The Best Bakery Buys from Buddy Valastro

Aired on: September 5, 2012, January 9, 2012

Rachael goes "shopping" with the Cake Boss to get his dos and don'ts for buying cakes, pies and pastries at the grocery store.

• Cakes covered in fondant have a shelf life of five to six days, whereas a cake with regular frosting will dry up after a few days.

• Cheesecakes freeze nicely, so if you see a sale on them, stock up and freeze them for later use - they will last from four to six months in the freezer.

• For boxed cake mixes, Buddy says they're all pretty close in quality so look for the best price.

• When it comes to the freshness of pastries, be aware - are they baking there? Do they have an oven? "If they're taking a cake out of a box and cutting it, that's not a fresh cake," Buddy says. "If you see batter going into the forms and going into the oven, that's a fresh cake."

• The end of the day is a great time to shop for baked goods because you’ve got a lot more power to negotiate prices when they’re trying to get rid of everything.