Wren's bargain guide, week beginning May 28th:

And as a follow-up to two weeks ago's roundup of horrifying and mostly sweet fair foods, AlterNet presents the roundup of horrifying non-sweet fair foods!  Python kebabs.  Camel sliders.  Smoked lizard on a stick – that one's from right here in Arizona, and we are assured, “Don't worry, these farm lizards were raised for food purposes.”  To which AlterNet's editor responds, “THEIR FARM-RAISED VS. WILD-CAUGHT STATUS IS NOT WHY I AM ALARMED, SIR OR MADAM.”

The FDA has recently approved another artificial sweetener, Advantame.  It's described as “a free-flowing, water soluble, white crystalline powder,” usable “as a tabletop sweetener as well as in cooking applications.”  It's also 20,000 times sweeter than sugar.

A new report in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests that WHO's recommendation of five servings of fruits and veg a day isn't really enough:  up that to at least seven.  Another, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, says that combining nitrite- and nitrate-rich veggies with unsaturated oils, such as olive or avocado, produces compounds that reduce blood pressure.  TheKitchn explains what to do with carrot tops and that they're not poisonous, and LifeHacker explains why not to boil your vegetables until they're yellow.  And Tesco, the biggest supermarket chain in the UK, has banned checkout-lane candy displays! 

Recipes!  Chow.com has an easy teriyaki chicken:  up the health quotient by serving it on brown rice.  Sprouted Kitchen has a frittata of chard and leeks (or any green veggie and onion-variant) that can serve 8 from six eggs!  And Snack Girl offers up a carrot cake smoothie as well as a review of the newest exercise tracking device, the Shine.

June is Turkey Lovers' Month, apparently just to remind people that it is in fact possible to eat turkey not in November or December.  Also National Seafood Month which I'll eagerly celebrate, National Dairy Month, and National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month.  And National Iced Tea Month!

May 28th:  National Brisket Day, National Hamburger Day
May 29th:  National Coq au Vin Day
May 30th:  National Mint Julep Day, National Macaroon Day
June 1st:  National Hazelnut Cake Day
June 2nd:  National Chocolate Macaroon Day
June 3rd:  National Egg Day, National Rocky Road Day
June 4th:  National Cheese Day, National Frozen Yogurt Day, National Cognac Day
June 5th:  National Gingerbread Day

And a bonus tip from Connie:  Chop up rhubarb, simmer it in a very little water until it "turns to mush" which will not take long, she says.  Mix in cut-up strawberries and Splenda to taste.  This makes a sort of chunky syrup which is good on frozen yogurt or Greek yogurt or pancakes or waffles or toast.



Albertson's:

    Beef ribeye or New York steaks, bone in, family pack, $5.97/lb (boneless, $1/lb higher)
    Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, $10.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round roast or family pack steaks, boneless, $4.79/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $2.97/lb (3 lbs or more)
    Assorted pork chops, bone in, family pack, $1.99/lb
    Pork loin chops, center cut boneless, $7.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Sanderson Farms boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, $5.99/lb, buy 1 get 2 free
    Unbranded (store) boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.79/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm-raised, $6.99/lb
    Rockfish fillets, wild caught, $3.49/lb
    Tilapia OR swai fillets, farm raised, $3.49/lb
    Yoplait yogurts, 50¢
    Albertson's milk, gallons, $1.99
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, 18 ct, 2/$5
    Essential Everyday cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle, 2/$6
    Deli:     Jennie-O oven roasted turkey breast, $3.99/lb
        Signature rotisserie turkey breast, $5.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson chicken breast varieties, $5.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson cheeses, $7.99/lb
    Essential Everyday tomato sauce, 8 oz cans, 25¢
    La Moderna pasta, 7 oz bags, 25¢
    Essential Everyday veggies or tomatoes, 14-15 oz cans, 50¢
    Essential everyday variety (non-baked) beans, 15 oz cans, 75¢
    Bumble Bee chunk light tuna, 5 oz cans, 75¢
    Essential Everyday pasta, 12-16 oz boxes, 75¢
    Hunt's pasta sauces, 24 oz cans, $1
    Ro*tel tomatoes, 10 oz cans, $1
    Red seedless grapes, 75¢/lb
    Yellow peaches OR nectarines, $2.99/lb
    Red cherries, $5.99/lb
    Honeydew melons, 99¢/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, AZ grown, 2/$5
    Grape tomatoes, 10 oz boxes, 2/$4
    Red bell peppers, 50¢ ea
    Iceberg, 99¢ ea
    Organic vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    Earthbound Farms organic box salads, 1 lb, $4.99


Bashas':

    Beef crossrib roast, $4.99/lb
    Ground beef round, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Rib half pork loin, bone in, $1.49/lb, “sliced free”
    Assorted pork chops, value pack, $1.99/lb
    Center cut pork chops, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Chicken drums/thighs/leg quarters, 99¢/lb
    Swai fillets, farm raised, $2.99/lb
    Mahi mahi fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Food Club butter, $2.99
    Food Club cheeses, 10-16 oz chunk/shreds/string snacks, $3.99
    Bashas' cottage cheese incl. Light, 16 oz tubs, $1.89
    Ro*tel tomatoes, 10 oz cans, $1 ea
    Chicken of the Sea solid white tuna, 5 oz cans, $1 ea
    Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauces, 23-24 oz jars, $1.99
    Yellow peaches or nectarines, 97¢/lb
    Mangos, 33¢ ea


Fry's:

