Wren's bargain guide, week beginning July 16th:

At Fooducate, I find a short but helpful guide to proteins, exactly what a “complete protein” is, and whether you need to worry about it.  (Short answer:  if you live in North America and eat a reasonably varied diet you're good.)  Also, for National Blueberry Month (or, as I have also found it called, July Belongs To Blueberries Month) some facts about blueberries and the simplest blueberry recipe (“Ingredients:  1 package of blueberries.  Instructions:  1. Rinse thoroughly.  2. Eat.”).  Also, is “organic” produce really better for you?  (Yes … but make eating produce in the first place the top priority.  If your $10 can buy you two pounds of organic produce, or six pounds of conventionally grown … you know what to do!)

Marion Nestle looks into a recent metastudy which strongly suggests that increased consumption of fruits and veggies “has no discernible effect on weight loss”.  Turns out this project was funded by Kellogg's, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Mars (the candy company), Red Bull, PepsiCo, the American Beverage Association, and the World Sugar Research Organization.  Among others.   Can you say “conflict of interest”, boys and girls? 

Grapes are good for your heart.  Peaches and watermelon are good for all sorts of things.  And they're all delicious.  And PointPlus-free.

Recipes!  Chow.com has an interesting tomato-watermelon-kalamata olive salad, a dessert of herbed strawberries and grilled apricots on angel food cake, slushy cocktails, and seven homemade pickles.  Smitten Kitchen adds an eighth.  From Simply Recipes we have grilled Japanese eggplant with tahini sauce – I imagine it would work equally well with conventional eggplant, if you chose a young tender fresh one – and from Simple Nourished Living a pair of slow-cooker cakes (!!), a slow-cooker chicken Alfredo with broccoli, and hydration tips useful in an Arizona summer.

Today's National Fresh Spinach Day – have a salad.  Rather inexplicable, both today and this Monday are listed as National Ice-Cream Day:  in fact it's quite complex because the 16th is National Ice-Cream Day, the 17th is National Peach Ice-Cream Day, the 20th is National Ice-Cream Soda Day, the 21st is National Ice-Cream Day again, and the 23rd is National Vanilla Ice-Cream Day.  And then the 25th is National Hot Fudge Sundae Day.  I do not necessarily recommend that you celebrate all of these with equal enthusiasm.  But then, they're your bonus PointsPlus to spend.  And the 21st is also National Junk Food Day, which let us honor in the breach rather than the observance. 


July 16th:  National Corn Fritters Day, National Fresh Spinach Day, National Ice-Cream Day, National Ice-Cream Sundae Day
July 17th:  National Peach Ice-Cream Day
July 18th:  National Caviar Day
July 19th:  National Daiquiri Day
July 20th:  National Lollipop Day, National Ice-Cream Soda Day, National Fortune Cookie Day
July 21st:  National Ice-Cream Day again, National Junk Food Day, National Creme Brulee Day
July 22nd:  National Maple Syrup Day, National Penuche Fudge Day
July 23rd:  National Hot Dog Day, National Vanilla Ice-Cream Day


Albertson's:

    Beef ribeye/t-bone/New York steaks, bone in, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef petite sirloin steaks, $10.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round roast or family pack steaks, $7.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef London broil, boneless, $3.49/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $2.49/lb (3 lb pkg)
    Center cut pork chops, bone in, family pack, $2.77/lb
    Pork sirloin chops, boneless, family pack, $2.29/lb
    Sanderson Farms chicken breasts/thighs/drums/leg quarters, bone in, jumbo pack, 99¢/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, dozens, 99¢
    Kraft cheeses, 7-8 oz chunk or shreds, OR Cracker Barrel 8 oz chunk, 2/$6
    Deli:    Signature rotisserie turkey breast, $5.99/lb
        Healthy Ones honey or oven roasted turkey, chicken breast, honey ham, $6.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson Santa Fe/Oven Classic/Black Forest turkey breast, $8.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson sharp or baby-Swiss cheeses, $8.99/lb
    Bertolli olive oil, 25 oz bottles, $7.99/lb
    Hunt's pasta sauce, 24 oz cans, 10/$10
    Hunt's tomatoes, 14 oz cans, 10/$10
    Ro*tel tomatoes, 10/$10
    Lean Cuisine frozen entrees, $1.88
    Seedless grapes, green or red, 97¢/lb
    Black plums, 99¢/lb
    White peaches or nectarines, $1.99/lb
    Yellow peaches, $1.99/lb
    Red cherries, $2.99/lb
    Bartlett pears, 99¢/lb
    Red bell peppers, 2/$1
    Grape tomatoes, 12 oz boxes, 99¢
    Organic vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    Fresh Express bag salads, buy 1 get 1 free
    Red or white onions, 99¢/lb
    Organic kale, $1.49/bunch


