Bargain guide, week beginning February 22nd

Wow – according to a new report from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, weight loss is a complex and not wholly linear phenomenon. (Ya think?) Cutting a flat number of calories from your intake won't have the same effect as your weight loss goes on: as your metabolism changes, you have to keep making small reductions. Excuse me, but isn't that how Weight Watchers has been operating since the introduction of the original Points plan?

Fooducate updates on “The Incredible Shrinking Candy from Mars”: all Mars “King Size” candy bars are to be discontinued. More precisely, they're to be replaced with a “2ToGo” package, containing two full-size candy bars in a single package. Oh, but it's “resealable”, so you can “save one for later”. Like that's going to happen.

Darya at Summer Tomato has a recipe for “The Tastiest, Easiest, Healthiest Bean Salad on the Planet”, and Yoni Freedhoff at Weighty Matters ruthlessly slams Dr. Oz for shilling a “powerful”, “amazing” raspberry-ketone supplement that might help you to lose all of four pounds … for $700 a year. (Disclaimer: at the time I wrote this I had no idea Dr. Oz would be prominently featured in this week's official minizine!)

Today being Ash Wednesday, we're in for a good six weeks of heavy promotions on every variety of seafood. Mmm, seafood. Crab-stuffed salmon. Oysters on the half shell. Shrimp cocktail. Clams Casino. Scampi … mmm, give me this “fast” any day! (On the other hand, I found a c. 1940 recipe for a “Lenten Loaf” that involved mixing canned salmon with mashed lima beans. Now that's penance.)

The 23rd is both National Banana Bread Day and International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. Call me unappreciative, but I've tried many varieties of dog biscuit and not one measured up to banana bread. The 25th is National Chocolate Covered Peanuts Day, also (speaking of nuts) the birthday of Adelle Davis. The day after is National Pistachio Day, and the 28th is National Chocolate Souffle Day.

February 22nd: National Margarita Day
February 23rd: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day, National Banana Bread Day
February 24th: National Tortilla Chip Day
February 25th: National Chili Day, National Clam Chowder Day, National Chocolate Covered Peanuts Day
February 26th: National Pistachio Day
February 27th: National Strawberry Day, National Kahlua Day
February 28th: National Chocolate Souffle Day
February 29th: Surf and Turf Day


Albertson's:

Beef t-bone steaks, family pack, $4.67/lb
Beef New York steaks, boneless, family pack, $6.67/lb
Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, $2.79/lb
Pork loin chops, “assorted”, bone in, $1.88/lb
Pork sirloin chops, boneless, $1.99/lb
Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.87/lb
Sanderson Farms cut-up frying chickens, $1.99/lb
Albertson's milk, half gallons only, $1
Deliii: USA Gold honey or baked ham, $5.99/lb
Stella baby or natural Swiss, Provolone, or Muenster cheeses, $5.99/lb
Jennie-O “honey smoked” or “oven brown” turkey breast, $5.99/lb
Shannon's Deli regular or Italian roast beef, $5.99/lb
Unbranded (store brand?) turkey breast, $5.99/lb
Hunt's diced tomatoes, 14 oz cans, OR Hunt's pasta sauces, 24 oz cans, $1
Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna, $1
Bumble Bee chunk light tuna, 79¢ ea
Libby's canned veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 4/$3
Ro*Tel tomatoes, 10 oz cans, $1
“Cuties” clementines, 3 lb bag, 2/$5
Strawberries, 1 lb box, $2.99
Blackberries/raspberries/blueberries, 6 ox boxes, $2.99
Pink Lady apples, $1/lb
Navel oranges, $1/lb
Grape tomatoes, 12 oz box, $1
Roma tomatoes, $1/lb
Bell peppers, red/yellow/orange, $1 ea


Bashas':

Beef New York steaks, boneless, value pack, $4.67/lb
Beef crossrib roasts, boneless (?), $3.99/lb
“Assorted” pork chops, value pack, $1.47/lb
Sanderson Farms chicken breast OR leg quarters, bone in, 97¢/lb
Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $4.88/lb
Dover sole fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb “weather permitting”
Basa fillets, $3.99/lb
Flounder fillets, wild caught, $1.99/lb
Cod fillets, wild caught, $4.99/lb
Bashas' milk, half gallons, 88¢
Food Club butter, $2.99/lb
Food Club cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk or shreds, $1.88
Bashas' cottage cheese incl. Light, 24 oz tubs, $2.39
Nature's Own “WhiteWheat” bread, 20 oz loaves, $1.99
Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna, 10/$10
Deming's “Pink Skinless” boneless salmon, 6 oz cans, 10/$10
Gorton's “Grilled Fillets”, $2.99 (still only 2 Points per serving!)
Flav-R-Pack frozen veggies, 1 lb bag, 10/$10
Strawberries, 1 lb box, 97¢ ea
Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
Whole pineapples, $2.99
Seedless grapes, green or red, from Chile, $2.49/lb
Vine tomatoes, 97¢/lb
Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 99¢ ea
Slicing or Roma tomatoes, 99¢/lb
Eggplant, 99¢ ea
Asparagus, $2.97/lb