    Beef strip steak, bone in, $8.99/lb
    Beef flap meat, boneless, $6.99/lb
    Pork half loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.88/lb “sliced and wrapped free”
    Foster Farms chicken thighs or drumsticks OR whole chickens, 88¢/lb
    Kroger 85/15 ground turkey, 1 lb pkg, $2.99
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $7.99/lb
    Fry's milk, gallons, $1.99
    Kroger cheeses, 12-16 oz chunk or shreds, $2.99
    Sargento cheeses, 6-8 oz shingle slices, 2/$6
    Chicken of the Sea chunk light tuna, 5 oz cans, 2/$1
    Bumble Bee solid or chunk white tuna, 4/$5
    Kroger tomatoes or variety beans, 14-15 oz cans, 2/$1
    Ragu pasta sauces, 15-24 oz jars, $1.77
    Birds Eye “SteamFresh” veggies, 10-16 oz bags, 2/$5
    Smart Ones frozen entrees, 5/$10
    Whole cantaloupes, AZ grown, 87¢ ea
    Mini seedless watermelons, AZ grown, 2/$3
    Honeydew melons, AZ grown, 2/$4
    Yellow peaches or nectarines, 99¢/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99
    Red cherries, $3.99
    Sweet corn, 2/99¢
    NatureSweet “Cherub” tomatoes, AZ grown, 10 oz boxes, 2/$4
    “Mini peeled” carrots, 1 lb bag, 99¢/lb
    Mini sweet peppers, 1 lb bag, $1.99
    Organic cherry tomatoes, dry pint, 2/$6
    Organic kale, 99¢/bunch
    Red onions, 99¢/lb
    Green bell peppers, 59¢ ea


Safeway:

    Beef chuck roast, boneless, $2.99/lb (steaks 50¢/lb higher)
    80/20 ground beef, value pack, $3.99/lb
    “All natural” assorted pork loin chops, bone in, $3.99/lb
    Pork shoulder, whole in bag, $2.49/lb
    Sanderson Farms whole chickens, 99¢/lb
    Lucerne cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk, $2.69
    Lucerne cheeses, 2 lb chunk, $7.99
    Sargento cheeses, 8 oz shreds, 2/$6
    Prego pasta sauces, 14-24 oz jars, $1.79
    La Victoria salsa, 16 oz jars, 2/$5
    Healthy Choice “Bakes” frozen entrees, $1.99
    Lean Cuisine “Simple Favorites”, $1.99
    Red seedless grapes, 99¢/lb
    “Dulcinea” mini seedless watermelons, $2.99
    Gala or Fuji apples, $1.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 6/$2
    Organic vine tomatoes, AZ grown, $2.99/lb
    Large Hass avocados, 2/$3
    Cucumbers, 2/$1
    Red or yellow bell peppers, 2/$3
    NatureSweet “Cherub” tomatoes, 10 oz boxes, $2.99
    Heirloom tomatoes, $3.49/lb, save the seeds for replanting


Sprouts:

    Beef ribeye steak, bone in, $8.99/lb
    Beef chuck roast or steak, boneless, $5.49/lb
    Assorted (“2 center and 2 end”) pork chops, bone in, $1.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast/thighs/tenders, $2.99/lb
    Chicken drums or leg quarters, bone in, value pack, 99¢/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $8.99/lb
    Halibut fillets, wild caught, 6 oz portions, $7.99 ea
    Cod fillets, wild caught,  $7.99/lb
    Red seedless grapes, 88¢/lb
    Yellow nectarines, 88¢/lb
    Red or yellow mangos, 2/$1
    Cantaloupes, 88¢ ea
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    Organic Bartlett pears, 2 lbs/$3
    Mini seedless watermelons, 2/$5
    Whole honeydew melons, 2/$5
    Roma or beefsteak tomatoes, 88¢/lb
    Organic vine tomatoes, $1.98/lb
    Red bell peppers, 2/$1
    Yellow or orange bell peppers, 98¢ ea
    Eggplant, 98¢ ea
    Cucumbers, 2/$1

Wren's bargain guide, week beginning May 21st:

Fooducate tells us, finally, everything we've wanted to know about pink Himalayan salt!  (It's not Himalayan, for one thing.  And the pink is iron.)  A new paper published in JAMA suggests that it may be overweight that leads to overeating, rather than the commonly accepted model of t'other-way-round.  “Anabolic drive” – your body's urge to store calories as fat, rather than burning them – can be decreased by, among other factors, “low refined sugar intake … high omega-3 and low trans-fatty acid intake, adequate protein, high micronutrient and phytochemical content” as well as getting adequate sleep and physical activity.  Tell me you're surprised.  I dare you. 

It turns out that “exercise snacks” – ten-minute bursts of intensive activity repeated several times per day – can be effective in keeping blood sugar under control.  Yoni Freedhoff presents the last entries in his “Myths of Modern Day Dieting” video series:  “The last 10 lbs are the hardest” and “There's an Ideal Weight:  everyone the same height should weigh the same”.  And the most highly recommended article this week is at Lifehacker:  a long piece on “Why There's So Much Confusion Over Health and Nutrition”.  If you don't click through on anything else this week, click on that link.

Recipes!  Chow.com has a veggie-laden slow-cooker soup of butternut squash and red bell pepper with a garnish of roasted garbanzos.  Simply Recipes has cauliflower chickpea curry, a basmati rice salad with peas and mint and lemon and raisins, and Mediterranean potato salad dressed with a mustard vinaigrette instead of mayo.  And Snack Girl has rosemary oven chicken, baked fishsticks that even her kid will eat, and a rant with which we can all sympathize:  the cascade of Less Wise Choices at the supermarket checkout.  (Food companies, she points out, pay grocery stores for that prime display space.  It's a form of paid advertising, but with no sign reading, “Massive elaborate display of Oreos paid for by Nabisco!”)

