Ashley’s Guide to Buying Shrimp and A Tasty Air Fry Recipe

Ashley’s Grocery Store Hack

Buying and Cooking Sustainable Shrimp

Grocery Store Hacks:

• When buying shrimp, remember that it most-often arrives at your store previously frozen and is then placed in the case to sell over ice. This means it is getting less fresh by the hour while it gradually thaws. In most cases, buying frozen shrimp is generally better if you cannot be certain it is literally fresh off the boat!

• Have you ever noticed the numbers on the packaging? I had seen them before and always meant to look it up, but it took me years to do so! The numbers actually tell you the number of shrimp in 1 LB. So, that means, the higher the number, the smaller the shrimp. This is how you can determine if shrimp is small, medium, or large (often called: jumbo.)

Now, you have to figure out if you can buy “smart” shrimp. Since wild shrimp has a cleaner, sharper taste, it is generally preferred for the flavor.

When Buying Wild Shrimp:

There are 4 most notably sustainable kinds of wild shrimp (out of thousands!) Seafood Watch https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations/our-app, a very resourceful app that walks you through the seafood sustainability and seasonal availability options, named pink shrimp from Oregon their best choice. There are also spot prawns from the Pacific Northwest, brown, white and pink shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, and any shrimp from U.S. and Canadian waters in the northern Atlantic. You want to see the Marine Stewardship Council certification label. (https://www.msc.org/what-we-are-doing/our-approach/what-does-the-blue-msc-label-mean)

When Buying Farmed Shrimp:

There are two logos to look for on farmed shrimp to ensure they were farmed sustainably- the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s blue fish logo or the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

Nutrition Shout-Outs for Shrimp:

• Shrimp is one of the leaner options in animal proteins when it comes to calories per serving. With 1 cup having 132 calories and 25 grams of protein- it is a lean seafood choice that also happens to be a great source of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids.
• When not air-frying, and you have to peel the shrimp, it is forcing you to slow down your eating. This enables you to have a better mind-body connection while eating, giving your brain time to stay in tune with your belly. You will inevitably eat less because you are allowing your brain to send the signal to your belly when you are actually full and not after over-eating. Think about that kind of mindfulness because all too often we speed eat (imagine your mouth as a Hoover vacuum people,) and we over-fill ourselves with excess food.

Cooking Tips:

• For the most flavor, obviously not when air-frying, but other times, is to keep the shell on and ideally, also the head. I know, I know, sometimes you don’t want to look at it…but trust me, you want that full flavor!
• You can bake this recipe if you do not have an air-fryer! I suggest placing them under the broiler for a quick 1-2 minutes/side to get the yummy browned crispiness.
• I do use my most beloved (I am legit obsessed) small kitchen appliance, the Cuisinart Air Fryer – Toaster Oven. It has 7 functions: 7 Functions: AirFry, Convection Bake, Convection Broil, Bake, Broil, Warm, Toast and only costs $199!

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