grocery

Happy Ad Friday!

It’s been a haul but here I am!  Finally an ad post. I write it in my planner every week, and every week seems to have kicked my butt because we both know I haven’t posted.  But this week I am getting the list up, and I’ll keep doing my best to post.

Right now my fridge is a mess of nonsense because last week pork shoulders were on sale, and I made some seriously weaponized posole.  In the apocalypse, if you should find a bit of mace, I can make soup out of it if need be.  I’m not sure anyone will eat it, but I can make it. 

For those of you wishing for toilet paper or hand sanitizer, may I suggest Fiesta? When I was there a few days ago it was a completely normal experience, with no empty shelves.

To the deals!

HEB

  • HCF split chicken breasts                                                        $1/lb
  • HEB Sweet 1015 Onions, 3lbs                                                $1.50/ea
  • Autumn Glory apples                                                                77c/lb

Randalls

  • Halos, 5lb box                                         $4.99/ea
  • Sat-Mon ONLY:
    • pork butt roast, bone in, in bag                      99c/lb
    • Blue Bell, half gallon                                      $4.99/ea

Fiesta

  • Ataulfo mangos                                           44c/ea
  • small avocados                                            33c/ea
  • bulk red beans                                             77c/lb
  • bulk white rice                                             50c/lb

Sprouts

  • blackberries, 5.6oz                                        88c/ea
  • red seedless grapes                                      98c/lb
  • organic D’Anjou pears                                $1.48/lb
  • Almond Breeze almond milk                     Buy one, get one free

Whole Foods

  • organic Lady Alice apples                            $1.99/lb

Wheatsville

  • organic Fuji apples                                        $1.79/lb

Central Market

  • xl Gold pineapples                                                   $1.98/ea
  • organic Fuji and Gala apples                                $1.97/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

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Happy Ad Roundup Weekend!

We’ve got the weekend, so let’s get to it!  Except, well, my mail didn’t include an HEB circular, so I’m going to have to do the online one and let me tell you, it’s not my favorite site to deal with.  I get distracted and decide to check out college football or an instant pot site, and that’s how we end up with my Wednesday post on Saturday.

But I am here, typing away, and I hope it helps you.  This week doesn’t have the meat sales that I expect will show up next week for the holiday, but we’ve got Fiesta with the cheap chickens, still. 

This year I’ll be doing several homemade gifts, some cooked, some crafted.  Do you have any fun gift plans?  I’d love to hear about them! Cheepie is trying to cheep our holiday season down and I’d love to hear how you like to gift without breaking the bank.

Randalls

  • large cantaloupes                                        88c/ea (limit 2)
  • Progresso soup                                            99c/ea
  • Calidad tortilla chips, 12oz.                    $1.49/ea (must buy 4)

Sat-Mon:

  • pork butt/picnic roast                                  99c/lb
  • medium avocados                                        50c/ea

 

Sprouts

  • jumbo Hass avocados                                                $1.25/ea
  • organic Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady apples, 2lbs        $2.98/ea
  • Sprouts bulk coffee                                                   $7.99/lb
  • Sprouts xv olive oil. 1 ltr.                                         $6.99/ea
  • bulk rolled, quick or steel cut oats                         79c/lb

 

HEB

  • Envy apples                                                                                97c/lb

 

Fiesta

sweetbreads

Fiesta, this doesn’t mean what you think it means.

  • white onions, 3lbs.                                                                97c/ea
  • round mangos                                                                       50c/ea
  • lemons                                                                                     25c/ea
  • whole chickens                                                                      77c/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

Ad Roundup, Late Edition

You’ve got until tomorrow to get these prices, or Wednesday if you’re shopping at Sprouts. It’s late this week, due to some over-ambitious holiday planning.   We hit both the Trail of Lights and the light show at Mozart’s, and I’m glad we were able to do that early before the more crowded evenings!

This week I’m going to be getting a couple of chickens at Fiesta and some Cuties at Sprouts.  Maybe this is the year I make some tamales? If I decide to, I’ll be picking up supplies at Fiesta.

