Wren's bargain guide, week beginning August 7th:

For the benefit of newer members:  Every week I go through the newspaper grocery flyers, typing up the bargains that seem healthiest, lowest-PointsPlus, and least processed.  I add items of possible interest, with commentary often snarky and occasionally political, and print it out.  This is NOT in any way, shape, form, or fashion an official Weight Watchers THING – it's just my hobby.  There's a blog, too, and you've found it -- welcome.  B-)

Fooducate is really riding the “hydration” topic this summer, currently treating how to hydrate with water, fruits (watermelon, 92% water), and veggies (cucumber, 96% water).  They're also promoting Snack Girl's classic burger alternative:  brush a portobello mushroom cap with olive oil, grill it 5-8 minutes per side, put it on a bun!  Top of course with whatever you'd like on a burger (me for sundried tomatoes and a slice of reduced-fat cheese).  The New York Times on the difference between eating fruit and drinking fruit juice.  (Guess which is better!)  And at Food Politics, the fraught topic of which food additives are considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the FDA:  “Manufacturers get to decide whether food additives are safe or not.  Manufacturers get to decide whether to bother to tell the FDA the additives are in the food supply.  And if they do volunteer to inform the FDA (and many do), manufacturers get to decide who sits on the panels that review the evidence for safety.”

Recipes!  Chow.com has eight chilled soups, DIY frozen yogurt, twenty “Fast and Light Summertime Breakfast Recipes”, and a review of the Prodyne Fruit Infusion pitcher.  Everyone else is doing tomatoes:  Simply Recipes has a tomato salad with soy sauce, Smitten Kitchen has a cherry-tomato galette, and Snack Girl has bruschetta, caprese, and a friend who carries a salt-shaker in his glove box all summer just in case he passes a produce stand.

This second week of August is National Apple Week!  August, however, is not National Apple Month – that comes later.  And if your garden harvest has been substantial this year, don't forget that tomorrow is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night. 

August 7th:  National Raspberries & Cream Day
August 8th:  National Frozen Custard Day, National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night
August 9th:  National Rice Pudding Day
August 10th:  National S'mores Day, National Banana Split Day
August 11th:  National Raspberry Bombe Day
August 12th:  National Toasted Almond Bar Day, Julienne Fries Day;  grouse season opens in Britain
August 13th:  National Filet Mignon Day
August 14th:  National Creamsicle Day;  feast of St. Werenfrid, patroness of vegetable gardeners


Albertson's:

    Beef ribeye or New York steak, bone in, family pack, $5.97/lb
    Beef country style ribs, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Beef London broil, $3.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.97/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $2.99/lb
    Pork country style ribs, bone in, $1.99/lb
    Pork loin chops, center cut, boneless OR bone in, buy 1 get 1 free
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.88/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillet, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Albertson's milk, gallons, $1.89
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, dozens, 99¢
    Daisy sour cream, 16 oz tubs, $1.79
    Albertson's cottage cheese, 16 oz tubs, $1.79
    Deli:    Dietz & Watson slicing cheeses, $5.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson slicing meats, $7.99/lb
        Jennie-O “Honey Smoked” or “Oven Brown” turkey breast, $5.99/lb
        USA Gold honey or baked ham, $5.99/lb
        Charlie's Pride roast or Italian beef, corned beef, pastrami, $6.99/lb
        Stella Swiss/Provolone/Muenster cheeses, $6.99/lb
        Margherita hard or Genoa salami OR pepperoni, $4.99/lb
    Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna, 4/$5
    PictSweet “Steamables”, 10 oz frozen bags, 98¢
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99/lb
    Nectarines OR black plums, $1.49/lb
    White peaches, $2.49/lb
    Navel oranges, $1.69/lb
    Grape tomatoes, 12 oz box, 2/$4
    Earthbound Farms organic box salads, 5 oz, $2.99


Bashas':

