Bargain guide, week beginning March 31st, and fat-free potato chips

Sunday is Easter. Ham prices have been (I’m sorry, really) cut to the bone. Strawberries are suddenly available by the flat.

April is to be, entirely superfluously, National Food Month. (I thought every month was food month?) It is also National Florida Tomato Month, National Grilled Cheese Month, National Soft Pretzel Month and National Soy Month. Good Friday is National Hot Cross Buns Day (it is said that if you keep a hot cross bun from one Good Friday to the next, your house will not burn down that year); Easter is National Baked Ham With Pineapple Day as well as being the official close of the chocolate season. April 2nd is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. April 4th is National Dandelion Day – a bit late for us here in Arizona as the dandelion greens are decidedly past their prime by now – and the first Monday in April begins National Bake Week.

Today is Tater Day (that’s the way they spell it – don’t blame me), so at the end of this entry is a recipe for fat-free microwave potato chips. They can also be made with sweet potatoes (the first Monday in April is National Sweet Potato Day).

Nibble the ears off and tell your child it’s a chocolate Easter hamster.



Albertson’s:

Beef prime rib roast, bone in, $3.97/lb
Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, $3.97/lb (boneless $5.99/lb)
Beef eye round roast, boneless, $3.99/lb
Beef cross rib roast, $2.99/lb
Beef tenderloin roast, $8.99/lb
93/7 ground beef, 5 lbs or larger, $1.67/lb
Hormel spiral sliced ham, bone in, $1.17/lb
Cook’s ham, shank portion, bone in, $1.19/lb (butt portion $1.39/lb)
Pork shoulder roast, $1.49/lb
Pork loin roast, whole in bag, $1.99/lb
Leg of lamb, boneless, $4.99/lb
Whole chickens, 99¢/lb
Tyson game hens, 20 oz, 2/$5
Rockfish fillets, wild caught, family pack, $2.99/lb
Atlantic salmon portions, farm raised, $3.99 ea
Tilapia/catfish/pollock/swai fillets, family pack, $2.99/lb
Honeysuckle White or Norbest frozen turkeys, 69¢/lb
Honeysuckle White turkey breast, bone in, $1.29/lb
Honeysuckle White fresh turkeys, $1.29/lb
Store brand butter, 2/$3
Sargento sliced cheeses, 8 oz pkg, $2.99
Sargento cheese shreds, 5-8 oz, $2.99
PictSweet frozen veggies, 1 lb bag, 77¢
Libby’s canned veggies, 2/$1
Deli: Jennie-O turkey breast, $4.99/lb
Kretschmar Virginia ham, $4.99/lb
Joseph Farms cheeses, $4.99/lb
Margherita pepperoni/hard salami/Genoa salami, $5.99/lb
Classico pasta sauces, 2/$5
Crystal Light, 10-12 qt tube, $3.49
Smart Ones “Bistro Selections”, 2/$6
Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
Strawberries, FOUR pound flat (make jam), $3.99
Other berries, 5.6-6 oz box, $3.99
Mini watermelons, $2.99
Pineapples, 2/$5
Fresh Express bag salads, 2/$5
Seedless grapes, red/green/black, $2.99/lb
Red or gold yams, 99¢/lb
Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
Asparagus, $2.99/lb
Vine tomatoes, 14 oz, 2/$5
Hass avocados, medium, 99¢
Green beans, 12 oz bag, $3.99
Pears, Anjou/Bosc/red, 99¢/lb
Earthbound Farms box salads, 1 lb, $4.99
Mixed cut up fruit, 2 lb, $9.99
Veggie tray, 2.5 lb, $9.99
Fresh herbs, $1.99 and they may just take root if you try



Bashas’:

Beef top sirloin steaks, value pack, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef tenderloin, whole in bag, $4.97/lb (cut into filet steaks free)
Beef crossrib/bottom round/sirloin tip roasts, boneless, $3.49/lb
80/20 ground beef, value pack, $1.67/lb
Sugar Tree spiral sliced ham, bone in, 97¢/lb
Leg of lamb, semi boneless, whole or half, $6.99/lb
Norbest frozen turkeys, 77¢/lb
Chicken back quarters, 59¢/lb (10 lb bag)
Sea scallops, wild caught, $8.99/lb
“Red Rock” (rockfish?) fillets, $3.99/lb
Stokely’s canned veggies, 2/$1
Dole canned fruit, 99¢
Pam cooking spray, 5-6 oz, $2.99
Green Giant frozen veggies, 5/$5
Flav-R-Pac frozen veggies, 5/$5
Dole bag salad “Classic Iceberg”, 99¢
Strawberries, 1 lb box, 99¢
Roma tomatoes, 99¢/lb
“Mini peeled” carrots, AZ grown, 1 lb bag, 99¢
Cucumbers, 99¢
Large artichokes, $2.49
Red Delicious apples, 99¢/lb
Hass avocados, 99¢
Earthbound Farms box salads, $2.99
Romaine hearts, organic, $2.49



