Wren's bargain guide, week beginning September 25th:

Per Fooducate and Grist:  Burger King introduces “Satisfries”, a new reduced-fat French fry.  “Only” 270 calories and 11 grams of fat … in the small serving.  Yes, that's down from 340 calories and 15 grams in a small serving of their regular fries, but the accompanying Aura of Healthy could lead people to order a larger serving of these “healthier” fries than they might otherwise choose.  And even the small serving carries 300 milligrams of sodium.

From Summer Tomato, “experience stretching” and how it can affect your food preferences – Darya doesn't eat In-N-Out burgers any more, not because they're Not Allowed or Bad For Her, but because she's discovered other things she likes better – and the most important single thing when you're reading a food label:  the ingredients list.  “Real food is made from real ingredients, things you should recognize.  Real food is not made with unpronounceable chemicals, dough conditioners, preservatives, or 14 different kinds of sugar.  Why does Wonder Bread contain Datem and/or Azodicarbonamide?  Because its manufacturers want it to have a shelf life that extends beyond the apocalypse.  That way when the zombies run out of brains to eat they can still buy Wonder Bread.”  Monica Reinagel very positively reviews the new KIND nutrition bars.  And at Weighty Matters guest poster Geordie McConnell, from the metric nation of Canada, advocates for bringing back the mile:  “The entry point to the running world is now seen as 5 kilometres and that is too long. Many will be daunted by that distance and decide that running is not for them.…  Why not train to jog a mile, a much more attainable and sustainable distance?”

Recipes!  Summer Tomato has “Nutty Sunrise Granola”.  Chow.com has Vietnamese lamb chops, nine ways with Brussels sprouts that aren't “steam and butter”, a salad of mixed greens with almonds and grapes, and how to make butter at home in your blender!  Simply Recipes has ginger, ginger-onion green beans, and pork chops with a ginger-pear sauce.  Sprouted Kitchen has pasta with fennel, arugula, and lemon.  And Snack Girl has a Moroccan salad of chickpeas and carrots, overnight pumpkin pancakes, and ways to cook – and shop – healthy when you're single!  (“I am amazed at how hard it can be to buy a small amount of food.  Have you seen a bag of chips at Costco?”)

Today is National Crab Newberg Day, and also National Crab Newburg Day.  I'll take both.  One week from today is Fried Scallops Day, I'll have some of those as well.  Monday, the 30th, is National Hot Mulled Cider Day.  (The National Weather Service is predicting a high of 94°F in our area for that date.)  The 28th is Drink Beer Day, not to be confused with National Beer Day in April, International Beer Day in August, or American Beer Day a month from now.  September has been National Apple Month;  Tuesday is the beginning of October, which is National Apple Month. 

September 25th:  Crab Newberg/Newburg Day
September 26th:  National Pancake Day;  1774, John Chapman (“Johnny Appleseed”) born
September 27th:  National Chocolate Milk Day, National Corned Beef Hash Day
September 28th:  Drink Beer Day, National Strawberry Cream Pie Day;  feast of St. Wenceslas, patron of butchers
September 29th:  National Coffee Day, National Mocha Day;  feast of St. Michael the Archangel, patron saint of grocers and bakers.  A tradition in England says that if you eat goose on Michaelmas Day, you will never want for money all the year round.  This may be a self-fulfilling prophecy:  I have priced goose and can state with some authority that people who can afford it are not in immediate financial danger.
September 30th:  National Hot Mulled Cider Day;  1962, United Farm Workers union formed
October 1st:  World Vegetarian Day, Homemade Cookies Day;  Pudding Season begins
October 2nd:  National Fried Scallops Day


Albertson's:

    Beef London broil, $2.99/lb
    Beef chuck or eye/bottom round steaks, thin cut boneless, $8.49/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef crossrib steaks, thin cut boneless, $7.49/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef top round steaks, thin cut boneless, $6.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Beef chuck/crossrib/eye round/bottom round/sirloin tip roasts, boneless, $3.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.79/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $2.99/lb
    Asssorted pork chops, bone in, $1.59/lb
    Pork sirloin chops, boneless, $1.99/lb
    Center cut pork loin chops, bone in, $5.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.88/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.88/lb
    Keta salmon fillets, wild caught, $3.99/lb
    Catfish/tilapia/swai fillets, farm raised, $3.99/lb
    Deli:    Charlie's Pride roast beef/Italian beef/corned beef/beef pastrami, $6.99/lb
        Stella Swiss/Muenster/Provolone cheeses, $6.99/lb
        Signature Virginia ham, $4.99/lb
        Jennie-O turkey breast, $4.99/lb
        Dietz & Watson American cheese, $4.99/lb
    Hunt's pasta sauces, 24 oz cans, $1
    Ro*tel tomatoes, $1
    Crystal Light canisters, $2.99
    Oroweat breads, 24 oz wide-pan loaves, 2/$5
    Essential Everyday veggies or tomatoes, 14-15 oz cans, 50¢
    Essential Everyday pasta, 12-16 oz boxes, 75¢
    Red seedless grapes, 75¢/lb
    “Gattie” yellow peaches, $1.99/lb
    Fuji apples, $1.69/lb
    Bartlett pears, 99¢/lb
    Broccoli crowns OR cauliflower, $1/lb
    Slicing tomatoes, $1.29/lb
    Earthbound Farms organic mini carrots, 1 lb bag, $1.99
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 99¢ ea
    Zucchini OR yellow squash, $1/lb


