Take Control

By selecting choice cuts of meat and grinding your own meat, you control fat content. Of all the people in the world, Americans take in the most calories - unhealthy eaters consume an average of 35-45 percent more calories than the recommended daily consumption. Frozen and processed foods have additives, especially salt, which are harmful to many diet and health plans. A meat grinder also helps you control the amount of gristle and bone fragments that end up in your meat. When you use your meat grinder to prepare spreads and appetizers or to grind fruits and vegetables, you decide if sugar or salt should be added, and you control the freshness of the product.

Tricks of the Grinding Trade

Fine grinding discs can be used to grind hamburger or to make baby food, spreads, pâtés, relishes, and soups. Think of the money and calories saved by processing these food items from fresh, hand-selected ingredients. Coarse discs grind meat for sausage or chili; nuts and vegetables can also be ground using the coarse disc. Grind carrots, celery and onions in with your meatloaf - the kids will never know they are eating veggies. Imagine making your own fresh peanut or almond butter, void of harmful ingredients. Save money by drying old bread slices in the oven and using your meat grinder to make breadcrumbs.

Grinding Etiquette

Grind meat as soon as you take it from the refrigerator to keep juices from escaping, and add seasonings while grinding for thorough mixing of ingredients. Refrigerate meat immediately after grinding to avoid spoilage, and use ground meat within 24 hours to ensure the freshest taste. Meat for burgers should be lightly pressed, not packed into shape. Meat grinders are an economical way to make sausage - but did you know that salt can compromise the taste of meat and reduces freezer life by more than 50%? It's wise to salt after the fact. No matter what you grind, it's up to you and the more control you have over what you eat, the healthier your choices can be.