Memorial Day weekend is the opening of Grilling Season, so brace for the promotions on burgers, steaks, hotdogs, sweet corn, and anything that can be cooked on a backyard barbecue.  Which these days includes just about everything short of peas (or snails, celebrated the 24th, National Escargot Day).  And if you don't care to grill this weekend you can still enjoy a meal outdoors:  Sunday, the 25th, is Brown Bag It Day.  Also National Wine Day although brown-bagging your wine will not necessarily enhance your reputation. 

May 21st:  National Strawberries and Cream Day
May 22nd:  National Vanilla Pudding Day
May 23rd:  National Taffy Day
May 24th:  National Escargot Day
May 25th:  National Wine Day (Not to be confused with Drink Wine Day, which is in February), National Brown Bag It Day
May 26th:  National Blueberry Cheesecake Day, National Cherry Dessert Day
May 27th:  National Grape Popsicle Day
May 28th:  National Brisket Day, National Hamburger Day


Stay cool and enjoy your weekend.


Albertson's:

    Beef petite sirloin steaks, bonelesss, $10.99/lb, buy 1 get 2 free
    Beef ribeye/t-bone/New York strip steaks, bone in, $8.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.99/lb
    Pork loin back ribs, $8.99/lb, buy 1 get 3 free
    Center cut pork chops, boneless, $3.49/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, 18 ct, $1.99
    Sargento cheeses, 5-8 oz shreds or shingle, 2/$5
    Tillamook cheeses, 12 oz slices, $3.99
    Essential Everyday cheeses, 8 oz shingle pack, 2/$7
    Deli:    Signature rotisserie turkey breast OR Virginia smoked ham, $5.99/lb
        Margherita hard or Genoa salami OR pepperoni, $5.99/lb
    Nature's Own “100% Whole Wheat” bread, 20 oz loaves, $1.88
    Bush's baked beans, 21-28 oz cans, $1.99
    Bertolli pasta sauces, 15-24 oz jars, $2.99
    Essential Everyday variety (non-baked) beans, 15 oz cans, 88¢
    Pam cooking spray, 5-6 oz cans, 2/$5
    Whole seedless watermelons, $1.88 ea
    Peaches, $1.99/lb
    Apricots OR nectarines, $2.99/lb
    Honeydew melon, 99¢/lb
    Cut up watermelon/cantaloupe/pineapple, 24 oz bowls, 3/$10
    Slicing tomatoes, $1.69/lb
    Organic vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 4 pk, 2/$5


Bashas':

    Beef t-bone steaks, value pack, $5.77/lb
    Beef tri tip roast, $5.99/lb
    Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.88/lb
    Pork loin country styles (sic), bone in, value pack, $2.39/lb
    Chicken breasts or leg quarters, bone in, 88¢/lb
    Sargento cheeses, 3-8 oz shreds/shingle/ultrathin/ “tastings”, 2/$5
    Kraft Cracker Barrel cheeses, 8 oz chunk, 3/$10
    Bush's baked or “Grillin'” beans, 22-28 oz cans, 2/$3
    American Beauty pasta, 1 lb pkg, 88¢
    Chicken of the Sea chunk light tuna, 5 oz cans, 79¢
    Libby's veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 69¢
    Food Club tomatoes, 15 oz cans, 69¢
    Weight Watchers ice-cream novelties, 6-12 ct, 40% off
    Seedless watermelon, 15¢/lb
    Blackberries/raspberries/blueberries, 6 oz boxes, 3/$5
    Strawberries, 1 lb boxes, 2/$5
    Whole pineapples, 2/$5
    Apricots, $1.77/lb
    Mangos, 2/$1
    Organic seedless grapes, green or red, $1.99/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 2 lbs/$3


Fry's:

    Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, family pack, $5.87/lb
    Kroger 80/20 ground beef, 3 lb chub, $11.37 ($3.79/lb)
    Pork ribs, loin back OR St Louis-style, buy 1 get 2 free
    Heritage Farm boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, $1.99/lb
    Jennie-O 93/7 ground turkey, 20 oz pkg, $3.99
    Atlantic salmon OR tilapia fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle, $1.99
    Bush's baked or “Grillin'” beans, 21-28 oz cans, 2/$3
    Simple Truth organic variety beans, 15 oz cans, 10/$10
    Ragu pasta sauces, 16-24 oz jars, $1.77
    Blueberries, dry pint, $1.77
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Blackberries or raspberries, 6 oz boxes, 2/$5
    Cantaloupes, AZ grown, 2/$5
    Whole seedless watermelons, $3.99
    White or yellow peaches OR nectarines, $2.49/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 75¢/lb
    Sweet corn, 3/99¢
    Vidalia onions, 99¢/lb


Safeway:

    Beef ribeye steak, bone in, $5.99/lb
    Beef back ribs, bone in, $2.49/lb
    Beef NY strip steak, $7.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $2.99/lb
    Half pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $2.99/lb
    Pork top loin chops, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Pork sirloin chops, boneless, $4.49/lb
    Pork shoulder “for carnitas”, boneless, $3.49/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Safeway Farms chicken thighs or drumsticks, bone in, value pack, $1.39/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $8.99/lb
    Lucerne cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $7.99
    Oroweat 100% whole wheat bread, 24 oz wide-pan loaves, $2.99
    Bush's baked beans, 28 oz cans, 3/$5
    Chicken of the Sea solid white tuna, 5 oz cans, $1.39
    Safeway Select salsa, 24 oz jars, 2/$5
    Safeway Kitchens variety beans, 15 oz cans, 99¢
    Bush's Best “Grillin'” beans, 21-22 oz cans, 3/$5
    Safeway Kitchens frozen veg, 14-16 oz bags, 2/$3
    Morningstar Farms frozen meatless, 5-12 oz, 2/$7
    Healthy Choice “Baked” frozen entrees, $1.99
    Whole seedless watermelons, $2.99
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, $2.99
    Peaches, $2.99/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$6
    Whole pineapples, $2.99 ea
    Blueberries, dry pint, $3.99
    Jazz apples, $1.99/lb
    Mangos, 10/$10
    Organic seedless grapes, green or red, $2.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 6/$2
    Vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    O Organics grape tomatoes, dry pint, $3.49