Bashas':

    Beef round steak, boneless, OR ground beef round, value packs, $2.78/lb
    Beef sirloin tip roast or value pack steaks, $4.99/lb
    Pork picnic, $1.59/lb
    Chicken drums/thighs/leg quarters, 88¢/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Food Club cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $7.99
    Food Club cheeses, 6-8 oz shingle pack, 2/$5
    Kraft Cracker Barrel cheeses, 8 oz chunk, $3.99
    Tillamook cheeses, 12-16 oz chunk or slices, $3.99
    Bashas' cottage cheese, 24 oz tubs, $2.39
    Chicken of the Sea solid white tuna, 5 oz cans, 99¢
    Bumble Bee chunk white tuna, 5 oz cans, 2/$3
    Food Club pasta, 13-16 oz boxes, 88¢/lb
    Bertolli pasta sauces, 15-24 oz jars, 2/$5
    Food Club variety (non-baked) beans, 15 oz cans, 4/$3
    Blueberries, 6 oz boxes, 88¢
    Yellow peaches, nectarines, red or black plums, 88¢/lb
    Red seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
    Organic cantaloupe OR honeydew melons, 2 lbs/$1
    Organic yellow peaches, $1.99/lb
    Organic mini seedless watermelons, 2 lbs/$1
Fry's:

    Beef NY strip steak, bone in, $7.99/lb
    Beef tri-tip roast, boneless, $4.99/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $2.99/lb (2 lb chub)
    Pork loin chops, center cut boneless, family pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork shoulder butt steaks OR country style ribs, bone in, family pack, $2.99/lb
    Foster Farms boneless skinless chicken breast/thighs/tenders, buy 1 get 2 free
    Jennie-O 85/15 ground turkey, $1.99/lb (3 lb chub)
    Fry's milk, gallons, 2/$5
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle, $1.97
    Healthy Choice “Cafe Steamers”, $1.88
    Yellow peaches or nectarines, 99¢/lb
    Red cherries, $2.49/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99/lb
    Mangos, 99¢ ea
    Dole bag salads or kits, 5-12 oz, 99¢
    Summer squashes, zucchini/yellow/grey, 99¢/lb
    Bell peppers, red/yellow/orange, 99¢ ea
    Organic kale, 99¢/bunch


Safeway:

    Beef chuck or crossrib roast, boneless, $2.49/lb
    Beef NY strip steak, bone in, $6.99/lb
    Open Nature beef chuck roast, boneless, $4.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork top loin chops, boneless, $5.99/lb
    Pork shoulder blade country style ribs, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Dover sole fillets, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Pantry Essentials milk, gallons, $1.88
    Kraft cheeses, 6-8 oz shreds, OR Cracker Barrel 8 oz chunk, $2.99
    Philadelphia cream cheese, 7-8 oz block or tub, $1.99
    Nature's Own bread, 20 oz loaves, 2/$5
    Libby's veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 79¢
    Bush's variety beans, 14-15 oz cans, 99¢
    Alpine Valley organic bread, 18 oz loaves, $3.49
    Peaches/nectarines/plums, $1.99/lb
    Red cherries, $2.99/lb
    Dulcinea mini seedless watermelons, $3.99 ea
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$5
    Rainier cherries, $4.99/lb
    Bartlett pears, $1.49/lb
    Gala or Fuji apples, $1.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 5/$1
    Vine or slicing tomatoes, $1.99/lb



Sprouts:

    Beef NY steak, bone in, $7.99/lb
    Beef chuck roast or steaks, boneless, $5.49/lb
    Pork sirloin chops or roast OR spare ribs, $2.99/lb
    Chicken breast tenders, $2.99/lb
    Whole, split, or cut up chickens, $1.59/lb
    Ahi tuna OR swordfish steaks, wild caught, $6.99/lb
    Sea of Cortez halibut fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $10.99/lb
    Sprouts butter, $2.99
    Blueberries, 18 oz boxes, $1.98
    Whole cantaloupes, 4/$5
    Bartlett pears, 48¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 48¢/lb
    Red cherries, $1.98/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.98/lb (organic, 2 lbs/$5)
    Organic black plums, 98¢/lb
    Whole seedless watermelons, $3.98 ea
    Vine tomatoes, 2 lbs/$3
    Organic grape tomatoes, dry pint, 2/$5
    Red or yellow bell peppers, 48¢ ea