Shop Cheap

Whether you are planning a quiet meal at home, or a house full of guests, there's plenty on sale. Here's to a Happy - but Shop Cheap - New Year! 

Before getting to the grocery stuff, here's the best deal we found: Buy 10 bottles of Vitamin Water or Smart water for $1 each at Raley's and get a FREE voucher for a Boreal Ski Lift ticket.

Remember that the Safeway specials were advertised on Sunday. If you want to check out those offerings, here's the link to an earlier Shop Cheap. http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/shop_cheap/2008/12/018146.html

RALEY'S has clip-worthy coupons on blueberries (2/$3); 12-packs of Coke ($2.99); Gatorade (79 cents); Lay's chips ($1.79); Oscar Mayer lunchmeat (2/$6); Brownie bites (2/$7) and Crest toothpaste (2/$3). They also have a big Special K sale on cereal, fiber bars, waffles, crackers and protein water. Buy 4 and save $4.

Now for the party! London Broil is $1.97 a pound, complete with a recipe for Beef Stroganoff. Fresh Express salads are 2/$5 and natural shrimp (cooked or raw) for $6.99 a pound. There's Focaccia bread in the bakery for $2.89 and large artichokes are 2/$3.

For the rest of the cart, there's Clementines at 3 pounds for $3; 6 bagels for $3 and Weight Watchers Smart Ones 5/$10. Dannon Light & Fit yogurt is 10/$4. If you are looking for a quick - but starchy - dinner, Homestyle Meatloaf in the deli is $6.99 and for an extra $1 you get mashed potatoes and mac&cheese.

For the morning, there's Simply Orange, grapefruit or apple juice 2/$6; Rachel's (it's not from Rachel Ray) lowfat yogurt 5/$4 and 3-liter jugs of Arrowhead water for $1. Don't forget the milk at 2 gallons of Bayview non-fat for $3.49. It went up 40-cents since the weekend.

If you shop Raley's own brands, their drinking water is $3.50 a case; frozen veggies are 4/$5; pasta is $1.19; olives are 88-cents a can and diced tomatoes are also 88-cents a can.

Did you vow to go natural in the new year? Check out the two-week sale that includes $1 energy bars, a case of Crystal Geyser spring water for $3.50; Alvarado St. multi-grain breads for $2.99 a loaf; and Lundberg rice cakes or chips 2/$4.

If you are planning a chicken dish, Save Mart is the place to shop. Sunnyside Farms boneless, skinless breasts are $1.88 a pound. Avocado is 99-cents; Tostitos are BOGO; La Mexicana salsa is $2 for 24 ounces; Mexican blend shredded cheeses are $3.99 for 16 ounces; and Dad's Root Beer is 69-cents a jug. Smart Ones entrees are 5/$10; and Sunnyside Farms whole grain white bread is $1.99 a loaf. If you're making pasta sauce, Italian sausage is $2.79 a pound; fresh ground sirloin is $2.99 a pound; DiGiorno shredded cheese is $2.99; and garlic bread in the bakery is $1.99.

In produce, Washington state apples are 99-cents a pound; berries are $2.49 a container; beefstake tomatoes are $1.99 a pound; iceberg lettuce is 99-cents a head and fresh green beans are $1.49 a pound. Texas red grapefruit is 2/$1 and pears are 99-cents a pound.

Save Mart is having a 4-week Sunnyside Farms and Sunny Select sale. Highlights include paper towels for 89-cents; sandwich bread $1.79 a loaf and cases of drinking water 3/$10.

FOODS Co. has fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) for $1.87 a pound; Fuji apples for 57-cents a pound and Yoplait yogurt 10/$4. In the meat department, there's boneless bottom round, rump roast or Tri Tip for $2.78 a pound and boneless pork sirloin for $1.68 a pound. Doritos are 2/$4; Pringles are 98-cents and Calidad tostadas are 98-cents a pack. In produce, fresh pineapple is $1.98 each; avocado is 98-cents each; bell peppers are 2/98-cents and key limes are 68-cents a pound.

The Rainbow Foods celebration begins with boneless chuck roast at $2.39 a pound; fresh shrimp at $4.99 a pound; Idaho potatoes 5 pounds/$1.50;  and chocolate cake in the bakery for $6.99. Yoplait yogurt is 10/$5; Chex Mix is 3/$5 and Gatorade drinks are $1 each. Olives are 99-cents a can; Santa Fe salsa or dip is $1.99; Fritos, Cheetos or Rold Gold pretzels are $1.88 and Quaker rice cakes or quakes are 2/$3. Western Family corn flakes or toasted oats cereal are $2 a box and Langers apple juice is 2/$5.

That should be enough to get the party started! Come back tomorrow for recipes to start the New Year.