On Sale This Week: Load Up That Freezer!

For many weeks, the on-sale items are just enough to get you by. Once in a while, though, there so many goodies are on sale that it's too much for just one week. What to do, what to do? Fortunately, technology has come up with a simple solution: freeze it. Without further ado, I present the "Freezer Week": a time to take advantage of the sales for lean weeks ahead. (And, by the way, Costco has chest freezers for about $180. Upright freezers are going to cost a bit more - probably around $500ish.)

On Sale Until Tuesday, 10/4

(click on the name of the store to go to their website)

Albertsons:

Fresh Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.77 lb.

USDA Choice Petite Sirloin: Buy 1 get 2 free

Red Seedless Grapes: $.77 lb.

Sara Lee Bread: 1.88 each

Fresh Half Pork Loin: 1.97 lb.

Fresh Ground Beef (90% lean) 2.99 lb.

Roma Tomatoes: $.99 lb.

Fresh Leaf Lettuce: $.99 each

Red, Yellow, or Orange Bell peppers: $.99 each

Fry's:

Fry's Large Eggs: Buy 1 get 1 free

Sargento Cheese: 1.88 each

Tomatoes on the Vine or Large Hot House Tomatoes: $.88 each

Boneless Half Pork Loin: 1.88 lb.

Plums or Australian Navel Oranges: $.88 lb.

Foster Farms Whole Chicken: $.98 lb.

Bananas: $.57 lb.

White, Orange, and Purple Cauliflower $.88 lb.

10 for $10: Yellow or Zucchini Squash, Assorted Fall Squash, Mini Peeled Carrots, Bartlett Pears

Safeway:

Beef Back Ribs (Bone In, Previously Frozen): 1.29 lb.

Boneless Pork Sirloin Country Style Ribs: 1.79 lb.

Rancher's Reserve Boneless Beef Chuck Pot Roast: 50% off

Hass Avocados: $.88 each

Dairy Glen Milk: 1.57 each

Fresh Flounder Fillets (Weather Permitting): 2.99 lb. (They appear to have sold out. Ask for a raincheck.)

Red Delicious, Gala or Granny Smith apples: $.77 lb.

Sara Lee Bread: 1.99 each

Boneless Pork Sirloin Chops: 1.99 lb.

Ovenjoy Sandwich Breads: 1.59 each

Red or Green Bell Peppers: $.99 each

Sweet Navel Oranges: 1.49 lb.

Chiquita Bananas $.57

Vine Ripe Tomatoes: 1.49 lb.

Land o' Lakes Spreadable Butter: 1.79 each

It's Sold Out, Now What?

If the product you want is sold out, you have several options. First of all, always ask for a raincheck. That will allow you to purchase the same item at a later time at the sale price. 

Next, check other stores. Some, such as WalMart, will match most competitor sale prices. It has to be the exact same thing, however, so this can be tricky. 

Can you substitute the ingredient with another? If so, that's an option. Frequently, chicken can be substituted for fish, for example. (To tell the truth, the recipe below was originally for flounder, then we got word that it had sold out, and we rewrote it for chicken.)

Chicken Provencal

4 chicken breasts

2 cups peppers, seeded and diced

1/2 cup diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons chopped thyme

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 can diced tomatoes

1 small can sliced olives

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

' Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the pan on medium high. Sear the chicken on both sides until browned but uncooked. Remove and set aside. Saute the bell peppers and onions until the onions are almost clear. Add the garlic and thyme, cook until the onions are opaque. Stir in the wine and tomato paste. Add the diced tomatoes, olives and chicken, simmer until the chicken is completely cooked. Turn off the heat and mix in the basil. Season to taste and serve.