Fresh & Easy:

Beef rib eye roast, boneless, $4.99/lb
Beef New York steak, boneless, family pack, $6.99/lb
Ham shank or rump portion, 77¢/lb
Spiral sliced ham, $1.47/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.97/lb
Jennie-O fresh turkeys, 99¢/lb
Pepsi products incl. Diet, 12 packs, 3/$7.98
Store brand cheeses, 6-8 oz block or shreds, $1.99
Store brand sour cream incl. Light, 16 oz tub, $1.15
Store brand canned veggies, 10/$5
Store brand canned pineapple, crushed or slices, juice pack, 99¢
Store brand frozen veggies, 1 lb bag, 99¢
Strawberries, 4 lb flat, $4.99
Asparagus, 1 lb pkg, $1.79
Pineapples, $1.99
Fresh & Easy bag salads “European Blend” or “Crunchy Beet”, 2/$4
Large avocados, 3/$1.98 (multiples of 3)
Fresh green beans, 1 lb bag, $1.34
“Berry medley”, 14 oz cup, $4.99
Cantaloupe OR watermelon chunks, 10 oz tub, $1.99



Food City:

Beef chuck steak, boneless, $1.99/lb
Beef top sirloin roast, boneless, $2.49/lb
Half ham, shank portion, bone in, 99¢/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.49/lb
Flounder fillets, $2.49/lb
Whole tilapia, 99¢/lb
Navel oranges, 4 lbs/$1
Mexican papayas, 3 lbs/99¢
Avocados, 3.99¢
Radishes OR green onions, 4 bunches/99¢
Green chiles, 2 lbs/$1
Cabbage, 3 lbs/$1
Jicama, 3 lbs/99¢
Mexican key limes, 2 lbs/$1



Fry’s:

Beef rib roast, bone in, $6.99/lb
Beef tenderloin roast, whole in bag, $9.99/lb (go to Bashas’)
Beef t-bone steaks, family pack, $3.97/lb (smaller pack, $4.97/lb
Beef chuck roast, boneless, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef chuck steak, boneless, $2.99/lb
Beef bottom round or sirloin tip roast, $2.99/lb
Pork crown roast, bone in, $3.99/lb
Frenched rack of pork loin, bone in, $3.99/lb
Cook’s half ham or spiral sliced ham, $1.27/lb
Private Selection spiral sliced hams, $1.99/lb
Hillshire Farms spiral sliced hams, $2.49/lb
Leg of lamb, boneless, $6.99/lb
Jennie-O fresh hen turkeys, $1.29/lb
Private Selection frozen turkey, 88¢/lb
Butterball frozen turkeys, $1.19/lb
Whole chickens, 88¢/lb
Sockeye salmon, wild caught, $4.97/lb
Cooked shrimp, 31-40 ct, $5.97/lb
Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk or shreds, $1.77
Fry’s eggs, AA large, dozen, $1.49
Land O Lakes butter, 2/$5
Kraft mayonnaise incl Light, also Miracle Whip (yecch), 30 oz, $2.49
PictSweet frozen veggies, 1 lb bag, 77¢
All Pepsi products incl. Diet, 4/$10
Fry’s canned fruit, 88¢
Kroger canned pineapple or mandarins, 88¢
Broccoli OR cauliflower, 88¢/lb
Radishes OR green onions, 2 bunches/$1
Del Monte pineapples, 2/$3
Strawberries 1 lb box, 2/$5
Blackberries, 4.4 oz box, 2/$5
Asparagus, green or white, $1.99/lb
Yams, red or golden, 89¢/lb
Mandarins, 3 lb bag, $3.99
Navel oranges, $1/lb
Minneola tangelos, $1/l
D’Anjou pears, $1/lb
Bananas, 49¢/lb
Apples, Cameo or Granny Smith, $1/lb
Roma tomatoes, $1/lb
“Mini peeled” carrots, 1 lb bag, $1
Celery, $1
Private Selection fresh herbs, organic, $1.89 and these too may take root
Dole bag salads, 2/$5