Central Market

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    Be nice! Bring flowers!

organic Bartlett and Red Anjou pears                           $1.47/lb

HEB

  • XL Honeycrisp apples                                             77c/lb
  • black seedless grapes                                               97c/lb

Randalls

  • raspberries/blackberries, 6oz                              $1.50/ea
  • chuck roast, value pack                                         $2.99/lb (Mon only)

Sprouts

  • Cuties mandarins, 2lbs                                                $1.98/ea
  • organic red seedless grapes                                        $1.98/lb
  • black seedless grapes                                                      98c/lb

Fiesta

  • small avocados                                                                    33c/ea
  • round mangos (round? really?)                                       50c/ea
  • bone-in chuck roast, family pack                                  $2.47/lb
  • chicken drums & thighs, family pack                              77c/lb
  • whole roaster hens                                                             77c/lb
  • assorted pork loin chops, family pack                          $1.27/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

 

Holiday Hours

A quick post to share the hours stores are open tomorrow.  Hopefully, you’ve got everything you need and are happily home binge-watching Friends (I’m on the one where Ross tells Rachel that he agreed to Emily’s demand that he never see her again). Just in case you don’t, here’s where you can go tomorrow to get those last-minute items.

Fiesta                       7am-7pm

Wheatsville            7:30am-1pm

Sprouts                    7am-4pm

HEB                           6am-2pm

Central Market        6am-2pm

Randalls                    6am-4pm

Trader Joe’s              Closed

Whole Foods            7am-3pm

Ad Roundup, Thanksgiving Edition

Last week, a helpful reader pointed out that the ad for HEB runs through tomorrow.  Turns out this week is the 1970s split-level house of weekly ads, with some sticking with the current ad until Thursday, and some switching over today.  

Sticking with the current ad:  HEB, Randalls, Sprouts, Central Market, Whole Foods

Moving on like there’s not a giant holiday:  Fiesta, Wheatsville

Still using that nutty flyer that has stories, no dates, and says ‘prices might change’: Trader Joes.

So, here are the Fiesta and Wheasville updates. For the others,  you can check last week’s roundup.  I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wheatsville

  • organic Pink Lady apples                    $1.99/lb
  • sourdough or French baguette           $1.50/ea

Fiesta

  • small avocados                                         25c/ea
  • white onions                                             32c/lb
  • beef bottom round steak or roast       $2.47/lb
  • Fiesta flour, 5lbs                                     $1.89/ea
  • Fiesta tortilla chips, 12oz.                     $1.49/ea

Thursday only:

  • whole fryers                                                67c/lb
  • boneless skinless chicken breast            87c/lb

 

Links to the weekly ads:

Weekly Ad Roundup!

A bit late, but I was distracted by trying to decide if I needed the AC or the heat on recently.  I also had to laugh at the corner store trying to sell three sticks of firewood for $5.99.  Are they magic sticks?  

It got cold, so I wanted to cook a bunch, then it got warm and I didn’t. So now I have this big list of food I want to make but not until it’s cold. And I have a list of Thanksgiving things I want to make.  And then there’s a list of things I want to make next month.  I may have a list problem. Happily, that works in your favor, because here’s your list of grocery deals!  Check out the turkey list after the individual stores.

HEB

  • sweet potatoes                                                            14c/lb
  • McIntosh or Granny Smith apples                         87c/lb
  • Boston butt pork roast                                              $1/lb (limit 2)

 

Randalls

  • Libby’s canned green beans, corn, peas               44c/ea (must buy 6)
  • Blue Bell half gallons                                                $4.99/ea (must buy 2)

 

Central Market

  • organic Granny Smith or Fuji apples                  $1.27/lb
  • fresh wild jumbo sea scallops U/10 ct                 $14.99/lb

                                                   (a splurge yes, but it’s $12/lb off!)

Fiesta

  • russet potatoes, 5lbs.                                          $1.50/ea
  • split chicken breasts, family pack                      87c/lb
  • Betty Crocker cake mix                                          $1/ea
  • Fiesta frozen vegetables, 16oz                           89c/ea

 

Sprouts

  • raspberries or blueberries, 6oz                     $1.67/lb
  • large pomegranates                                              $2/ea
  • Hass avocados                                                      50c/ea
  • red or black seedless grapes                              98c/lb
  • organic celery                                                    $1.48/lb
  • Cuties brand mandarins, 5lb box                   $3.98/ea

 

Turkey Situations

HEB

  • HEB fresh turkey, 10-24 lbs.                                        $1.48/lb
  • Free Riverside frozen turkey up to 12lbs. (or credit on a larger turkey) with purchase of an HEB bone-in or boneless spiral cut ham.