Bashas':

    Beef top sirloin or porterhouse steaks, 50% off
    Beef crossrib roast, $3.99/lb (steaks 50¢/lb higher)
    Ground beef chuck, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Assorted pork chops, $1.47/lb
    Center cut pork chops, $2.49/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, 50% off
    Sanderson Farms whole chickens, $1.39/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb
    Albacore tuna OR swordfish steaks, wild caught, 5 oz portions, $2.99
    Cod fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Food Club butter, 2/$5
    Kraft cheeses, 7-8 oz chunk or shreds, 2/$5
    Prego pasta sauces, 14-30 oz jars, 2/$4
    Strawberries, 1 lb box, 99¢
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99/lb
    Apples, Gala/Red Delicious/Fuji, 88¢/lb
    “Tasti-Lee” tomatoes, 1 lb pkg, $1.99
    Zucchini OR grey squash, 99¢/lb
Fry's:

    Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, buy 1 get 2 free
    Beef chuck roast or steaks, boneless, $4.49/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.99/lb (3 lb chub)
    Pork loin back ribs, $3.99/lb
    Kroger boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.79/lb
    Kroger 85/15 ground turkey, 1 lb pkg, $3.29
    Kroger, 93/7 ground turkey, 1 lb pkg, $3.59
    Coho salmon fillets, wild caught, $8.99/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $7.99/lb
    Swai fillets, farm raised, $2.99/lb
    Kroger butter, $1.99/lb
    Yoplait yogurts, 20/$10
    Kraft OR Sargento cheeses, 5-8 oz chunk or shreds, 2/$5
    Lean Cuisine frozen entrées, 5/$10
    Honeycrisp apples, $1.27/lb!
    Yellow peaches, 99¢/lb
    Bartlett pears, 99¢/lb
    Whole pineapples, 2/$5
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.99/lb
    Roma tomatoes, 99¢/lb
    Hass avocados, 4/$5
    Red or yellow bell peppers, 4/$5


Safeway:

    Beef London broil, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Beef chuck 7-bone pot roast, $2.99/lb
    Beef loin tri tip roast, boneless, $6.29/lb
    90/10 ground beef, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork top loin chops, boneless, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Pork shoulder country style ribs, bone in, value pack, $2.49/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Jennie-O ground turkey, 2 lb pkg, $6.99/lb
    Alaskan pollock fillets, wild caught, $2.99/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, $10.99/lb
    Nature's Own bread, 20 oz long loaves, 2/$5
    Green Giant frozen veg, 7-10 oz boxes, $1.99
    Smart Ones frozen entrées, 5/$10
    Weight Watchers ice-cream novelties, 6-12 ct, $3.49
    Navel oranges, $1.49/lb
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $2.99/lb
    Peaches, $1.99/lb
    Fuji or Gala apples, $1.99
    Cantaloupes, $2.99 ea
    Bananas, 57¢/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 99¢/lb
    Hass avocados, 77¢ ea
    Sweet corn, 2/$1
    Zucchini OR yellow squash, $1.29/lb
    Baby carrots, 2 lb bag, 2/$5


Sprouts:

    Beef chuck roast or steak, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, $6.99/lb
    Pork loin roast or chops, boneless, $1.99/lb
    Lamb shoulder chops, $2.99/lb
    Whole chickens, chicken whole legs or drumsticks, value pack, 99¢/lb
    Ground chicken or turkey breast, $3.99/lb
    Coho salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Sprouts butter, 2/$5
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, 88¢/lb
    Whole cantaloupes, 98¢ ea
    Yellow peaches, 98¢/lb
    Gala or Jonathan apples, 98¢/lb
    Bartlett pears, 98¢/lb
    Navel oranges, $1.49/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 4 lbs/$5
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 88¢ ea
    Broccoli or cauliflower, 98¢/lb