The useful answer: Choose a well-chilled product from a reliable seller and match the purchase to your cooking schedule. Freshness cues help assess quality, but do not prove safety. Frozen fish can be a practical choice when you will not cook straight away.
Start with when you will cook
At the fish counter, it is easy to start with the most attractive fillet. I would start with your calendar. Are you cooking tonight, tomorrow, or at the end of a busy week? That answer helps determine whether chilled fish or a frozen portion makes more sense.
The word “fresh” can feel reassuring, but it does not tell you everything about handling. Nor does “frozen” automatically mean a disappointing dinner. What matters is the product you are buying, the condition it is in and the way you will treat it at home.
This is the same store-to-kitchen approach behind BuyerFood’s original Italian guide to choosing fish. The useful skill is not memorizing a single visual trick. It is learning to ask the seller a few questions, inspect what you can, and plan the next steps before you pay.
How to tell if fish is fresh
FDA guidance is to buy fish kept refrigerated or displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice. Fish should have a mild smell; avoid sour or ammonia-like odors. With fresh whole fish, clear eyes and firm flesh are useful quality cues. Color alone is not a reliable freshness test. FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely.
That last point matters. Attractive color can draw your attention before you consider anything else. Treat it as one observation, not a verdict. If you cannot inspect the fish closely, ask the employee to show it to you. There is no need to touch unpackaged seafood yourself.
Notice whether the seller can explain the product clearly. Ask the species, whether it was previously frozen, and when it should be cooked. A direct answer is more useful than a general claim that everything is “the freshest.” If the answer does not fit your meal plan, choose something else.
Compare the purchase you will actually eat
A whole fish, a skin-on fillet and a trimmed portion are different purchases. They include different amounts of edible flesh, preparation work and waste. Compare their prices with that in mind, especially if you do not want to clean a whole fish at home.
Ask for a portion suitable for the number of people eating. If a package is much larger than you need, decide how you will divide it before buying. Individually frozen portions may make a small household’s planning easier, even when the price per pound is higher.
For breaded or seasoned fish, read the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts panel. You are comparing a prepared product with a plain ingredient, so the serving size and recipe matter. A prominent photograph on the front cannot make that comparison for you.
Check the frozen package
Reject frozen fish that is soft or in torn packaging. FDA also advises avoiding packages with frost or ice crystals, which can indicate extended storage or thawing and refreezing. FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely.
Look at how many pieces are inside and whether you can remove only the amount you need. A solid block may be less convenient than separate portions if you usually cook for one. That is a usability difference, not a claim that one product is inherently better.
Check the thawing directions before purchase, particularly with vacuum-packed fish. Follow the package’s instructions about removing it from the reduced-oxygen packaging. Do not assume every pack should be thawed unopened simply because it looks tidy and leakproof.
Protect the trip home and the first two days
Make seafood one of your last purchases and take it home promptly. An insulated bag with cold packs is useful when the journey is long or the weather is hot. Plan the route before adding another stop after the supermarket.
FDA recommends refrigerating seafood at 40°F (4°C) or below when you will use it within two days; otherwise freeze it. Keep raw seafood separate from ready-to-eat food. FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely.
Give it a place in the refrigerator where leaks cannot reach salad, fruit or cooked food. Keep the label until you have used the fish. If you freeze a portion, label it with the contents and date so it does not turn into an anonymous package.
A smaller purchase cooked promptly is often easier to manage than a large purchase you keep postponing. See our guide to the true cost of a grocery bargain for the same principle in other aisles.
Cook with a measurement, not a guess
FoodSafety.gov gives 145°F (63°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for fish. Use a food thermometer in the thickest part. FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures.
Keep utensils used for raw fish away from the finished meal until they have been washed. Set out a clean serving plate before cooking, so the easiest place to put the cooked fish is also the right one.
This guide is for fish you will cook. Raw preparations require a different risk assessment; freezing does not eliminate every hazard. People at greater risk of foodborne illness should follow FDA advice to avoid raw or undercooked seafood. FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely.
My shopping checklist is simple: a reliable seller, appropriate chilling, intact packaging, a clear cooking plan and a safe trip home. Those habits tell you more than the most persuasive sign above the counter.
Sources and editorial note
Adapted for US readers from the original Italian BuyerFood article, published 2023-07-28. This is an updated adaptation, not a literal translation.
FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely
FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures
US editorial draft prepared with AI assistance for Simone Paciaroni’s review. Sources checked September 13, 2026. This preparation date is not a claim of completed expert review. New recipe adaptations have not been kitchen-tested. Follow product-specific instructions and recall notices.