The Ultimate Guide To Buying Salmon From The Grocery Store

Looking to work more fish into your diet? Salmon is a great place to start. This tender fish is a spectacular choice for cooking, especially for those new to preparing fish. Why, exactly? Due to its higher fat content, salmon is a more forgiving seafood, making it less prone to drying out or becoming rubbery. Whether you’re choosing between cod and salmon or researching the best and worst cheap fish to buy, salmon is often the clear winner.

Still, shopping for this fish goes beyond just picking the freshest fillet from the seafood counter. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to buying seafood or a longtime fish fan hungry for salmon shopping tips, there are plenty of questions to consider when purchasing salmon from the grocery store. 

Does where or when you shop matter when procuring this protein powerhouse? Are there different salmon varieties? Is wild-caught really better than farmed? In an ocean of questions, it can be hard to fish out the answers. Luckily, we’ve cast our net wide and trawled the depths to deliver everything you need to know in this complete guide to salmon buying.

Salmon is an exceptional seafood choice. Not only does this pink-fleshed fish have a delightful flavor that works with countless recipes, it’s also packed with bountiful nutrients. Salmon is high in protein, boasting 22 to 25 grams per 3.5 ounce serving, as well as containing 75% to 85% of your daily recommended selenium intake (a nutrient that aids in bone health). It’s also rich with omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to lower blood pressure and inflammation. You’ll also find plenty of potassium and B-12 vitamins in this fish as well, making it one you can feel good about dining on.

Worried about mercury levels in your seafood? Salmon has a lower mercury content than many other fish, beating out halibut, cod, and tuna. As such, salmon is listed among the Food and Drug Administration’s “best choice” category for pregnant individuals and younger children due to its high nutritional content and low mercury content. Salmon is also a more sustainable food choice than some land-based proteins like pork of beef, with its lower carbon footprint.

Before you set out on your salmon shopping excursion, you may wish to consider your seafood source. What are the telltale signs of a dicey seafood section? If your usual store’s seafood counter smells especially fishy, that’s often a bad sign. Additionally, if the seafood section is not adequately iced or refrigerated, you should shop elsewhere. A good seafood section should be well-iced and smell similar to the ocean.

You can’t prepare a sensational salmon dish from iffy ingredients. Instead, you want to shop at the best stores for buying seafood. What are some popular grocery stores for buying salmon specifically? Frequent salmon shoppers report the salmon from Whole Foods to be particularly high quality, with many options for either responsibly farmed or sustainable wild-caught salmon available.

Costco and Sprouts are also highlighted as reliable sources for high-quality salmon, as are Wegman’s and Sam’s Club. Others recommend the Atlantic salmon from Trader Joe’s or Trader Joe’s Norwegian skin-on salmon, which both boast being antibiotic free. Wondering where to avoid? Savvy salmon shoppers recommend avoiding Walmart and steering clear of Aldi. While their prices might be enticing, the fish is not highly applauded for its quality at either.

Ever heard it said that you shouldn’t buy seafood on Mondays? While this may have been true in the past, this myth has been widely dispelled since then. Despite there being no wrong day to buy seafood, you still want to do some planning, especially if you aim to prepare your salmony sensation on a certain day. Once purchased, the clock begins ticking on your finned friend. Just how long does refrigerated fish stay fresh? Salmon, like other raw fish, only keeps for two days in the fridge. Still, it will be of the highest quality if you cook it the same day it’s purchased.

If raw salmon is frozen, you’ll have much longer: three to eight months, according to the USDA. So if you’re shopping for fish on Sunday, you best cook it by Monday or Tuesday or freeze it for later. Otherwise you risk food poisoning — not to mention some very unpalatable fish. If you’re cooking salmon for use in another dish, you can also prepare it ahead of time, as this will extend its life. Once cooked, you’ll have three to four days to consume salmon, as long as it is properly refrigerated.

Wondering when the best day to shop for fish at your favorite grocery store is? Feel free to ask! Many grocery stores have regular days for seafood delivery. Don’t be shy about calling the store or asking those that tend the seafood counter. Shopping on that day will ensure you receive the freshest fish possible, affording you the best flavor and peak quality.

It doesn’t matter if you’re grilling salmon skewers or air frying salmon fillets. You don’t want to pick up just any old slab of salmon from the seafood counter. To ensure you select the best possible fish, look for the signature signs of freshness. The first thing to note is its appearance. The color should be bright and the flesh should appear shiny. Secondly, the smell should be fresh and mildly sea-like. Wondering how you’re supposed to smell fish behind the counter? It’s perfectly acceptable to ask to sniff the fish.

The flesh is another factor to pay close attention to. Fresh salmon should feel firm and bounce back when you press on it. As for packaged salmon, it should be tightly sealed. If you’re purchasing whole salmon, take a look at the eyes — fresh fish should have clear eyes. When searching for the absolute freshest fish possible, feel free to also ask when the fish was caught or delivered. Wondering what to look for when buying frozen fish? Fish should be frozen solid with no visible ice crystals.

