Bargain guide, week beginning July 4th:

Sorry for the delay – hope you all had a great Fourth!

Lots of cool stuff this week.  At the New York Times (h/t to Darya, at Summer Tomato, for a lot of these), Mark Bittman slams the pernicious notion that “a calorie is a calorie”:  “Accept that, and you buy into the contention that consuming 100 calories’ worth of sugar water (like Coke or Gatorade), white bread or French fries is the same as eating 100 calories of broccoli or beans.”  He cites the director of the the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center of Boston Children’s Hospital:  “If you take three servings of refined carbohydrates and substitute one of fruit, one of beans and one of nuts, you could eliminate 50 percent of diet-related disease in the United States.”

According to Science Daily, kids (and adults!) who cook are readier to make healthy food choices than those who don’t.  Lifehacker explains what the “sell by” and “best by” dates on your food mean, and whether you’re going to turn green, keel over and die if you eat an egg that’s a day or two over date (you’re not), and provides a handy and rather pretty chart to determine which fruits are in season when.

At the Well, a quiz on how well you assess soft-drink-cup sizes.  (If you must know, my score was abysmal.)  Yoni Freedhoff at Weighty Matters slams what he calls “sweetwashing” – promoting products made entirely of “fruit purée” or “concentrated fruit juice” as being MADE FROM 100% FRUIT WITH NO SUGAR ADDED YAY YAY.  And Snack Girl has a tasty crunchy healthy snack made out of garbanzo beans.  (Rinse a can of garbanzo beans, add a tablespoon of olive oil and a bit of seasoning, spread them on a cookie sheet.  Roast at 450° for 15 minutes, stir, another 15 minutes.)

This Saturday, the 7th, is Strawberry Sundae Day.  All hail Golden Spoon.

July 4th:  National Barbecued Spareribs Day, Sidewalk Egg Frying Day
July 5th:  National Apple Turnover Day, National Graham Cracker Day
July 6th:  National Fried Chicken Day
July 7th:  National Strawberry Sundae Day, National Macaroni Day, National Ice-Cream Cone Day;  death (1307) of King Edward I of England, ruled 1272-1307.  His coronation feast involved 450 roasting pigs, 278 bacon hogs, 440 oxen, 430 sheep and 22,600 hens and capons.  Possibly he had invited a few guests …
July 8th:  National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day
July 9th:  National Sugar Cookie Day
July 10th:  Pick Blueberries Day, National Piña Colada Day;  Arlo Guthrie born, 1947 (composer of Alice’s Restaurant)
July 11th:  National Blueberry Muffin Day, Vegetarian Food Day


Albertson’s:

    Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, $8.99/lb, buy 1 get 2 free
    Beef t-bone OR ribeye steaks, bone in, $7.99/lb
    Beef sirloin steak OR tri tip roast, boneless, $4.99/lb
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round steaks, boneless, family pack, $3.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.49/lb (3 lbs or more)
    Pork loin back ribs, $7.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Pork sirloin chops, boneless, $1.99/lb
    Pork shoulder country stle ribs, bone in, family pack, $1.99/lb
    Sanderson Farms whole frying chickens, 99¢/lb
    Sanderson Farms chicken breast/drums/thighs/leg quarters, bone in, 99¢/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Albertson’s milk, gallons, $1.57
    Albertson’s eggs, AA large, dozens, 88¢
    Crystal Farms cheeses, 8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle slices, $1.99
    Deli:    Jennie-O “honey smoked” or “oven brown” turkey breast, $5.99/lb
        Store made rotisserie turkey breast, $5.99/lb
        USA Gold honey or baked ham, $5.99/lb
        Charlie’s Pride roast or Italian beef, $5.99/lb
        Diets & Watson “homestyle” turkey or chicken breast, $5.99/lb
        Deli Fresh Provolone/Swiss/Muenster/hot pepper/mild Cheddar, $5.99/lb
    Prego pasta sauces, 23-24 oz jars, $1.49
    Barilla pasta, 12-16 oz pkg, 99¢
    Kashi cereals, 10-17 oz boxes, 2/$7
    Albertson’s fruit, 29-30 oz cans, $1.99
    Albertson’s frozen veg, 1 lb bags, 10/$10
    Red cherries, $2.99/lb
    Blueberries, 18 oz box (!), 2/$4
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 2/$5
    Honeydew melons, 59¢/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$4
    Nectarines, 99¢/lb
    Whole pineapples, $2.99 ea
    Mangos, 2/$1
    Raspberries, 12 oz box, $2.99
    Cut up watermelon, 2 lb bowl, $3.99
    Cut up cantaloupe, 24 oz bowl, $3.99
    Campari vine tomatoes, 14 oz pkg, $1.99
    Roma tomatoes, $1.19/lb
    Earthbound Farms organic box salads, $4.99