Randalls

  • Free frozen Honeysuckle White or Signature Farms turkey with $100 purchase, or 49c/lb with $25 purchase
  • Butterball frozen turkeys, 10lbs & up                          99c/lb
  • Honeysuckle White fresh turkeys, 10lbs & up         $1.49/lb
  • Butterball fresh turkeys, 10lbs U up                          $1.99/lb

Central Market

  • Mary’s free-range non-gmo natural fresh turkey     $2.49/lb
  • Mary’s free-range certified organic fresh turkey      $3.49/lb
  • Mary’s Heritage fresh turkey                                         $6.49/lb

Sprouts

  • fresh natural turkeys                                                     $1.49/lb (limit 4)
  • fresh organic free-range turkeys                                 $2.99/lb (limit 4)

Fiesta

  • Jenni-O frozen turkey, 12-20 lbs.                                      47c/lb

Fiesta also has everything for making tamales ‘on sale’. I don’t think these prices are much lower than the usual for most of the basics, but if you want a whole pork leg, this is a good price.tamalephoto

Links to the weekly ads:

Imperfect Produce Review

I’ve tried several of the meal delivery services, and they are fun, but between the huge amount of packaging and the cost they’re just not something I can reasonably fit into my budget/conscience. But I do love getting packages, and I love puzzles, and you know I love groceries.  After seeing the Imperfect Produce ad on Facebook about a million times, I decided to give it a go.

Imperfect Produce is a weekly delivery of a box of produce to your door. The day depends on your zip code, but they seem to cover the entire Austin area.  You can choose the box size, and whether you want organic or conventional produce.  I’ve been scheduled for a medium organic box for the past two months.

Screen shot 2018-12-29 at 6.19.51 PMTheir hook is that they’re selling the produce that for one reason or another isn’t acceptable to grocery store buyers.  This sounds like a bad plan, but most of us don’t work within the specific parameters that stores do.  I’m happy with a apple that is small, or a pear that has an odd line on the skin.  A sweet potato that’s weirdly knobby, or a beet that is oddly huge, is fine eating in my kitchen. The hope is that getting this produce sold will help farmers, save resources and reduce waste.  My account has an ongoing tally of the ways these purchases help.

One of the things I really like is that it is completely customizable. I can remove items that were assigned to my box, and can choose from organic or conventional produce to add during the ‘customization phase’ which is four days long.  The price for each addition/removal changes the total as I go.  If I want to skip a week, it’s a simple click.  I really enjoy customizing, completely forgetting what I’ve ordered, and then wondering what I’ll cook with my cool box of veggie loot.

This is a look at the average costs, from their website.  For a medium box, the cost is about $2/lb for organic produce, which is a price point that pushed me to give it a try. I do try to stick to the dirty dozen for produce, and I’ll scan the conventional list to see if their prices have deals.

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Here are some photos of one of the boxes I got, some detailing the ‘flaws’.

 

The flaws here were: surplus, scarring, spotting. Every time you order you can see why it’s not ‘acceptable’ for purchase, as well as the source of the item. It’s great for people trying to source within the USA, but it’s not a service that’s providing local produce so don’t expect that.

I’m really happy with this service. I am in stores less, which helps me save. I’m buying more organic options of the Dirty Dozen than I would, which is better for my family. And I usually get some random thing that gives me a project–a 1.5lb daikon radish for example (look for a post on that soon)!  I’ve skipped weeks, but overall I’m really happy when my box arrives.  I open it up and start plotting how I can get all these veggies eaten, and I love that kind of puzzle.

NOTE: This was not compensated in any way. I haven’t received anything from Imperfect Produce at all, I just tried it and wanted to share.

Happy Ad Friday

I’m starting this at 23:02. Yes, my computer is on military time. No, there is no good reason at all other than for my offspring to moan when they ask the time and I tell them it’s 18:42. The moaning means I’m parenting right.  That’s what the parenting books I don’t read say, I figure. 

In grocery news! CORN. 6/$1. It’s no 12/$1, but it’s still cheep and you know how I feel about corn.