Sprouts:

    85/15 ground beef, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork baby back ribs, $2.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken thighs, value pack, $1.99/lb
    Swordfish or ahi tuna steaks, bone in, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $6.99/lb
    Ethnic Gourmet frozen entrees, 25% off
    Blueberries, 4 oz boxes, 98¢
    Whole cantaloupes, 98¢ ea
    Honey mangos, 3/$1
    Yellow peaches, 98¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    Apples, Fuji/Granny Smith/Jonagold, 98¢/lb
    Green or red seedless grapes, $1.98/lb
    Organic Bartlett pears, 2 lbs/$3
    Red bell peppers, 3/$1
    Vine tomatoes, 98¢/lb
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, OR iceberg, 88¢ ea
    Spinach, 88¢/bunch
    Yellow onions, 2 lbs/$1

Wren's bargain guide, week beginning May 14th:

Very occasional disclaimer:  I am Wren and this is my hobby.  I am not Weight Watchers, nor is this.  I go through every week's grocery flyers and type up the healthier options, along with what information on the culinary front seems interesting or potentially useful.  This blog, and the handout I print up for the meetings, are in every conceivable way the OPPOSITE of an official Weight Watchers Thing.  So very not.

With county- and state-fair season in the offing, AlterNet presents an article that can only be classified as a warning:  a graphically, not to say hideously, photoillustrated list of the “15 Most Horrifying Deep-Fried Foods in America”.  This is worse than a nightmare, this is a gastronomic night terror.  Fried jellybeans.  Fried White Castle Sliders.  “Fried Picnic On a Stick” – this last a sort of kebab of fried chicken, tater tots, and pickles, skewered and batter-dipped and fried.  Fried sugar cubes. 

I'm … really not very hungry any more.

Marion Nestle explores exactly what it means when a package of chicken is labeled “USDA Process-Verified”.  Mark Bittman looks at a poll comparing what “organic” actually means and what shoppers think it means.  Nutrition Diva touches on cholesterol, and whether honey really is as “bad” as sugar.  And Yoni Freedhoff offers the latest in his series of videos on myths of modern-day dieting:  #11, “There Are Bottles Full of Weight Loss”.  (If there were, he points out, the world would be slim.)

Recipes!  At Chow.com chicken chipotle chili, a curry of cauliflower with chickpeas and tofu, and a tasty-looking Salade Niçoise.  Sprouted Kitchen has veggie quinoa burgers (someday I must get around to trying quinoa), PBS offers a radish salad.  And from Snack Girl we have Thai hummus – an interesting combination involving chickpeas, coconut, peanut butter, and jalapeño peppers – and a healthier and light take on pancakes!

This third week in May is Pickles Are PointsPlus-Free Week.  Well, no, actually it's International Pickle Week, but it's worth remembering that non-sweet pickles are PointsPlus-free.  Next Tuesday is National Pick Strawberries Day, and the day after is appropriately National Strawberries and Cream Day. 

May 14th:  National Buttermilk Biscuit Day
May 15th:  National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
May 16th:  National Coquilles St. Jacques Day
May 17th:  National Cherry Cobbler Day
May 18th:  National Cheese Soufflé Day
May 19th:  National Devil's Food Cake Day, World Baking Day
May 20th:  National Quiche Lorraine Day, Pick Strawberries Day
May 21st:  National Strawberries and Cream Day


Albertson's:

    Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, $9.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round steaks, thin cut boneless, $8.49/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef ribeye/t-bone/New York steaks, bone in, family pack, $8.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.99/lb
    Center cut pork chops, boneless, $7.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Assorted pork chops OR country style ribs, bone in, family pack, $2.49/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.88/lb
    Cod, wild caught, 5 oz portions, 2/$5
    Ahi tuna, wild caught, 5 oz portions, $3.99
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Albertson's milk, gallons, $1.99
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, dozens, 2/$3
    Tillamook cheeses, 8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle, 2/$6
    Deli:    Dietz & Watson chicken breast varieties, $5.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson cheeses, $7.99/lb
        Signature rotisserie turkey breast, $5.99/lb
        Healthy Ones oven roasted turkey/honey turkey/chicken breast/honey ham, $6.99/lb
        Margherita hard or Genoa salami OR pepperoni, $5.99/lb
    Ro*tel tomatoes, 10 oz cans, 10/$10
    Hunt's tomato sauce, 15 oz cans, 10/$10
    Hunt's pasta sauces, 24 oz cans, 10/$10
    Essential Everyday pasta, 12-16 oz boxes, 10/$10
    Essential Everyday tomatoes, 28 oz cans, 10/$10
    StarKist chunk light tuna, 5 oz cans, 10/$10
    Bumble Bee solid white tuna, 5 oz cans, 2/$3
    Herdez salsa, 16 oz jars, 2/$5
    Great American tilapia or cod fillets, 1 lb IQF bag, $9.99, buy 1 get 2 free
    Gorton's “Grilled Fillets”, salmon or tilapia, 2/$7 – still only 2 PointPlus per serving!
    Healthy Choice frozen entrees, 2/$5
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Apricots, from California, $2.99/lb
    Large kiwifruit, 99¢
    Sweet corn, 2/$1
    Baby heirloom tomatoes, 8 oz boxes, $3.59
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, OR iceberg, $1 ea
    Spinach, $1/bunch
    Hass avocados, $1 ea
    Red bell peppers, $1 ea
    Roma tomatoes, $1/lb
    English cucumbers, $1 ea
    Broccoli crowns OR cauliflower, $1/lb
    Zucchini, $1/lb


