Shop Cheap

The mall is much more fun this time of year, but, seriously, it's time to shop for food. If you don't have your grocery shopping complete by noon on Christmas Eve...I don't even want to think about the lines. All the ads that we are going to see have been printed and inserted into the newspaper and online. There won't be any grocery inserts on Wednesday. So dig out the ads from Sunday and let's get the party started. Most stores will be open until 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Whole Foods in Sacramento and Roseville will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. If you are hopelessly behind, some Safeway stores will be open Christmas Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but please check your local outlet to make sure.

Since we gave you the 411 on all the store specials last week, we are going to hit the highlights, knowing that it's the holiday feast that tops your list.

Sunday's Bee did have a new entry: Smart and Final is offering up some tasty buys. You can get a USDA  Grade A frozen turkey for 49-cents (when you spend $25). Remember that bird needs time to defrost so get on Monday or Tuesday. S&F also has Farmer John bone-in ham for $1.29 a pound (when you spend $25). To complete the meal, thers's Russet potatoes - 10lb bag for $2.50; cheesecake or mousecake 20% off; pumpkin pie for $3.99; a 2lb bag of Hillshire Farm Lit'l smokies for $6.49 and a 3-pack of Martinelli's sparkling cider for $5.99. They also have a 35-pack of Crystal Geyser water for $4.50 and 3-12 packs of Coca-Cola for $9.99.

SAVE MART had a full-page ad in the Saturday Bee which featured Cook's ham for $1.47lb (butt portion) and $1.27lb (the shank). Fresh Dungeness crab is $3.99 per pound (the lowest price in the area); green seedless grapes for $1.49lb; jumbo cantaloupe for $2.50 and Aquafina water for $3.99 a case.

SAFEWAY: The spiral cut ham is the "it" entree this year. At Safeway you'll pay $1.69lb for the spiral cut and 99-cents a pound for the shank. Eating Right salads in the bag are BOGO; medium cooked shrimp is $5.99 a pound and fruit pies are $5.99 each. Dreyer's Grand ice cream is BOGO. Turkeys are $1.29lb and Heinz homestyle gravy is buy 2, get 1 free. Martinelli's is $1.79 a bottle, Philadelphia cream cheese is $2 a brick and for a yummy dessert, the fresh fruit tart is $13.99. If you just want to chill, the oven roasted turkey breast in the deli is $7.99. Side dishes are 2/$5 and Signature garden salads are $5.49 each.

RALEY'S: Here the spiral sliced ham is $1.67lb and fresh green beans are 99-cents a pound. Apple or pumppkin pies are $4.99 and Cool Whip topping is 88-cents. Campbell's creamed soups are 69-cents a can and Knudsen sparkling cider is 2/$3. Nabisco snack crackers are $1.99 a box; Ocean Spray cranberry drinks are $1.99 for a half-gallon and 2-liter 7-Up is $1. A family pack of dinner rolls is $1.49 and 12-inch take&bake pizza is $5. Fresh Dungeness crab is $4.99 and cooked shrimpmeat is $3.99lb. Stovetop stuffing is 4/$6; Sara Lee dinner rolls are $3 a bag; Philly cream cheese is $2 and Knudsen sour cream is $2, also. A case of Aquafina water is $3.99.

Since we have declared this the year of the ham, Honeybaked is offering coupons for its ham and turkey combos. You can save from $4-$8 by using the ads that were in the Sunday Bee. Honeybaked is closed on Christmas Day but the coupons are good through New Year's Eve.

Longs, Walgreens and Rite Aid have items worth mentioning.

At Longs, you can get BOGO batteries, holiday wrapping paper, Purex Detergent, Scott tissue and Pepsi products.. And Long's has the best price on Dreyer's ice cream at $2.99. Most of their holiday packaging and wrap is 50% off. Marinelli's is $1.88 a bottle; a brick of Philly cream cheese is $1.50 and eggs are $1.79  a dozen. Mama Caruso's pasta is $1 a package and Hunt's sauce is $1.50 a can.

Walgreens has a coupons for a 15-pack of spring water for $1.99; Pringles for 99-cents; Pepsi products for $1 and Kleenex tissue for  79-cents.

At Rite Aid, most of the Christmas stuff is 75% off. Thrifty ice cream is 2/$5; Kellogg's cereals, Planters and Blue Diamond nuts and Kleenex tissues are BOGO. Hershey's or Mars Christmas miniatures are $1.99 a bag and a tin of butter cookies is BOGO.

If you have a 99-cents Only store in your neighborhood, they have lots of stocking stuffers and holiday wrap for 99-cents or less. They will be open Christmas Eve from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Since there won't be any new grocery ads on Wednesday, we'll offer up some of our favorite recipes. Enjoy and Happy Shopping.