Preparing fresh, healthy and safe foods is a top priority for most families. "But, it all begins with being a smart shopper at the grocery store, farmer's market, or supermarket", says Debra Holtzman, J.D., M.A., an internationally acclaimed safety and health expert and best-selling author of The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living (Sentient Publications, 2009).

Debra Holtzman recommends these Top 10 Must-know Grocery Shopping Tips to keep your entire family safe and healthy:

1. Shop only at reputable stores that are clean and well maintained and that have meat and poultry supplied by USDA inspected or state-inspected plants. Fish should be purchased at markets where supplies are bought from state-approved sources. (You can request a copy of the store's most recent health inspection report. Contact your local health department.)

Holtzman says it's a good idea to wipe down the cart handle and shopping cart seat, areas that are prone to high germ exposure. Some stores now offer sanitizing wipes, but if yours does not, you can bring along a wipe or cart cover.

2. Make sure to keep up-to-date on all product recalls (including dog and cat pet food recalls) and safety alerts. Visit www.recalls.gov. If you see any recalled products on store shelves, notify management immediately.

3. Look for the "sell by" date. You should buy the product before the date. Look for the "use by" date. Use the product by that date.

4. Do not buy cans or glass jars with dents, cracks or bulging lids--this can be a sign that the food contains harmful microorganisms. Examine every bag or box to make sure there are no rips or tears.

5. Buy only meat, poultry, or seafood that has been refrigerated or frozen. Place these foods in plastic bags to keep juices from leaking out. Do not buy cooked food if displayed in the same case as raw foods because cross contamination can occur.

6. Avoid any produce that is brownish, slimy, died-out or damaged. Place fruits and vegetables in plastic or paper bags. Do not place uncovered raw items on the checkout conveyor belt. If buying fresh-cut, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, be sure they are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.

7. Fish should be arranged belly down so melting ice drains away from the fish. There should be no darkening around the edges of the fish or brown or yellowish discoloration. Fresh fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy or ammonia like.

8. Buy pasteurized milk, cheeses, juices and cider. Pasteurization kills harmful levels of bacteria.

9. Only buy refrigerated eggs with clean, uncracked shells. (If you like to dip into raw cookie dough or eat undercooked eggs like sunny-side up, over easy, or soft-boiled, Holtzman recommends using pasteurized shell eggs.)

10.  Buy from local growers. You avoid buying food shipped over long distances or stored over long periods of time and there is accountability for the manner in which it was produced. It also provides tremendous support to the local farmers.   Moreover, it can often mean lower prices, too!   You can also grow you own chemical-free produce right in your own backyard, (or even in a container), which can be a fun family activity.)

Lastly, carefully read the ingredients in all the products you buy and contact the manufacturer (ask to speak with a supervisor) if you have any questions or concerns. And be sure to choose perishable foods last--right before grocery check out, then go straight home.

Debra Holtzman has a master's degree in occupational health and safety, is an attorney and is the mother of two children and a dog.  She teaches infant safety and CPR classes at a regional hospital. Debra has been featured on a number of media outlets, including NBC's Today Show, Weekend Today, ABC News, Dateline, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Newsweek, US magazine, Parents, Child, Fit Pregnancy, Star and USA Weekend Magazine. She was named an "Everyday Hero" by Reader's Digest and a "Woman Making a Difference" by Family Circle Magazine. She also appeared weekly on the Discovery Health Channel's TV series, Make Room for Baby. 

Her newest book, "The Safe Baby: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living" (Sentient Publications, 2009) provides lots of money savings tips and easy-to-implement solutions to provide a safe, healthy, and green living lifestyle for children and pets. It also shows you how to get back to the basics of childrearing. 

Interviews may be arranged via http://thesafetyexpert.com