Bashas':

    Beef London broil, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Beef chuck roast or steak, boneless, $4.99/lb
    Beef top round roast or steak, $3.99/lb
    Ground beef round, fat content not listed, $3.99/lb
    Assorted pork chops, $1.87/lb
    Center cut pork chops, value pack, $3.49/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.87/lb
    Swai fillets, farm raised, $2.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $9.99/lb
    True cod fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb “weather permitting”
    Challenge butter, $2.99
    Food Club cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $7.99
    Chicken of the Sea chunk light tuna, 5 oz cans, 88¢
    Bumble Bee solid white tuna, 5 oz cans, $1.99
    Hunt's pasta sauces, 24 oz cans, 10/$10
    Flav-R-Pac frozen veggies, 11-16 oz bags, 3/$5
    Green Giant “Steamers”, 11-12 oz pkg, 3/$5
    Red seedless grapes, 99¢/lb
    Cantaloupes, honeydew melons, seedless watermelons, 29¢/lb
    Apricots, yellow peaches, nectarines, $1.99/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 2 lbs/$3
    Sweet corn, 2/$1


Fry's:

    Beef chuck steak or roast, boneless, family pack, $2.99/lb
    Beef t-bone steaks, $8.99/lb
    Pork shoulder butt steaks OR country style ribs, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Pork sirloin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.79/lb
    Heritage Farm chicken drums/thighs/leg quarters, bone in, 99¢/lb
    Tyson boneless skinless chicken breast, 3 lb IQF bag, $4.47 ($1.49/lb)
    Kroger 85/15 ground turkey, 1 lb pkg, $2.99
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $7.99/lb
    Fry's milk, gallons, $1.88/lb
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle, $1.99
    Simple Truth organic variety (non-baked) beans, 15 oz cans, 10/$10
    Simple Truth organic quinoa, 1 lb bag, $6.99
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    Cameo apples, 88¢/lb
    Raspberries, 6 oz boxes, 87¢
    Yellow peaches OR nectarines, $2.49/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $2.99/lb
    Whole seedless watermelons, $3.99 ea
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Blackberries OR blueberries, 6 oz boxes, 2/$5
    Vine tomatoes, $1.99/lb
    Red/yellow/orange bell peppers, 4/$5


Safeway:

    Beef London broil, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Beef NY strip steak, bone in, $9.99/lb
    Beef chuck roast, boneless, $4.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $3.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, “grass fed”, $5.99/lb
    Pork loin assorted chops, bone in, $3.99/lb
    Whole pork shoulder, bone in, single roast whole in bag, $2.49/lb
    Jennie-O Turkey Store 93/7 ground turkey, 20 oz pkg, $5
    Chicken drumsticks, value pack, 99¢/lb
    Lucerne cheeses, 32 oz chunk or shreds, $7.99
    Lucerne cheeses, 5-8 oz chunks, $2.99
    Lucerne butter, 2/$6
    Bush's baked (28 oz) or “Grillin'” (21-22 oz) beans, 3/$5
    Teasdale black beans, 29 oz cans, 2/$4
    Bertolli olive oil, 25 oz bottles, buy 1 get 1 free
    Herdez salsa, 24 oz jars, buy 1 get 1 free
    Safeway Kitchens frozen veg, 24-32 oz bags, $2.79
    Lean Cuisine “Simple Favorites”, $1.99
    Blackberries/raspberries/blueberries, 6 oz boxes, 2/$4
    Mini seedless watermelons, $2.99 ea
    Yellow peaches OR nectarines, $2.99/lb
    Gala apples, $1.99/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$6
    Red seedless grapes, $2.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 5/$2
    Nature Sweet cherub tomatoes, 10 oz box, $2.99


Sprouts:

    Beef rump roast, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Beef porterhouse steak, bone in, $9.99/lb
    93/7 ground beef sirloin, $5.49/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, value pack, $1.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken thighs, $2.99/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $8.99/lb
    Albacore tuna steaks, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Seedless grapes, green or red, 98¢/lb
    Yellow nectarines, 98¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    Red grapefruit, 88¢ ea
    Whole seedless watermelons, 2/$5
    Honey mangos, 2/$1
    Organic cantaloupes, 2 lbs/$1
    Vine tomatoes, 98¢/lb

Wren's bargain guide, week beginning May 7th:

Fooducate this week has an interesting thing on gluten, celiac disease, and why you lose weight when you change to a gluten-free diet.  (Bluntly:  your options narrow.  Markedly.)  Also, a side-by-side label comparison between Chobani Greek yogurt and Siggi Icelandic yogurt;  and only a few months after PepsiCo took the brominated vegetable oil out of Gatorade, Coca-Cola's doing the same with Powerade.  Which leaves only Mountain Dew, as far as I can tell.