    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, value pack, $3.88/lb
    Beef London broil, $3.99/lb
    Beef ribeye steak, bone in, $7.99/lb
    Ground beef sirloin, value pack, $3.99/lb
    Center cut pork chops, boneless, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.88/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.88/lb
    Rockfish fillets, $3.79/lb “weather permitting”
    Bashas' milk, gallons, $1.89
    Food Club cheeses, 2 lb chunk or shreds, $7.77
    Bashas' “Homestyle” bread, 24 oz wide-pan loaves, $1.99
    Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna, 99¢
    PictSweet frozen veg, 10-12 oz pkg, 2/$3
    Yellow peaches, nectarines, red/black plums, Bartlett pears, 69¢/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99/lb
    Sweet corn, 5 ct, $2.49
    Vine tomatoes, regular or organic, $1.99/lb
    Grape tomatoes, 12 oz box, 2/$4


Fry's:

    Beef NY strip steaks, 50% off
    Beef crossrib roast OR Texas broil, boneless, $4.29/lb
    80/20 ground beef, $2.99/lb (3 lb chub)
    Pork loin back ribs OR St Louis-style spareribs, buy 1 get 2 free
    Pork loin chops, bone in center cut, family pack, $3.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.79/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught,  $8.99/lb
    Swordfish steaks, bone in, $6.99/lb
    Mahi mahi fillets, boneless, $6.99lb
    Fry's milk, half gallons, 10/$10
    Kroger cheeses, 8 oz chunk or shreds OR 6 oz shingle pack, $1.88
    Classico pasta sauces, 50% off
    StarKist chunk white tuna, 4/$5
    Birds Eye “Voila Meals”, 21-22 oz, 50% off
    Smart Ones frozen entrées, 5/$10
    Simple Truth meatless entrées, 14-16 oz, $3.99
    Green seedless grapes, 85¢/lb
    Bartlett pears, 88¢/lb
    Yellow peaches, 99¢/lb
    Whole seedless watermelons, $4.99 ea
    Roma tomatoes, 99¢/lb


Safeway:

    Beef crossrib steak, boneless, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Beef country style ribs, boneless, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, value pack, $4.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, value pack, $1.99/lb
    Pork loin chops, bone in, value pack, $1.49/lb
    Pork tenderloin, boneless, whole in bag, $4.99/lb
    Pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $2.99/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Safeway Farms chicken thighs/drumsticks, bone in, $1.39/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $4.99/lb
    Lucerne OR Open Nature cheeses, 24-32 oz chunk or shreds, $6.99/lb
    Sargento cheeses, 6-8 oz shingle pack, $3.49
    Safeway Kitchens crushed-wheat or 100%-wheat bread, 22 oz loaves, $1.99
    Safeway Kitchens veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 69¢/lb
    Hunt's tomatoes, 14 oz cans, 10/$10
    Lean Cuisine “Simple Favorites”, $1.85
    Safeway Kitchens frozen veg, 24-32 oz bags, 2/$5
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, buy 1 get 1 free
    Red or black plums, 99¢/lb
    Hot house tomatoes, $1.49/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $2.99/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 2/$5
    Gala apples, 3 lb bag, 2/$6
    Bartlett pears, $1.49/lb
    Navel oranges, $1.49/lb
    Sweet corn, white or yellow, 2/$1
    Red or green bell peppers, 99¢ ea





Sprouts:

    Beef sirloin tip roast or steak, boneless, $4.99/lb
    Beef New York steaks, boneless, $7.99/lb
    Grass-fed organic beef crossrib or rump roast, $5.99/lb
    85/15 “all-natural” ground beef, value pack, $2.99/lb
    “Super lean” ground pork, $2.99/lb
    Pork sirloin chops or roast, boneless, $1.79/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, value pack, $2.49/lb
    Chicken sausage:  Italian, Parmesan, or spinach-and-Feta, $2.99/lb
    Mahi mahi fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Ethnic Gourmet frozen entrées, 2/$6
    Yellow nectarines, red or black plums, 48¢/lb
    Bartlett or Asian pears, 48¢/lb
    Green or red seedless grapes, 98¢/lb
    Gala apples, 98¢/lb
    Cantaloupes, 98¢ ea
    Seedless mini watermelons, 2/$5
    Organic pluots, red or black plums, $1.49
    Organic yellow peaches, $1.49/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 2 lbs/$3
    Cherry tomatoes, dry pint, 2/$3
    Sweet corn, 48¢ ea
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 98¢ ea
    Green or red bell peppers, 48¢ ea
    Cucumbers, 48¢ ea