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Remember that ’50 Ways to Cook Corn on  the Cob’ link I shared? And then I made like eight of them, and my family thought I was maybe on  the opposite of  the Atkin’s diet?  I’ll go dig that up tomorrow.  Tonight I’ve got a round-up to post.  To the circulars!

HEB

Jazz apples                                                                            $1.47/lb

Campari tomatoes, 16oz                                                      98c/lb

HEB pork italian sausage chubs, 16oz.                           $2/ea

HEB seasoned  chicken fajita leg meat                            $1/lb (value pack)

HEB natural ground turkey chub, 16oz.                          $1/ea 

Note: Some Cheepsters have found quality issues with the ground turkey on sale this week.  Use your judgment, and maybe look closely if you choose to purchase it.

 

Sprouts

corn                                                                                        6/$118519869_10154653832118366_2581979419502218849_n

many kinds of melons                                                        98c/lb

Vidalia onions                                                                      50c/lb

whole seedless watermelon, organic                              $3.98/ea

bulk peanuts                                                                        $1.99/lb

bulk Thompson raisins                                                      $1.99/lb

 

Fiesta

whole seedless watermelons                               $3.97.ea

limes                                                                         12/$1

green bell peppers                                                 50c/ea

tomatillos                                                                 69c/lb

chicken leg quarters, jumbo bag                        47c/lb (usually ~10lbs)

pork country style ribs                                        $1.47/lb (great for carnitas in an Instantpot!)

bone-in pork sirloin chops                                  89c/lb

India Gate basmati rice, 10lbs                            $7.99/ea

        Sun-Mon ONLY:

        pork butt roast                                                         88c/lb (limit 2)

        Russet potatoes, 5lbs                                               98c/ea

        beef bone-in chuck steak                                       $1.97/lb

        beef back ribs                                                            $1.67/lb

Note: This is a lot of meat for a Fiesta list. The pork butt is at a serious stock-up price. The chuck steak is a good price, but I’m not doing pot roast for months so I’ll pass. Beef back ribs is not something I’m familiar with (we mostly just smoke pork ribs), but at that price I’ll make beef stock and maybe smoke a half rack to see what happens. The sacks of chicken legs need back portions removed (again, stock), so if you’re not one to process it’s not worth it.  And note, those pork chops are sirlion, not loin, and they’re always tougher.

                                       

Randalls

fresh French bread                                                             99c/ea

USDA choice beef brisket, whole in bag                         $1.97/lb (limit 2)

       Fri ONLY:

      selected Lucerne cheese , 32oz.                                        $5/ea

                  Fri-Sun ONLY:

                 raspberries, 6oz.                                                                  $1.50/ea

                 pork butt roast                                                                     99c/lb (limit 4. if you’re                          buying 4, though, just go to Fiesta)

Happy shopping, Cheepsters! I’m over an hour into Friday at this point so I’ll change the name of the post, but hopefully I’ll be back to Wednesdays soon. Wish me luck.

Weekly Flier Links:

Happy Ad Thursday

Yes, technically it’s Friday, but I started on Thursday and I still think that’s a valid reason to keep the post name the way it is.  If you take offense I’ll thumb wrestle you when you see me.

There are a few fun things on sale this week. My favorite is what Rancho del Cheepie calls ‘Babysitter Pizza’. We bought this pizza when the kids were little and it was something the babysitter could cook and they would eat. Now we get it for nights when we leave them to fend for themselves like cave children while we go out to talk to other adults about the choices that have led us to the peculiar times we now live in.  Because the kids are now teens it takes two pizzas to feed them, but at three bucks a pie, I’m a-ok with that. So hit up Randalls for some frozen pizza and train ’em young is my suggestion.

Prime top sirloin is $9/lb at CM, if you’re looking for a splurge. Their meat is always worth it, and steak for less than $10 there is a deal.  Sprouts 40% off many gluten-free items, so it might be a good time to stock up if you’re a gluten-free person.

Highlights this week: corn, tomatoes, mangos and mandarins; pork ribs, country and spare. 

And lest we forget the loving grocery art of the Trader Joe’s flyer, here’s a challenge!