Speaking of brominated vegetable oil, the Washington Post has a very good piece touching on processed foods, chemical additives, and scare headlines:  “The difficulty of tackling processed foods starts with the most basic question: What are they?  {...}  Justice Potter Stewart famously said that we know pornography when we see it.  We know processed food, too, and it doesn’t look like canned tomatoes.  It looks like instant ramen, or hot dogs, or Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, with or without yellow dye.”  (It's noted here, almost parenthetically, that according to a recent study from the UK, “people who ate seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily had a 42 percent lower risk of dying — of any cause — during the 7 ½-year study period.”)

At PLOS (the Public Library Of Science), an encouraging piece on exercise and the “good enough” workout:  dealing with an activity slump by just putting on the gym clothes, or not even that, and going out and doing something.  Anything.  Mark Bittman has a column at NYT about the evolution of comfort foods, and how manufacturers capitalize on your desire to eat the things you grew up eating – things that in the past half-century are often things made by those very manufacturers.  And Yoni Freedhoff has the latest in his video series, this one on the hazards of “saving your calories for dinner”, particularly a dinner out.  It can lead to arriving at a restaurant ravenously hungry, only to be greeted by the bread basket and a 500-calorie starter even before you get to the main course.

Recipes!  Chow.com for some reason is a bit short of healthy recipes this week, focusing as it does on Mother's Day coffee cakes, things to put on french fries (baked beans?  A fried egg?  Kimchi??), and a chocolate chocolate chip cake made in the slow cooker.  Yyyyeah.  Smitten Kitchen has homemade spinach pasta, though.  Simply Recipes has jalapeño cornbread and homemade guacamole, Summer Tomato offers homemade pesto on “pasta” made from zucchini.  And Snack Girl has low-carb snacks, PepsiCo's 11-teaspoons-of-sugar “Naked” smoothies, and a strawberry-rhubarb compote.

This second week of May is National Hamburger Week.  Personally I'm more and more inclined of late to go the grilled-portobello-on-a-bun route for my hamburgers.  And this Sunday is, honest, National Eat What You Want Day.  I propose the Weight Watchers addendum:  eat what you want, and stop when you're satisfied.

May 7th:  Roast Leg of Lamb Day
May 8th:  National Empanada Day, National Coconut Cream Pie Day
May 9th:  National Butterscotch Brownie Day, National Moscato Day
May 10th:  National Shrimp Day
May 11th:  Eat What You Want Day, National Mocha Torte Day
May 12th:  National Nutty Fudge Day
May 13th:  National Apple Pie Day (not to be confused with Pi Day, which is in March), National Fruit Cocktail Day
May 14th:  National Buttermilk Biscuit Day


Albertson's:

    Beef ribeye, t-bone, New York steaks, bone in, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, family pack, $9.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef top sirloin steak OR tri tip roast, boneless, $5.99/lb
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round roast or family pack steaks, $4.99/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $3.99/lb
    Center cut pork chops, boneless, $7.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Assorted pork chops OR country style ribs, bone in, family pack, $2.49/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.49/lb
    Sanderson Farms chicken breasts/drums/thighs/leg quarters, bone in, 99¢/lb
    Honeysuckle White frozen turkey breast, bone in, $1.77/lb
    Classico pasta sauces, 15-24 oz jars, 2/$5
    Essential Everyday olive oil, 51 oz bottles, $9.99
    Bumble Bee solid white tuna, 4 pk of 5 oz cans, $6.99
    PictSweet Deluxe or “Steamables” veggies, 10-14 oz frozen bags, 2/$3
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 87¢
    Gala apples, $1.69/lb
    Ataulfo mangos, 2/$1
    Vine tomatoes, $1.99/lb
    Artichokes, 2/$3
    Cucumbers, 2/$1
    Earthbound Farms organic box salads, 5-7 oz, $2.99


Bashas':

    Beef t-bone steaks, value pack, $5.49/lb
    Beef porterhouse steaks, $6.49/lb
    Beef tenderloin, whole in bag, $6.99/lb, “cut & wrapped FREE!”
    Beef chuck or crossrib roast, $4.99/lb
    Beef tri tip roast, $6.99/lb
    Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.89/lb
    Pork loin country style, bone in, value pack, $1.59/lb
    Pork roast, center cut boneless, $3.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Bashas' milk, gallons, 2/$5
    Daisy sour cream OR cottage cheese, 24 oz tubs, $2.99
    PictSweet Deluxe or “Steamables” frozen veggies, 10-14 oz frozen bags, 3/$5
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 87¢
    Whole seedless watermelons, 19¢/lb
    Cantaloupes OR honeydew melons, 2 lbs/$1
    Vine tomatoes, 99¢/lb
    Vidalia onions, 99¢/lb
    OrganicGirl box salads, 5-8 oz, buy 1 get 1 free
    Sweet corn, 2/$1


Fry's:

    Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, family pack, $6.99/lb
    Beef top or eye round roast, boneless, $4.49/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $3.99/lb (3 lb chub)
    Pork loin center cut chops, bone in, family pack, $2.99/lb
    Foster Farms boneless skinless chicken breasts/thighs/tenders, buy 1 get 2 free
    Jennie-O 93/7 ground turkey, 1.25 lb pkg, $3.99
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Daisy sour cream, 16 oz tubs, $1.99
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz shreds or shingle pack, $2.29
    Kroger fruit, 15 oz cans, 10/$10
    Del Monte veggies, 11-15 oz cans, 10/$10
    StarKist solid or chunk white tuna, 5 oz cans, 10/$10
    Apples:  Gala, Granny Smith, Red/Golden Delicious, 99¢/lb
    Blackberries, 6 oz boxes, 97¢
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    D'Anjou pears, 99¢/lb
    Mangos, 99¢ ea
    Whole seedless watermelons, $3.99 ea
    Red potatoes, 5 lb bag, AZ grown, 2/$3
    Organic kale, 99¢/bunch
    Sweet corn, 3/99¢
    Hot house English cucumbers, AZ grown, 99¢ ea


Safeway:

    Buy $20 in Weight Watchers branded or endorsed products, save $5 instantly!