Food City:

Beef crossrib steak or roast, boneless, value pack, $2.49/lb
Whole frying chickens, 59¢/lb
Whole tilapia, 10 lb box (!!!), 89¢/lb
Swai fillets, $2.99/lb
Bananas, 3 lbs/99¢
Iceberg, 3/99¢
Italian green squash, 3 lbs/99¢


Fry's:

Beef New York strip steaks, bone in, family pack, $4.88/lb
85/15 ground beef, $3.33/lb (3 lb chub)
Pork loin chops, boneless, family pack, $3.99/lb
Kroger Value boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.88/lb
Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $4.99/lb
Tilapia fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
Lobster tails, wild caught, 5 oz, $6.99 ea
Kroger frozen fish fillets, 12-32 oz bags, 24% off
Fry's eggs, AA large, dozens, 98¢
Kroger cheeses, 12-16 oz chunk or shreds, $3.29
Kellogg's breakfast cereals, 50% off
Nature Made vitamins and supplements, 50% off
Bumble Bee chunk light tuna, 69¢
Lean Cuisine frozen entrees, $1.98
Blueberries, 6 oz boxes, 99¢ ea
Honey tangerines, AZ grown, 2 lbs/99¢
Gala apples, 99¢/lb
California mandarins, 3 lb bag, $3.79
Vine tomatoes, AZ grown, 99¢/lb
Broccoli OR cauliflower, AZ grown, 99¢/lb
Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, AZ grown, 99¢/lb
“Mini peeled” carrots, AZ grown, 1 lb bag, 99¢
Mustard/turnip/collard greens, AZ grown, 99¢/bunch
English cucumbers, AZ grown, 99¢ ea


Safeway:

Beef 7-bone pot roast, value pack, $2.49/lb
Beef New York strip steak, bone in, value pack, $4.99/lb
Pork shoulder blade roast, whole in bag, $1.87/lb
Pork tenderloin, boneless, whole in bag, $4.79/lb
Chicken leg quarters, 59¢/lb (10 lb bag)
Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, value pack, $2.49/lb
Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb
Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $6.99/lb
Swai fillets, farm raised, $3.99/lb
Lucerne butter, 2/$5
Challenge butter, $3.49
Lucerne cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $5.99
Lucerne soft cream cheese, 16 oz tubs, $2.99
Eggland's Best eggs, AA large, dozens, $2.49
Quaker oats, 42 oz round box, $2.99
Open Nature breads, 24 oz long loaf, $1.49
Kellogg's Special K bars, 6 ct, 2/$5
Safeway canned tomatoes, 28-29 cans, 4/$5
Anthony's pasta, 12-16 oz pkg, 10/$10
Barilla Plus pasta, 14 oz boxes, buy 2 get 1 free
Muir Glen pasta sauces, 25 oz jars, 2/$6
Barilla pasta sauces, 24 oz jars, 2/$4
PictSweet frozen veggies, 6-7 oz boxes, 4/$5
Navel oranges, 2 lbs/$1
Whole cantaloupes, $2.49
Opal or Jazz apples, $1.99/lb
Yellow peaches or nectarines, $1.99
“Midnight Beauty” black seedless grapes, $1.99
Kiwifruit, 3/$1
Fresh Express bag salads, 99¢
Roma tomatoes, $1.29/lb
Asparagus, $1.99/lb


Smart & Final:

First Street whole frying chickens, twin pack, 79¢/lb
Trident salmonburgers, 3 lb pkg, $15.99
First Street cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $4.99
Strawberries, 1 lb box, $1.49
Fuji apples, 3 lb bag, $1.99
D'Anjou pears, 8 ct, $2.99


Sprouts:

Beef New York steak, boneless, $9.99/lb
85/15 ground beef, value pack, $3.89/lb
Chicken thighs or drumsticks, value pack, $1.49/lb
Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $6.99/lb
Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $6.99/lb
Crimson snapper (opakapaka) fillets, wild caught, $6.99/lb
Apples, Gala/Granny Smith/Pink Lady, 88¢/lb
Organic Braeburn or Cameo apples, 99¢/lb
Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99/lb
Yellow peaches or nectarines OR black plums, $1.99/lb
Bosc or D'Anjou pears, 88¢/lb
Navel oranges, 3 lbs/$1
Asparagus, 88¢/lb
Tomatoes, 88¢/lb
Summer squashes, Italian/yellow/Mexican, 88¢/lb
Green or red bell peppers, 3/$1
Organic grape tomatoes, dry pint, $1.99