Bargain guide, week beginning March 3rd

With all the daily/weekly/monthly food celebrations I mention in these pages, one of the few likely to actually impact your grocery bill is happening now: March is National Frozen Food Month. This is also one of the few such celebrations I can tell you the reasoning behind: food packers want to mark frozen goods down sharply to unload last year’s pack, so there will be room in their packing centers and distribution centers when the new harvests start to come in.

One week from today, March 10, is Pack Your Lunch Day. So do that. I highly recommend bento boxes for portion control.

Fish is still omnipresent and inexpensive. Besides being Lent and Frozen Food Month, March is also National Celery Month, National Flour Month, Maple Sugar Month, National Nutrition Month, National Noodle Month, National Peanut Month, National Sauce Month, National Caffeine Awareness Month, Great American Meatout Month, and (tada!) International Hamburger And Pickle Month.

March 3rd: National Cold Cuts Day, National Mulled Wine Day
March 4th: National Pound Cake Day
March 5th: National Cheese Doodle Day National Absinthe Day (it makes the heart grow fonder)
March 6th: National Frozen Food Day, National White Chocolate Cheesecake Day
March 7th: National Cereal Day, National Crown Roast of Pork Day
March 8th: National Peanut Cluster Day
March 9th: National Crabmeat Day
March 10: National Pack Your Lunch Day, National Blueberry Popover Day


The bargains:

Albertson’s:

Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, $6.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef t-bone or ribeye steaks, bone in, family pack, $6.99/lb
Beef shoulder roast, boneless, $2.99/lb
Beef top sirloin steak, boneless, $3.99/lb
Pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.88/lb
Pork chops, boneless, $1.99/lb
Pork picnic roast, 99¢/lb
Chicken breast/thighs/drums/leg quarters, bone in, family pack, 88¢/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.99.lb
Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $4.99/lb
Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, family pack, $2.99.lb
Bay scallops, family pack, $2.99/lb
Tilapia/swai/catfish/pollock fillets, family pack, $2.99/lb
Great American flounder fillets, 1 lb bag, frozen, $2.99
Seafood caldo mix, family pack, $2.99/lb
Lean Gourmet frozen entrees, 10/$10
Albertson’s frozen veggies, 20% off
Lean Cuisine frozen entrees, 50% off
Green Giant boil-in-bag or “Steamers”, 10/$10
Whole cantaloupe, 10/$10
Fresh Express bag salads, 10/$10
Seedless grapes, red/green/black, $1.99/lb
Strawberries, 1 lb box, $2.99
Braeburn or Cameo apples, 10 lbs/$10
Navel oranges, 10 lbs/$10
Hass avocados, 10/$10
Leaf lettuce, red/green/Romaine, 10/$10
Eggplants, 10/$10
Red bell peppers, 10/$10
Fresh spinach, 69¢/bunch
Carrots, 2 lb bag, 88¢
Dole organic bananas, 89¢/lb



Bashas’:

Beef top sirloin steaks, value pack, $1.97/lb
Beef sirloin tip/crossrib/bottom round roasts, boneless, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef sirloin tip/crossrib/bottom round steaks, value pack, $3.99/lb
Beef tenderloin, whole in bag, $5.99/lb
Pork tenderloin, 4.99/lb
Turkey breast, bone in, $1.69/lb
Dover sole fillets, wild caught, $2.99/lb
Basa fillets, farm raised, $2.99/lb
Catfish fillets, farm raised, $3.99/lb
Tilapia fillets, farm raised, $3.99/lb
Imitation crabmeat, $1.99/lb
Catfish nuggets, $1.99/lb
Atlantic salmon fillets, farm rasied, $4.97/lb
Rockfish fillets, $4.99/lb
Swordfish steaks, wild caught, $6.99/lb
Nabisco 100-calorie packs, $2.99
Pompeian extra virgin olive oil, 16 oz bottle, $3.99
Food Club chunk light tuna, 69¢
Food Club frozen veggies, 1 lb bag, $1.47
Land O Lakes “Sweet Cream Spread”, 16 oz tub, 5/$5
Asparagus, 87¢/lb
Dole bag salad, “Classic Iceberg”, 99¢
Seedless grapes, green or red, $1.99/lb
Nectarines, peaches, plums (red or black), $1.99/lb
Fresh spinach, $1/bunch
Cauliflower, $1/lb
Broccoli, $1/lb
Celery, $1
Red Delicious apples, $1/lb
Hass avocados, $1
Navel oranges, $1/lb
Earthbound Farms box salads, 5 oz, $2.99
Baby carrots, organic, 1 lb bag, $1.49



Food City:

