Wren's bargain guide, week beginning November 19th:

Sorry about missing last night's meeting, I don't want to give you all what I've got.  Sorry as well for the delay in posting:

Somehow I'd never thought of rice in terms of its arsenic content, but apparently – per Consumer Reports, by way of Fooducate – it's something to be concerned about.  McDonald's has announced that they won't be using a newly developed potato.  A list of six ways to make vegetables taste as good as French fries!  And would you eat a salad from a vending machine?

From Marion Nestle, I learn that the Brazilian Ministry of Health has just released its Dietary Guidelines (link is to the English version).  I've never seen such a rational approach to nutrition from a government agency:

1. Make natural or minimally processed foods the basis of your diet
2. Use oils, fats, salt, and sugar in small amounts when seasoning and cooking natural or minimally processed foods and to create culinary preparations
3. Limit consumption of processed foods
4. Avoid consumption of ultra-processed products
5. Eat regularly and carefully in appropriate environments and, whenever possible, in company
6. Shop in places that offer a variety of natural or minimally processed foods
7. Develop, exercise and share culinary skills
8. Plan your time to make food and eating important in your life
9. Out of home, prefer places that serve freshly made meals
10. Be wary of food advertising and marketing

Recipes!  Chow.com presents its Thanksgiving For Beginners menu, as well as a huge assortment of perhaps not quite traditional recipes if this year you feel like doing smoked turkey, turkey leg confit (simmer in a quart of duck fat), bacon-wrapped turkey, Buffalo roasted turkey with bleu cheese sauce, or, God help us, the infamous Thanksgiving cake.  Also a set of slow-cooker soups and a Romesco sauce that looks delicious.  Martha at Simple Nourished Living reaches into her slow-cooker and pulls out a low-calorie pumpkin cheesecake, chicken marsala, and a 3-PointsPlus broccoli cheese soup.  Simply Recipes has a basic not-too-pricey beef roast, tangy roasted root vegetables, a tasty and filling bean-and-ham soup, and homemade cranberry sauce.  And Snack Girl has her own cranberry sauce, part of her “Healthy Thanksgiving Roundup”, as well as a wholly unsuccessful attempt to improve on bagged stuffing.

November 19th:  National Carbonated Beverage with Caffeine Day
November 20th:  National Peanut Butter Fudge Day, Beaujolais Nouveau Day
November 21st:  National Gingerbread Day, National Stuffing Day
November 22nd:  National Cashew Day
November 23rd:  National Espresso Day, Eat A Cranberry Day
November 24th:  National Sardines Day
November 25th:  National Parfait Day
November 26th:  National Cake Day


Albertson's:

    Beef chuck, crossrib, eye/bottom round, sirloin tip roasts, boneless, $8.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef standing rib roast, whole, bone in, $6.99/lb
    Beef New York strip holiday roast, bone in, “hand trimmed and tied”, $5.99/lb
    Beef London broil roast, boneless, $4.49/lb
    Beef brisket, boneless, whole in bag, $3.49/lb
    Beef NY strip steaks, bone in, $5.99/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $4.79/lb
    Pork loin chops, center cut boneless, $3.99/lb
    Pork loin roast, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Cook's spiral cut ham, bone in, $1.97/lb
    Cook's unsliced ham, bone in, shank portion, $1.67/lb
    Hormel Cure 81 half hams, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.77/lb
    Honeysuckle White frozen turkeys, 79¢/lb (with $25 purchase)
    Catfish or Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Challenge butter, 2/$5
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, 18 ct, $1.88
    Tillamook cheeses, 8 oz shreds or shingle, $2.48
    Deli:    Signature rotisseries turkey breast, $6.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson mesquite, Santa Fe, or “Gourmet Lite” turkey, $8.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson honey, classic, or “Gourmet Lite” ham, $8.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson Provolone or Muenster cheeses, $6.99/lb
    Del Monte veggies, 11-15 oz cans, 2/$1
    PictSweet frozen veggies, 10-12 oz bags, 77¢
    Fuji or Red Delicious apples, 99¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    “Cuties” clementines, 3 lb bags, $3.99
    Vine tomatoes, $1.99/lb
    Broccoli OR cauliflower, 99¢/lb
    Russet potatoes, 10 lb bag, 77¢
    Green Giant fresh green beans, 12 oz bags, 2/$5
    Yams or sweet potatoes, 99¢/lb
    Winter squashes, “assorted varieties”, 99¢/lb
    Green bell peppers, 69¢ ea


