Free food is always good, right? Not according to some viewers. One Kroger shopper went viral for chronicling his journey trying to get free shrimp from the grocer, but some think a store offering free seafood means there’s something fishy going on.
“They wrote ‘Free. Reduced. Free’ on this package, so take a little journey with me and find out whether it’s really free,” Michael McDaniel (@michaelmcdaniel16) says in a viral TikTok while holding a small styrofoam tray of shrimp at Kroger.
He takes the shrimp to the self-checkout and puts it directly into a bag, as there is no barcode on it. This triggers the machine to call an associate, who works some magic on the screen and tells McDaniel it’s OK to take the shrimp.
“I did it, folks. I got my free shrimp. What a time to be alive,” the shopper concludes.
‘Shrimp is free…ER deductible is $1500’
In the comments section, viewers joked about the consequences of eating free shrimp.
“Free shrimp = free food poisoning,” one wrote.
“Free shrimp = found on a non freezer refrigerator shelf for days,” a second said.
Others said giving away the food was an attempt to eliminate waste.
User Charissa Hayes said, “It’s Kroger they will do that on expiration date to keep from wasting food. 2 days before exp date it’ll be 50% off you can buy a ton of meat and freeze it.”
“No one buys day of expiration products they get thrown out typically,” user Sweet Solace said. “Apps like too good to go will let you get them and they are legit safe, NOT expired. They did the non food waste thing and it’s good you can choose not to get it.”
“More stores should do this instead of throwing away food someone is willing to eat,” user KateD wrote.
Why is Kroger giving away shrimp for free?
The free shrimp may have been part of Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste program. On its website, the company states, “As items in our Fresh departments – bakery, deli, dairy, produce, meat and seafood – approach their use-by dates, we activate our popular markdown program to make them even more affordable for our customers and drive sales.”
Items that cannot be sold but are still edible may be donated. Items that cannot be sold or donated may be recycled.
@michaelmcdaniel16 Follow me on this journey to see if I just got free shrimp from Kroger!!!
♬ original sound – Michael McDaniel
Is the shrimp safe to eat?
The shrimp was likely free because it was going to spoil soon. Luckily, if you’re ever gambling with free grocery store shrimp, there are pretty easy ways to tell if you should throw them out.
The first clue that your shrimp needs a trip to the trash is discoloration. TastingTable states, “Raw, fresh shrimp should be gray or white in color and may even appear translucent. If you notice any spots on your shrimp, it’s a good idea to toss it. In contrast, cooked shrimp should have a bright pink color — not faded or gray.”
Next is foul odor. Bad shrimp may smell of ammonia while good shrimp will have a lingering salty smell or very little “fishy” aroma.
Lastly, there’s texture. “If you pick a shrimp up and it is covered in a layer of thin film or slime, then it’s time to throw it out,” TastingTable says.
The Mary Sue contacted McDaniel via TikTok comment and direct message. It contacted Kroger via press email.
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