One quick touch reveals if chicken is fresh or past its best

A simple touch can tell you a lot about raw chicken before you buy it: experienced butchers often use a gentle press to judge freshness in seconds, and experts recommend combining that check with visual and smell cues.

Press the surface lightly with your finger. If the indentation bounces back quickly to its original shape, the meat is firm and elastic — a reliable sign of freshness. If a dent from your fingertip stays visible for a long time, the muscle has lost some of its natural firmness and elasticity, which suggests lower quality or older meat. This is a common quick assessment used by seasoned butchers.

Fresh chicken should show an even, light-pink color and have a mild, almost imperceptible smell. If the flesh looks grayish, noticeably darker than it should be, or gives off an unpleasant sour odor, those are warning signs that the meat is no longer fresh; in that case, choose a different piece.

Storage and handling matter

Always check how the poultry is being kept before buying. Chicken needs to remain at a proper cold temperature, so avoid packages that feel warm to the touch or give the impression they have been left out of refrigeration for an extended time — that strongly affects both quality and food safety.

On hot days it’s wise to add raw chicken to your shopping basket only at the end of your trip so it spends the least possible time outside a refrigerator and warms less while you carry it home.

Once you get home, put the meat into the fridge immediately. If you don’t plan to cook it within one or two days, freeze it right away to preserve freshness and ensure it remains safe to eat.

Photo: press material from the event