Bashas':

    Beef tenderloin, whole in bag, $7.99/lb “cut & wrapped free”
    Beef NY steak, bone in, value pack, $4.99/lb
    Beef crossrib/bottom round/sirloin tip roasts, buy 1 get 1 free
    Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, value pack, $3.49/lb
    Cook's unsliced ham, bone in, shank portion, $1.19/lb (butt portion 40¢/lb higher)
    Cook's OR Hormel spiral sliced ham, $2.49/lb
    Hormel Cure 81 boneless ham, half or whole, quarter brown sugar, or sliced, $4.99/lb
    Hillshire Farms spiral sliced ham, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Whole roasting chickens, $1.29/lb
    Sanderson Farms boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Norbest turkeys, tom or hen, 10-24 lb, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase
    Jennie-O fresh turkeys, tom or hen, $1.79/lb
    Butterball fresh turkeys, tom or hen, $1.99/lb
    King salmon fillets, wild caught, $12.99/lb
    Halibut, 3 oz portions, $3 ea
    Fresh oysters, 8 oz jars, $3.99
    Challenge butter, $3.29
    Tillamook cheeses, 8 oz chunk or shreds, 2/$6
    Kraft Cracker Barrel cheeses, 8 oz chunk, $2.99
    Gold Medal flour, 5 lb, 2/$4
    Food Club flour, 5 lb, $1.88
    Del Monte veggies, 13-15 oz cans, 5/$3
    Flav-R-Pac frozen veg, 12-16 oz bags, 77¢
    Birds Eye or C&W frozen veg, 12-16 oz bags, 5/$10
    Apples, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, 99¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    Green or red seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
    Fresh green beans, 87¢/lb
    Red or orange yams, 87¢/lb
    Sweet onions, 87¢/lb
    Green/red/gold bell peppers, 77¢ ea
    Organic winter squashes, acorn/butternut/spaghetti, 99¢/lb


Fry's:

    Beef NY strip roast, whole, bone in, $4.97
    Beef ribeyes, bone in, whole in bag, $7.99/lb, “sliced & wrapped free”
    85/15 ground beef, $3.99/lb (3 lb chub)
    Pork loin chops, center cut bone in, family pack, $3.99/lb
    Kroger spiral sliced ham, bone in, $1.99/lb
    Cook's ham, bone in, shank portion, $1.29/lb (butt portion 20¢/lb higher)
    Kroger frozen turkeys, 10-20 lb, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase
    Foster Farms fresh turkeys, 10-24 lb, $1.49/lb
    Private Selection frozen turkeys, 10-24 lb, 99¢/lb
    Private Selection frozen turkey breast, bone in, $1.69/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb
    Pacific oysters, 8 oz jar, $3.99
    Kroger butter, 2/$5
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle, $1.97
    Kroger veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 2/$1
    Libby's pumpkin, 15 oz cans, 3/$5
    Simple Truth organic veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 4/$5
    Simple Truth organic quinoa, 1 lb bags, $6.99
    Kroger frozen veggies, 10-12 oz bags, 67¢
    Clementines, 3 lb bag, $2.77
    Apples:  Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Red/Golden Delicious, 99¢/lb
    Gala apples, 5 lb bag, $3.99
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    Bartlett pears, 99¢/lb
    Ocean Spray cranberries, 12 oz bags, 2/$5
    Whole pineapples, $2.99 ea
    Red or gold yams or sweet potatoes, 99¢/lb
    Asparagus, $3.99/lb