How can you tell if your grocery store’s salmon has seen better days? If you see salmon flesh that is dull in color, or has portions which are grey or brown, you should definitely pass. These are distinct signs of spoiled seafood. You should also look at the texture. Warning signs include a mushy flesh that easily dents, or gaping in the flesh, which often means that the salmon was roughly handled or stored inadequately.

Smell is another clear indicator — as fish that is beginning to spoil will smell unpleasant. Salmon that smells overly fishy, sour, or slightly like ammonia is a red flag that shouldn’t be ignored. So go ahead, give that protein a quick sniff before committing to buy. While other less experienced shoppers may look at you curiously, conducting a smell test is one of the best ways to determine if fish are fresh.

For pre-packaged salmon, pay particular attention to the sell by date. Seeing a sell-by date a few days in the future indicates a fresher fish. Some grocers may also display a packaged-on date. This will cue you in on how long the salmon has been sitting there. In whole fish, eyes that are dull, milky, or protruding are another no-go. For frozen fish, avoid any packaged salmon that appears discolored, contains ice crystals or other signs of freezer burn, or has damaged packaging. You should also steer clear of any frozen fish placed above the frost line in the freezer display.

You may be surprised to discover there is more than a single salmon variety in the sea. In fact, you’ll find around six varieties of salmon throughout grocery stores and fish markets in the U.S. These include the highly-prized Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon due to its large size. Chinook salmon contains the highest fat content of all Pacific Ocean salmon, making it abundant in rich flavor. This high fat content renders it less susceptible to overcooking than other varieties.

If you see a brightly-hued salmon featuring a bold, red-orange coloring, it’s likely sockeye salmon. It also carries a decent fat content and stronger flavor, making it a close runner-up to Chinook. Atlantic salmon is another commonly-seen variety, carrying a more mild flavor that some describe as soft and buttery. However, if you’re searching for wild-caught salmon, this isn’t the variety for you. Atlantic salmon is farmed, as fishing for Atlantic salmon in the U.S. is now banned. Still, sustainably farmed Atlantic salmon are available in seafood markets.

Other varieties include Coho salmon (also known as silver salmon) which is smaller and less fatty. For this reason, it is a variety more prone to drying out. As such, many people poach the fish to keep it moist and delicate. You may also see pink salmon (another low-fat, delicate variety) and silverbrite (also known as dog salmon or chum), which are most often sold canned.

Salmon fillets are far from the only cut out there. Different salmon cuts will require different cooking times and yield different serving sizes. Salmon fillet portions are by far the most widely stocked in grocery stores, being great for individual servings. Common preparations for this cut include pan-searing and baking, although you can also wrap them in foil and grill them (just be sure to leave a little room for the steam to escape).

You may also see salmon steaks — a cross cut section of the fish that is larger and will often have the bone still in. This larger cut is great for grilling and oven-baking, and it yields a larger serving size. You may also see whole side salmon, which is great for larger portions or feeding bigger groups. This show-stopping section is ideal for roasting in the oven along with other side dishes like vegetables.

If you opt for whole salmon, know that different parts all have slightly different uses and fat contents. The center cut will be what you see most often in grocery stores — being cut from the central portion of the fish. While the center cut will have some fat, the belly will be the portion with the highest fat content, and hence the most flavor. It is often used for smoking, curing, or to make salmon bacon. Others pan-sear it or fry the belly until crispy. Meanwhile, the tail and shank will hold the lowest fat content.

You’ll find a lot of opinions on whether fish should be skin-on or skinless. Skinless fillets will have a lower fat content, while skin-on salmon will have a higher one due to the layer of fat between the skin and flesh. Cooking skin-on salmon will render more grease into the pan, which some can find unappealing when cooking salmon with other items like vegetables.

Despite this, many prefer to cook fillets with the skin-on, citing that it helps keep the fish tender and prevents it from drying out. Removing the skin before cooking is considered one of the biggest salmon cooking mistakes for this reason. Once cooked (skin-side down, of course), salmon skin is easily removed, although some salmon fans actually eat it.

Many declare crisped up salmon skin to be quite tasty, while others save it as a treat for their furry friends. While it may look unappealing to some, salmon skin is entirely safe to consume, and actually contains many nutrients. Salmon skin contains even more omega-3 fatty acids than the flesh. The longer you cook the skin, however, the more they diminish.

Some have expressed fears about eating salmon skin from fish farmed in the Atlantic Ocean, as these fish have higher levels of contamination due to environmental pollution. While most agree such consumption is fine in small doses, others prefer to play it safe. Consequently, some only eat salmon skin from fish sourced from the Pacific Ocean.

Wondering if you should spring for wild-caught salmon over farmed? Before you decide, you may want to explore the differences between farmed and wild-caught salmon. Wild-caught salmon is leaner, often containing more protein and lower calories than farmed salmon. This is usually attributed to wild salmon eating a natural diet and being more active than farmed salmon. Some describe wild as having a bolder, fishier flavor as well.

