considering many factors.
In this article, we are going to discuss 13 major factors to consider when buying foodstuffs, how to buy wise, and the importance of buying good quality foodstuffs.
Things to be discussed in this article:
• 13 Factors to consider when buying food
• Wise buying strategies
• The importance of buying good quality foodstuffs.
The 13 Factors to consider when buying food are;
1. Size of the family
2. Family Need
3. Food storage facility
4. Food quality
5. Foods in season
6. Money Available
7. Where to buy
8. Cost of the food
9. Perishable Vs Nonperishable
10. Types of food to buy
11. Quantity Needed
12. Food sharing
13. When to buy Food
1. Size Of The Family
The size of the family should be put in place when it comes to buying foodstuffs. This will determine the amount of food needed at a particular time. For example, a family of 5 will need more food compared to a family of 2 or 3. To avoid wastage, the family size must be considered when buying foodstuffs.
2. Family Need
Needs are those things that the family cannot do without. They are essential and therefore should be put first. Family needs at a particular time must be considered when it comes to purchasing food for the family.
Food is not the only important thing needed in the family. Children's school fees, House rents, Cars maintenance, etc. costs money in the family. The quantity of food to buy will therefore be considered based on other things that are needed in the family.
3. Food storage facility
Some foods are perishable and there must be a good preservation and storage facility to keep such food for a long time at home.
A family without a freezer to preserve food such as meat, fish, fruits, butter, and vegetables, should buy it in small quantities to avoid wastage. You can always go to the market to buy some other time instead of wasting foodstuffs.
4. Food quality
Don't just buy any food but a quality one. It is even better to buy quality but expensive foodstuffs than buying cheap and fake foodstuffs.
Quality foods contain all the necessary nutrients for the body. It helps us to grow well and nourish the body as it should.
5. Foods in season
Another factor to consider when buying food is food in season. Some food comes in season and they are usually cheap during the season. Waiting for food in its season will also save the family some money. For example, Fruits like Orange, Cashew, and pineapple are usually cheap during their season.
6. Money Available
Unarguably, this should top the list of factors to consider when buying food. Money is very important when it comes to buying foodstuffs. The money available at a particular time will determine what to buy and what not to buy.
Some foodstuffs are very important too, therefore planning on the money available will help you to shuffle things out.
7. Where to buy
Foodstuffs can be purchased in supermarkets, special stores, and or open markets. Price varies depending on the place you choose to buy your food. It is advisable to go for a cheap store with a quality product to avoid spending extra money.
8. Cost of the Food
The cost of the food is another factor that needs to be put into consideration when buying food. The amount of money available will also determine the quantity of food to buy here.
If the price is too costly, it is, therefore, advisable to buy a small quantity if the food is really necessary for the family.
9. Perishable Vs Nonperishable
If you must buy food in bulk, then,l it should be Nonperishable ones. None perishable is easy to store and can also save you extra cost. In this case, you can buy Nonperishable food in large quantities. On other hand, If you must buy perishable foods like Fresh meat and fish, you should buy the ones you need immediately because they are not easy to store or preserve.
10. Types of food to buy
Some foods are not important. So, you should know the right time to buy certain food. Sometimes, Fruits and vegetables can wait while you buy the necessary foods needed.
Buying foods in bulk even when not needed can lead to food wastage.
11. Quantity Needed
The quantity of food to buy should solely depend on the reason for the food. If the food is just for the family, then avoid wastage by buying just the food you or the family need immediately. However, in a situation where you need to serve visitors food, you might need to reconsider the quantity to be bought.
12. Food sharing
To save money, if possible, buy in bulk and share with other people. Food bought in bulk will have a discount in price and it can save you some cash.
For example, A group can buy a basket of Yam and share.
13. When to buy Food
Just like food have a season, some foods also are best bought in the morning especially perishable food.
Wise buying strategies and how they can help you buy quality food
Wise buying strategies are those strategies that help you to know what to buy, how to buy, and where to buy. When it comes to food, wise buying helps you to know how to spend money wisely on foodstuffs without regrets.
7 Food's Wise buying strategies that will help you save money and buy good quality foodstuffs:
1. Make a good shopping list
2. Use the shopping list when buying and don't go beyond your target.
3. Ensure you buy food that you have an adequate storage facility for.
4. Buy foods in season.
5. Compare and contrast food items and choose the best one.
6. Check out the price of each commodity before buying.
7. Check food measurements when buying. For instance, Scale is used for selling chicken and cups of rice in most supermarkets.
The importance of buying good quality foodstuffs
Buying food is not enough but buying the quality ones that will be able to provide the nutrients that the body needs to function well.
Good quality foods are the ones that are fresh, not damaged, and have a good appearance. Even though good quality foods can be expensive, they are worth your money.
Factors to consider when buying food
7 Reasons why you should buy good quality foodstuffs:
1. They are easy to preserve.
2. They are fresh are wholesale.
3. Nutrients contents are usually intact
4. Good appearance. For instance, Fresh fruit and vegetables.
5. Not yet attacked by food spoilage organisms.
6. They taste good.
7. They are economical because there is little or no wastage at all.
Conclusion
Food is very important as stated earlier. It is therefore important to buy good quality ones. There is a need to put the important factors first before buying any food product. Also, saving money by having proper plans before going for food shopping is very important. These 13 Factors will help you to avoid food wastage and also, help you to know the right food shopping pattern.