Beef cross rib steak, boneless, $1.99/lb (roast $2.49/lb)
Beef skirt steak, marinated, $3.99/lb
Beef stew meat, $2.49/lb
Beef tripe, 79¢/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, $1.69/lb
Tilapia fillets, $1.99/lb
Fish fillets, 4 oz, frozen, 10/$10
Mexican grey squash, 4 lbs/$1
Bananas, 3 lbs/99¢
Mexican key limes, 3 lbs/99¢
Cabbage, 3/99¢
Avocados, 2/$1
Cilantro, 4/$1
Navel oranges, 59¢/lb
Jalapeno chiles, 69¢/lb
Dole bag salad, “Classic Iceberg”, 2/$3



Fresh & Easy:

Beef New York steaks, boneless, family pack, $4.99/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.97/lb
Yoplait yogurts incl. Light, 10/$5
Farmer’s Gems eggs, large AA, dozen, $1.49
Store brand pasta, 1 lb pkg, 99¢
Store brand marinara sauce, 25 oz jar, $1.79
Pears, 3 ct, 98¢
Lemons and limes, 1 lb bag, 98¢
Green onions, 5.5 oz pkg, 98¢
Carrots, 2 lb bag, 98¢
Bell peppers, 2 ct, 98¢
Navel oranges, 3 lb bag, $2.98
Store brand bag salad, “Gourmet Veggie”, 2/$3
Broccoli florets, 12 oz bag, $1.99
Green beans, 11 oz bag, $2.49
Broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix, 12 oz bag, $2.49



Fry’s:

Beef chuck roast, boneless, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef eye of round OR bottom round roast, boneless, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef sirloin tip roast, boneless, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef crossrib roast, buy 1 get 1 free
Beef t-bone steaks, family pack, buy 1 get 1 free
Pork loin rib chops, bone in, family pack, $1.88/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.49/lb  Best price!
Sockeye salmon fillets, $4.97/lb
Kroger cheeses incl 2%, 50% off
All Progresso soups incl. Light, 99¢
Smart Ones frozen entrees, 5/$10
Ragu pasta sauces, $1.67
Green Giant “Steamers”, 12 oz bag, $1.28
Red seedless grapes, 77¢/lb
Strawberries, 1 lb box, $2.99
Peaches or nectarines, $1.99/lb
Green or black seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
Lemons, 39¢
Broccoli or cauliflower, $1
Radishes or green onions, 2 bunches/$1
Large tomatoes, $1.99/lb
Dole bag salads, 2/$5
Navel oranges OR tangelos, $1/lb



Rancho Grande:

Beef flap meat, $2.89/lb
Pork stew meat, $1.49/lb
Chicken leg quarters, 49¢/lb
Oranges, 5 lbs/99¢
Cilantro, radishes, Mexican green onions, 5 bunches/99¢
Tomatillos or jalapeno chiles, 2 lbs/99¢
Papayas or pineapple, 2 lbs/99¢
Tangerines, 4 lbs/99¢
Broccoli, 3 lbs/99¢



Safeway:

Beef bottom round roast, boneless, $1.88/lb
Pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.59/lb  Best price!
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.69/lb
Bone IN chicken breast, inexplicably, $1.99/lb
Jennie-O turkey sausage,19.5 oz pkg, $2.99
Store brand canned veggies, 2/$1
Store brand chunk light tuna, 2/$1
Campbell’s Select Harvest soups, buy 1 get 1 free
Birds Eye “Steamfresh” frozen veggies, $1.99
C&W frozen veggies, $1.99
Skinny Cow ice-cream novelties, $3.99
Lean Pockets, 5/$10
Yoplait yogurts incl. Light, 10/$5
Navel oranges, 8 lb bag, $2.98
Asparagus, 87¢/lb
Braeburn or Granny Smith apples, 88¢/lb
Red or green seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
Large tomatoes, $1.99/lb
White mushrooms, whole or sliced, 6 oz box, $1.99
Whole pineapples, $3.99
O Organics box salads, 2/$5
Peaches or nectarines, $1.99/lb
O Organics “mini peeled” carrots, 1 lb bag, 2/$3



Smart & Final:

Cattleman’s Finest beef brisket, boneless, whole in bag, $1.89/lb
Cattleman’s Finest beef tri tip roast, boneless, $3.99/lb
La Romanella olive oil, 1 litre bottle, $6.99
Large salad tomatoes, 99¢/lb
Iceberg, 2 pk, $1.99
Fuji apples, 3 lb bag, $1.99
Navel oranges, 5 lb bag, $2.99



Sprouts:

All ground meats (beef, pork, chicken, turkey), 40% off
Beef sirloin tip roast, $2.99/lb
Chicken breast tenders, $2.99
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, $1.49/lb
Sea Cuisine seafood entrees, 10 oz pkg, $6.99, buy 1 get 1 free
Alaskan coho salmon fillets, $6.99/lb
Asparagus, $1.69/lb
Blueberries, 6 oz box, 4/$5
Tangerines or tangelos, 88¢/lb
Pinova or Braeburn apples, 88¢/lb
Mexican papayas, 88¢/lb
Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, AZ grown, 88¢
Red or gold bell peppers, 88¢
Sweet onions, 88¢/lb
Fresh spinach, 88¢/lb