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Randalls

boneless skinless chicken breast                    $1.69/lb

chicken leg quarters, 10lb bag, frozen                       $4.90/ea

signature Select Pizza 12-33.oz, selected varieties   $2.99/ea

 

HEB

corn                                          6/$1  (limit 12)

tomatoes on the vine             67c/lb

HCF chicken drums or thighs         99c/lb

pork baby back ribs                         $2.97/lb

 

Sprouts

mandarin oranges, 5lbs                   $3.98/ea

green bell peppers                                50c/lb

zucchini squash                                     50c/lb

organic baby carrots                             98c/lb

organic Red Delicious apples              98c/lb

 

Fiesta

Ataulfo mangos                           25c/ea

limes                                                10/$1

seedless watermelons               $3.97/ea

pork country style ribs         $1.47/lb

pork spare ribs                           $1.97/lb

Tyson drumsticks                      97c/lb

boneless skinless chicken breast        $1.47/lb

 

 

Wheatsville

organic Gala apples                               $1.79/lb

 

Happy shopping, Cheepsters!

 

Weekly Flier Links:

Happy Ad Thursday

Yes, we’re rolling with calling this Thursday.

I started the post on Thursday, and it’s not like there’s a blog police. I mean, I belong to a blogger association, but they’re mostly about happy hours and asking me to not blog about stuff I got for free without mentioning I got it for free (Note: if you want to send me free crap, I will blog about whatever free crap I got. And make it clear it was free. For my blogger peeps.).

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Finally, we hit the Easter sales, which are all about the pig. Fiesta has all the parts on sale, and everyone else has decent ham prices. I collected the best ones and suggest you sock one away because there’s nothing simpler than feeding a crowd with a large cut of pig.

Blue Bell is cheap this week, but I understand if you still haven’t forgiven them for the disastrous handling of the contamination problem.  Strawberries are just $1.25, which is good, but normally they’ve hit 99c by now. I’m not buying for the freezer quite yet, but I’m wondering if they’re going to get lower this year at all.  Watermelons are cheap as hell at Sprouts and you can freeze it for making agua frescas later. 

 

Fiesta

russet potatoes, 5lb bag                                    $1.29/ea

Hass avocados                                                      50c/ea

Sugardale smoked ham portions                    $1.49/lb

Owens sausage rolls, 16oz                                buy one, get one free ($2.99 reg)

pork loin center cut chops                               $1.77/lb (family pack)

pork country style ribs                                      $1.77/lb (family pack)

pork spare ribs                                                   $1.97/lb (family pack)

chicken leg quarters, jumbo bag                        57c/lb

Blue bell half gallons                                          $3.87/ea (limit 2 w/$20 purchase)

 

Randalls

raspberries, 6 oz                                               $1.50/ea

Hormel Cure 81 spiral sliced ham                $1.59/lb

Libby’s canned vegetables, selected              59c/ea (buy 4 or more)

Imperial sugar, 4lbs                                         $1.88/ea

Gold Medal flour, 5lbs                                     $1.88/ea

Blue Bell half gallons, selected                      $3.99/ea (buy 2 or more)

$5 Friday

     Lucerne block or shredded cheese, 32oz      $5

     Cal-organic fresh rainbow baby carrots       $5 (yes, ridiculous. but so cute!)

 

HEB

strawberries, 1lb.                                                    $1.25/ea

organic Gala apples, 2lb bag                                $2.98/ea

Smithfield Premium Ham                                    $1.28/lb (shank portion)

Eckrich or HCF smoked sausage, 30-42oz         $5/ea

HEB Prime 1 beef brisket                                      $2.89/lb

(NOTE: The ad says, ‘HEB Prime 1’. Meat grading is a weird land of twisty passages, all alike. The two HEB’s I’ve been in this week have labels saying ‘Prime’, not ‘HEB Prime 1’. I’m not sure if this is a situation where their particular ‘store grade’ was supposed to be on sale, or if some stores threw prime meat out at this price.  Look at your brisket and make a call to the best of your ability. Either way, I think it’s cheap beef.)

 

Sprouts

seedless watermelons                             $1.98/ea

sweet potatoes                                           50c/lb

organic D’Anjou or Bartlett pears         $1.48/lb

celery                                                           50c/ea

organic baby peeled carrots                   98c/ea

organic kale                                              98c/ea

boneless skinless chicken breasts         $1.88ea

Sprouts frozen vegetables, 16oz.            99c/ea

 

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