    Beef ribeye steaks, boneless, $6.99/lb
    Beef bottom round roast, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, $4.99/lb
    Beef chuck roast, boneless, $4.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $3.99/lb
    “All natural” assorted pork loin chops, bone in, $3.99/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, $1.99/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Ahi tuna steaks, $9.99/lb
    Yoplait “Greek 100” yogurts, 10/$10
    Crystal Farms “All Whites” egg whites in a carton, 16 oz, $2.99
    Lucerne cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $7.99
    Progresso Light soups, 2/$4
    Green Giant corn, 11 oz cans, $1.89
    Bumble Bee solid white tuna, 5 oz cans, $1.89
    Nature's Own “100% Whole Grain” bread, 20 oz long loaves, 2/$4
    Birds Eye “Steamfresh” frozen veggies, 10-12 oz bags, $1.99
    Weight Watchers ice-cream novelties, 6-12 ct, $3.49
    Green Giant frozen box veggies, 18 oz boxes, $1.99
    Smart Ones frozen entrees, $1.99
    Weight Watchers all natural chicken, 30-32 oz frozen boxes, $6.99
    Strawberries, 3 lb box, $3.99
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$6
    Seedless grapes, green or red, $2.99/lb
    Gala apples, $1.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 2/$1
    Vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    Zucchini, $1.49/lb
    Iceberg, 99¢ ea


Sprouts:

    Beef top sirloin steaks, $6.99/lb
    Assorted pork chops, bone in, “2 center and 2 end”, $2.99/lb
    Lamb shoulder chops, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $12.99/lb
    Fuji or Granny Smith apples, 98¢/lb
    D'Anjou or Bosc pears, 98¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 98¢ ea
    Honey mangos, 3/$1
    Vine tomatoes, 48¢/lb
    Roma tomatoes, 98¢/lb
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 88¢ ea
    Grape tomatoes, dry pint, 2/$3
    Eggplant, 4/$5
    Italian squash, 98¢/lb
    Bell peppers, red/yellow/orange, 98¢ ea
    Organic curly kale, 98¢/bunch

Wren's bargain guide, week beginning April 30th:

Fooducate offers a potentially useful tool for calculating sodium intake from packaged foods:  the sodium-to-calorie ratio.  Aim for a rough ratio of one milligram of sodium per calorie.  Darya at Summer Tomato has a list of ten reasons that might explain “why you're still not losing weight when you think you're doing everything right”.  (Having trouble with portion sizes?  Are you exercising enough – or too much, so much it actually makes you hungry?  Getting enough sleep?)

Grist explores what's the best way to get your locally-grown produce?  There are several options, each with its own advantages.  Including a newish site, RipeNearMe.  Also demitarianism – you needn't give up eating meat, just eat half the amount you normally would.  (This will probably not be a deprivation.  The USDA recommends eating about six ounces of meat a day;  the average American manages to cram in twice that.)  And Yoni Freedhoff picks up his set of diet-myths videos with the preposterous notion that there's One Best Diet that is ideal for everybody (“Just ask yourself the question, 'Could I happily live like this forever?' and if the answer's 'no,' you're on the wrong diet”), and the easy assurance that you're not losing weight because you're gaining muscle! 

Recipes!  Chow.com has forty-five recipes for Cinco de Mayo food and drink, at least some should be PointsPlus-friendly, and top it off with a tangerine margarita.  Simply Recipes offers an artichoke-leek frittata – five eggs, but it's four servings each with a full helping of veg! – and a burrito-in-a-bowl.  And Snack Girl has whole roasted cauliflower, homemade salad dressing, and the new breakfast horror from Taco Bell:  the 23-grams-of-fat, half-a-gram-of-sodium, 10-PointsPlus Waffle Taco.

It's May!  National Asparagus Month, National Egg Month, National Hamburger Month, National Gazpacho Aficionado Month, National Strawberry Month, National Mediterranean Diet Month, National Salsa Month, National Salad Month, and National Asparagus Month.  Yes, I love asparagus so much it got mentioned twice.  This first week is National Hamburger Week and National Raisin Week – it takes more than I've got to work out a way of fitting those into a single dish.  Next Tuesday, the 6th, is International No Diet Day – but we're not on a “diet,” are we? 

May 1st:  National Chocolate Parfait Day;  Beltane, International Workers' Day
May 2nd:  National Truffles Day
May 3rd:  National Raspberry Tart Day
May 4th:  National Orange Juice Day, National Homebrew Day, National Candied Orange Peel Day
May 5th:  Cinco de Mayo, National Hoagie Day, National Chocolate Custard Day
May 6th:  National Crêpes Suzette Day, International No Diet Day
May 7th:  National Roast Leg of Lamb Day

Sorry about not making it to this week's meeting, but I'll try for next!