Rancho Grande:

Beef flap meat, $3.89/lb
Whole pork leg, 99¢/lb
Chicken drumsticks, family pack, 69¢/lb
Whole tilapia, cleaned, 89¢/lb
StarKist chunk light tuna, 59¢
Oranges, 6 lbs/99¢
Cucumbers, 7/99¢
Mexican papapas, 3 lbs/99¢
Hass avocados, 7/99¢
Cilantro, 8 bunches/99¢
Mexican limes, 3 lbs/99¢
Radishes OR Mexican green onions, 4 bunches/99¢
Pineapple, 2 lbs/99¢



Safeway:

Beef chuck crossrib roast, boneless, $3.99/lb
Beef tenderloin, whole in bag, $9.99/lb (cheaper at Bashas’)
Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, value pack, $4.97/lb
93/7 ground beef, $1.97/lb
Store brand hams, whole or shank half, bone in, 97¢/lb (butt half $1.17/lb)
Store brand spiral sliced hams, bone in, whole or half, $1.27/lb
Leg of lamb, semi boneless, $3.99/lb
Chicken thighs or drumsticks, 99¢/lb
Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $4.99/lb
Tilapia fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
Deli: Primo Taglio ham, $5.99/lb
Primo Taglio havarti, $6.99/lb
Turkey OR honey ham OR Virginia ham, $4.99/lb
Coke OR Pepsi OR 7-Up products incl Diet, 12 pks, $2.69 (must buy 4)
Eating Right frozen entrees, 5/$10
Bumble Bee chunk light tuna, 2/$1
Fresh Express OR Eating Right bag salads, $1.97
Strawberries, 1 lb box, 97¢
Large Hass avocados, 88¢
Eating Right “baby cut” carrots, 2 lb bag, 2/$5
Apples, Gala or Granny Smith, $1.29/lb
Radishes OR green onions, 2 bunches/$1
O Organics fresh herbs, 2/$3, and again try rooting them
Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
Green seedless grapes, $2.99/lb
Vine tomatoes, $2.69/lb



Smart & Final:

Cattleman’s Finest beef top sirloin steaks, $3.49/lb
Cattleman’s Finest beef tri tip roast, $3.99/lb
Farmer John spiral cut, half or whole, bone in, $1.29/lb
Bone in chicken breast, 99¢/lb
2.5 lb veggie tray, $8.99
Asparagus, 1.75 lb pkg, $2.99



Sprouts:

“Extra lean” ground beef, $2.99/lb
Beef rib roast or steaks, $6.99/lb
Pork loin roast, boneless, $1.77/lb
Boneless leg of lamb, $5.99/lb
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, $1.77/lb
Fresh turkeys, free range, $1.49/lb
Sockeye salmon fillets, $8.99/lb
Sprouts eggs, AA large, dozen, 2/$3
Yummy Earth organic candy, 20% off
Cascadian Farms frozen veggies, 1 lb bag, $1.99
All Sprouts brand vitamins, 25% off
Strawberries, 1 lb box, 97¢
Piñova apples, 88¢/lb
Red bell peppers, 88¢
Navel oranges, 49¢/lb
Blueberries, 4.4 oz punnet, 2/$4
Blackberries, 6 oz punnet, 2/$4
Celery, 99¢
Carrots, 2 lb bag, 99¢
Hass avocados, 88¢
Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 88¢
D’Anjou pears, regular or organic, 99¢/lb



Fat-free potato chips, made in your microwave oven

Slice three potatoes very thinly – Yukon Gold potatoes are recommended. Use big fat ones as the chips will shrink. Rinse, pat dry, salt, season (pepper, chili powder, Spike, curry powder, Vege-Sal, Bacon Salt, you name it). Spread them on a microwave-safe plate in a single layer. How strong is your oven?

600- to 700-watt oven: Microwave at full power for 8 minutes, cool 3 minutes, turn over, microwave another 6 minutes.

750- to 800-watt oven: Microwave at full power for 7 minutes, cool 3 minutes, turn over, microwave another 4 minutes.

850- to 900-watt oven: Microwave at full power for 6 minutes, cool 3 minutes, turn over, microwave another 4 minutes.

If they’re not brown enough, give them another couple of minutes. They crisp as they cool. I am informed that this also works with carrots and beets, although not with higher-water-content vegetables such as zucchini. I am further informed that sweet-potato chips are very good with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar instead of salt.