WOW, one of the grocery stores is advertising 17+ different fish deals in their ad this week…someone must be thinking Lent. To sort it all out, I converted the prices into price per pound and then put them in order from the least to the most expensive per pound.

My fish list told this story:

• Buying in bulk saves money.
• Breaded fish usually costs less—that’s because you are paying for breading and fat instead of fish.
• If you want the convenience of someone packaging your fish into serving sizes, cooking it, or stuffing it  you pay more—sometimes a lot more!
• Canned tuna is not the least expensive fish.

Most fish are low in fat and cholesterol and a good source of protein, which makes them a good choice for a healthy diet. Going fishing with one of these reels is always fun. Oil-rich fish, such as salmon, trout, mackerel, herring and sardines, are an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to our diet and reduce the risk of heart attacks.

So what am I going to buy? I don’t need the extra calories and fat that comes with the breaded fish, but I can’t use 10 pounds of Pollock either. I will probably buy a couple of packages of the imitation crab meat which is Pollock that has been processed and flavored. I’ll use it to make a sandwich filling or add it to pasta salad. Since the shrimp price is good for that size shrimp, I’ll buy a pound to keep on hand for a super fast, no work appetizer. Although it is not advertised, I bet I can get a pound of Pollock for under $2.50/pound which I will bake in the oven with some seasonings and bread crumbs. I am going to keep looking for a good price for salmon.

-Pointers from Peggy