Still, farmed salmon has its benefits. Farmed salmon usually bears a higher fat content, lending the fish a milder flavor that is less bold than wild caught salmon. This also makes it a fish that’s easier to cook, as the higher fat content guards against overcooking and drying out. Farmed salmon also has a slightly lower mercury content than wild salmon, although both types are considered low-mercury fish overall. As you may have guessed, the price will be higher for wild-caught fish than farmed fish. You’ll find wild salmon often goes for twice or even thrice the price of farmed salmon. 

Sustainably-sourced salmon (also known as MSC-certified or ASC-certified) is another factor you may want to consider separate from farmed or wild-caught salmon. Although almost 100% of wild-caught salmon in the U.S. are MSC-certified, you will find sustainably sourced farmed Atlantic salmon as well. Salmon that receive certification from the Marine Steward Council (MSC) hail from monitored fisheries and are caught using methods that decrease the negative impacts on the environment. Salmon that feature a certification from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) not only minimize their environmental footprint, but also adhere to ethical labor practices as well, like banning child labor.

It’s a common misconception that frozen fish are lower quality than fresh. By contrast, salmon that is flash frozen right after harvesting or catching can often be fresher than those “fresh salmon fillets” you see on display at the seafood counter. How so? Salmon that are flash frozen at peak freshness preserve more nutrients and flavor. Those worried about the hassle of thawing salmon for cooking also needn’t worry. Frozen salmon doesn’t even need to be thawed beforehand for many cooking methods, making it a healthy and convenient dinner choice.

Think you’ve never had frozen salmon? You probably have. Many of those pink-fleshed fillets are actually previously frozen and thawed for display in grocery stores. While those living in certain coastal areas might be receiving fresh, never-frozen fish, salmon headed for land-locked states are often frozen for transport. Freezing also kills any parasites that might be present in wild-caught salmon. Although not something to worry about unless you’re eating fish raw (cooking kills any parasites anyways), freezing will render the fish acceptable for raw uses like sushi.

Curious about other store-bought salmon offerings like smoked salmon, lox, or gravlax? Lox salmon, a type of salmon that is dry-cured in salt and thinly cut, comes from the rich and fatty belly of the salmon. Smoked salmon, which can be sourced from the belly or other parts of salmon, is cured then smoked; it can be hot-smoked or cold-smoked.

Hot-smoked salmon bears a stronger smoked flavor, while cold-smoked will carry a more subtle smokiness. Cold-smoked salmon is very thinly-cut, while hot-smoked salmon is a bit thicker and more flaky. While cold-smoked salmon can be eaten on its own, hot-smoked salmon tends to be dryer, making it ideal for salmon dip or mixing into pasta.

Both lox and cold-smoked salmon taste incredible on bagels or atop crostini. How do they differ? Lox is saltier, often being cured in a salt brine longer; smoked salmon is milder but more complex in flavor. You may also see Nova lox amongst your grocery store’s cured salmon offerings. This salmon offering is cured in a blend of sugar and salt and then cold-smoked. The resulting flavor is less salty than regular lox, with a more nuanced smokiness. Its milder flavor makes it a great addition to charcuterie or seacuterie boards (charcuterie boards focused on fish rather than meat).

You also have gravlax. A Scandinavian delicacy, gravlax is often fashioned from a whole salmon fillet rather than the belly alone. Cured with a blend of salt, dill, and sometimes gin or juniper berries, it possesses a more fragrant quality and less saltiness than lox.

Canned salmon is a great resource for those looking for a more economical salmon option. While not as nutrient-rich as fresh salmon, this tinned fish is long-lasting, affordable, and even available in sustainable options. Canned salmon also often contains more protein, more vitamin D, and more vitamin B12 than fresh salmon, as well as having fewer calories. It also boasts a slightly lower mercury content than fresh salmon.

The downside? Canned salmon contains more sodium than fresh salmon, making it a less appealing option for those with certain medical conditions (such as high blood pressure). Some will also contain more preservatives and additives, although there are options that contain minimal ingredients. Fresh salmon also retains more omega-3 fatty acids than canned salmon, as well as being a better source of selenium.

Still, canned salmon is better than no salmon at all. And unlike other canned seafood that contain large amounts of mercury, canned salmon contains less than all types of canned tuna. Not to mention, this tinned treasure is incredibly convenient, being pre-cooked and ready-to-eat. It also keeps for an impressive 2 to 5 years, lasting longer than either fresh or frozen while being shelf-stable.

Not sure how to use this flaky, pantry-safe option? Canned salmon is particularly great for making salmon cakes (crab cakes’ fishier cousin), salmon burger patties, or even swapping salmon for tuna in sandwiches. Pasta and salad are also prime opportunities to make use of this affordable salmon option.