Safeway:

    Beef ribeye roast, bone in, $9.99/lb
    Beef top loin roast, boneless, $7.99/lb
    Beef round tip roast, boneless, $5.99/lb
    Beef chuck roast, boneless, $5.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, $6.99/lb
    Half pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $3.99/lb
    Safeway smoked half ham, rump or shank, $1.89/lb
    Safeway Select half ham, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Hormel Cure 81 half ham, boneless, $4.99/lb
    Safeway spiral sliced half ham, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Open Nature semi-boneless lamb leg, $6.99/lb
    Honeysuckle OR Safeway Farms frozen turkeys, 10-24 lb, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase
        or FREE with $100 purchase
    Butterball frozen turkeys, 10-28 lb, 99¢/lb with $25 purchase
    Butterball fresh turkeys, 10-24 lb, $1.99/lb
    Jennie-O fresh turkeys, 8-24 lb, $1.49/lb
    Honeysuckle frozen turkey breast, $1.99/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $11.99/lb
    Tilapia fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Fresh Pacific oysters, medium, 10 oz jar, $5.99
    Lucerne butter, $3.99
    Lucerne cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $7.99
    Lucerne cheeses, 6-8 oz shingle pack, $2.99
    Safeway Kitchens veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 3/$2
    Bush's variety (non-baked) beans, 15-16 oz cans, 10-$10
    Snow's clams, 6 oz cans, $2.49
    Bertolli olive oil, 17 oz bottles, $6.99
    Progress Light soups (with the WW logo), 18-19 oz cans, 3/$4
    Safeway Kitchens variety breads, 24 oz long loaves, $1.99
    C&W frozen veggies, 12-16 oz bags, 3/$6
    Green Giant “Steamers”, 7-12 oz frozen boxes, 3/$5
    Safeway Kitchens frozen veggies, 24-32 oz bags, 2/$5
    Halos clementines, 5 lb box, $4.99
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $2.99/lb
    Pomegranates, $2.99 ea
    Safeway Farms fresh cranberries, 12 oz bags, $2.99
    Granny Smith apples, $1.99/lb
    Organic Granny Smith or Gala apples, $1.99/lb
    Organic D'Anjou pears, $1.99/lb
    Navel oranges, $1.49/lb
    Vine tomatoes, $2.99/lb
    Red yams, 69¢/lb
    Safeway Farms green beans, 12 oz bags, 2/$3
    Organic winter squashes, “selected varieties”, 99¢/lb


Sprouts:

    Beef standing rib roast, “Presidential cut”, $9.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, value pack, $3.99/lb
    Pork or chicken sausage, all varieties, bulk $2.99/lb, links $3.99/lb
    Pork loin roast, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Spiral sliced ham, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Leg of lamb OR ground lamb, $6.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, value pack, $1.77/lb
    Fresh turkey breast, whole or half, $2.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon, farm raised, 6 oz portions, $4.99
    Black mussels OR littleneck clams, live, $3.99/lb
    HoneyCrisp apples, 98¢/lb
    Organic apples, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, $1.48/lb
    Whole pineapples, $1.98
    Fresh cranberries, 12 oz bags, $1.98
    Texas Rio Star grapefruits, 48¢ ea
    Halos clementines, 2 lb bags, 2/$5
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.98/lb
    Grape tomatoes, dry pint, $1.98
    “Sunset Yelo” eeny pear-shaped tomatoes, 10 oz bags, $1.98
    Asparagus, $1.48/lb
    “Red Garnet” or “Jewel” yams, 48¢/lb
    Cucumbers OR celery, 48¢ ea
    Earthbound Farms organic bag salads, 5 oz, $1.98
    Organic winter squashes, acorn/butternut/spaghetti, 98¢/lb
    Organic green beans, 1 lb bag, $2.98