Albertson's:

    Beef ribeye/t-bone/New York steaks, bone in, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef roasts: chuck, crossrib, eye/bottom round, sirloin tip, $4.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steak OR tri tip roast, family pack, $5.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $2.99/lb (3 lbs or more)
    93/7 ground beef, $4.49/lb
    Pork shoulder butt roast, whole in bag, $1.99/lb
    Pork country style ribs, bone in, $2.49/lb
    Pork picnic roast, whole in bag, $1.99/lb
    Pork sirloin chops, boneless, $5.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Center cut pork chops, boneless, $7.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.89/lb
    Tilapia OR swai fillets, farm raised, $2.99/lb
    Herdez salsa, 24 oz jars, $2.99
    Snyder's “Pounder” pretzels, 2/$5
    Deli:    Signature Virginia smoked ham, $4.99/lb
        Healthy Ones oven-roasted or honey turkey, chicken breast, honey ham, $6.99/lb
        Margherita hard or Genoa salami OR pepperoni, $5.99/lb
        Signature Provolone cheese, $4.99/lb
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Mangos, 3/$1
    Maridol papayas, 79¢/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$5
    Roma tomatoes, 99¢/lb
    Campari tomatoes, 14 oz pkg, 2/$5
    Sweet corn, 4 pkg, $2.99


Bashas':

    Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, value pack, $5.87/lb (regular pack $1/lb higher)
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round roasts, $4.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steak, value pack, $6.99/lb
    Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork loin end country style, value pack, $1.99/lb
    Pork loin end chops, $2.49
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.87/lb
    Tilapia fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Cod fillets, wild caught, 3 oz portions, 99¢ ea
    Bashas' milk, gallons, 2/$5
    Bashas' cottage cheese, 24 oz tubs, $2.39
    Tillamook cheeses, 1 lb chunk OR 12 oz slices, $3.99
    Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna, 5 oz cans, 99¢
    Bumble Bee chunk light tuna, 5 oz cans, 88¢
    Bumble Bee chunk white tuna, 5 oz cans, 2/$3
    Hunt's tomatoes, 14-15 oz cans, 99¢
    Chiquita bananas, 39¢/lb
    Whole cantaloupes or honeydew melons, regular or organic, 59¢/lb
    Whole seedless watermelons, 29¢/lb
    Whole pineapples, 2/$5
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Blackberries, 6 oz box, 2/$5
    Organic yellow peaches, 2 lbs/$3 (a bit early in the season, I'd wait)
    Vine tomatoes, 75¢/lb
    Sweet corn, 2/$1
    Green bell peppers, 2/$1
    Red or gold bell peppers, $1 ea
    Radishes OR cilantro OR green onions, 2 bunches/$1


Fry's:

    Beef strip steak, bone in, $8.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $4.99/lb (1-2 lb chubs)
    Foster Farms chicken breast, bone in, 97¢/lb
    Unbranded (store) chicken leg quarters, 99¢/lb
    Kroger 99/1 ground turkey breast, 1 lb pkg, $4.99
    Atlantic salmon, farm raised, 6 oz portions, $4.99
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $12.99/lb
    Fry's milk, gallons, $1.99
    Kroger cottage cheese OR sour cream, 24 oz tubs, $2.39
    Lean Cuisine frozen entrees, $1.67
    Whole seedless watermelons, $1.88 ea
    Mangos, 2/99¢
    D'anjou pears, 99¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    Apples:  Gala, Granny Smith, Red/Golden Delicious, 99¢/lb
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Blackberries, 6 oz box, 2/$5
    Sweet corn, 2/99¢
    Hass avocados, 4/$5
    Simple Truth organic mini carrots, 1 lb bag, 2/$3


Safeway:

    Beef chuck or crossrib roast, boneless, $3.49/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, $4.99/lb
    Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, $10.99
    Open Nature beef London broil, $5.99/lb
    90/10 ground beef, value pack, $4.49/lb
    Pork shoulder, bone in, whole thing in a bag, $1.99
    Pork tenderloin, whole in bag, $5.99/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    True cod fillets, wild caught, $8.99/lb
    Alaskan pollock fillets, wild caught, $3.99/lb
    Pantry Essentials milk, gallons, $1.99
    Lucerne cheeses, 5-8 oz chunk or shreds, $2.99
    Bush's baked beans, 28 oz cans, 2/$4
    Bumble Bee solid white tuna, $1.89
    Libby's veg, 14-15 oz cans, 79¢
    Herdez salsa, 24 oz jars, 2/$5
    Safeway Kitchens variety breads, 24 oz wide-pan loaves, $1.99
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$5
    Whole seedless watermelons, $1.99 ea
    Organic Gala apples, $2.49/lb
    Mangos, 2/$1
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, $2.99/lb
    Vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    Roma tomatoes, 99¢/lb
    Sweet corn, 2/$1
    Organic kale, $1.99/bunch


Sprouts:

    Beef skirt, flank, tri-tip, sirloin flap, boneless, $5.99/lb
    Beef rump roast OR stew meat OR carne asada, $4.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, value pack, $4.69/lb
    Pork sirloin chops or roast, boneless, $1.99
    Chicken drums or whole legs, value pack, 99¢/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast/thighs/tenders, $2.99/lb
    Halibut portions, wild caught, $8.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $9.99/lb
    Mahi mahi fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lbfs
    Large sea scallops, 30-40 ct, $6.99/lb
    Whole seedless watermelons, 98¢ ea
    Texas Red grapefruits, 2/$1
    Yellow mangos, 2/$1
    Honeydew melons OR Maradol papapas, 2/$1
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    Fuji OR Granny Smith apples, 98¢/lb
    Organic Packham or D'Anjou pears, $1.48/lb
    Red seedless grapes, 2 lbs/$5
    Vine tomatoes, 98¢/lb
    Roma tomatoes, 88¢/lb
    Sweet corn, 10/$2
    Hass avocados, 88¢ ea
    Green bell peppers, 2/$1
    Red/yellow/orange bell peppers, 4/$5
    Organic Italian squash, $1.48/lb
    Organic vine tomatoes, $1.98/lb