Bashas’:

    Beef New York steak, boneless, value pack, $4.99/lb
    Beef ribeye steak, boneless, $9.99/lb
    Beef crossrib roast, $4.49/lb (steaks, 50¢/lb higher)
    Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.39/lb
    Pork shoulder roast, $2.49/lb
    Assorted pork chops, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Chicken drums/thighs/leg quarters, bone in, 10 lbs/$10
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $4.99/lb
    Rockfish fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb “weather permitting”
    Alaskan salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb “weather permitting”
    Bashas’ sour cream incl. Light, 24 oz tubs, $1.79
    Bashas’ cottage cheese incl. Light, 24 oz tubs, $1.99
    Sans Sucre sugar-free mousse/cake/brownie mixes, 2/$6
    Nature’s Own “Butter Top” bread, 20 oz long loaves, $1.49
    Food Club veggies or tomatoes, 14-15 oz cans, 69¢
    Weight Watchers ice-cream novelties, $3.99
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 97¢
    Apricots OR red or black plums, $1.99/lb
    Green or black seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
    Yellow nectarines, $1.99/lb
    Whole cantaloupe, 49¢/lb
    Red cherries, $1.27/lb
    Seedless watermelons, 15¢/lb
    Cucumbers, 2/$1
    Mushrooms, whole or sliced, 8 oz box, 2/$3
    Full Circle organic box salads, 5 oz, 2/$6


Food City:

    Beef chuck steak or roast, bone in, $1.99/lb
    Sirloin cut pork chops, bone in, value pack, $1.79/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.69/lb
    Tilapia fillets, $1.99/lb
    Banquet cheeses, 1 lb chunk, $3.99
    Veg-All caned veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 2/$1
    Mangos, 4/99¢
    Cucumbers, 9/99¢
    Green chiles, 2 lbs/98¢


Fry’s:

    Beef ribeye steaks, bone in, family pack, $4.67/b
    Beef London broil, boneless, $3.99/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $2.88/lb (2 lb chub)
    Center cut pork chops, bone in, family pack, $3.39/lb
    Foster Farms boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloins, $2.99/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $6.99/lb
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk/shreds/shingle slices, $1.79/l
    Raspberries, 6 oz box, 97¢
    Red cherries, $2.99/lb
    Green or black seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
    Yellow or white peaches or nectarines, $1.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 6/$1
    Zucchini OR yellow squash, 88¢/lb
    Vine tomatoes, AZ grown, 97¢/lb


Safeway:

    Beef London broil, boneless, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Beef New York strip steak, boneless, $7.99/lb
    Beef crossrib or bottom round steaks, thin cut boneless, $3.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, value pack, $2.49/lb
    Pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.88/lb
    Pork loin back ribs, value pack, $4.49/lb
    Chicken drums/thighs/leg quarters, bone in, value pack, 99¢/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $11.99/lb “weather permitting”
    Mahi mahi fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Pantry Essentials milk, gallons, $1.57
    Lucerne cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk or shreds, 2/$4
    Lucerne cheeses, 8 oz shingle slices, $2.39
    Yoplait yogurts, 10/$5
    Safeway canned veg, 14-15 oz cans, 79¢
    Safeway variety (not baked) beans, 15 oz cans, 89¢
    Healthy Choice frozen entrées, 4/$10
    Red cherries, $3.99/lb
    Nectarines, $1.99/lb
    Yellow peaches, 77¢/lb
    Organic red plums, $1.49/lb
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, $1.99
    Mangos, 10/$10
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    Vine tomatoes, AZ grown, 99¢/lb
    Cucumbers, 2/$1
    Green bell peppers, 2/$1


Smart & Final:

    Beef top round steak OR London broil, boneless, $3.49/lb
    Quarter pork loin chops (??), bone in, $2.99/lb
    First Street whole frying chickens, twin pack, 79¢/lb
    First Street cheeses, 2 lb chunk, $4.49
    Whole cantaloupe, 3 lbs/99¢
    Mandarins, 3 lb bag, $3.99
    Plums/yellow peaches/yellow nectarines, 8 ct, $2.9


Sprouts:

    85/15 ground beef, value pack, $3.99/lb
    Pork baby back ribs, $2.99/lb
    Ground chicken, pork, or chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Pork or chicken sausage, sweet or hot, $2.99/lb
    Chicken breast tenders, $1.99/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Boca burgers, 10 oz frozen box, 2/$7
    Kashi frozen entrées, 2/$6
    Red cherries, $1.99/lb
    All other stone fruits, 2 lbs/$3
    Whole seedless watermelon, 4 lbs/$1
    Vine tomatoes, 99¢/lb
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 99¢ ea
    Grape tomatoes, dry pint, 2/$3