Shop Cheap

It's one of those in-between weeks at the grocery store. Not quite time for all the Easter specials so we get a lot of what we had last week: asparagus, strawberries and Safeway's Mix&Match event. This week Raley's has avocado at $1 each and and 18-pack of large eggs for $1.66. How about asparagus and avocado omelets with strawberries on the side?

Here's the breakdown:

Got to say that Raley's is coming through with the specials this week. In addition to the items mentioned above, they have boneless cross-rib roast for $1.77lb, fresh Tilapia at $4.99lb and bakery baguettes for $1.99.

For all the parents out there, check out the Huggies coupon. $7.99 for a jumbo pack or B is for Baby diapers for $6.99. Raley's has a whole page of coupons on the back of the ad. My favorites are: Langers apple juice $1.69; diced tomatoes for 79 cents a can; fresh blackberries 2/$4 and Coca-Cola 2-liter jug for 89-cents.

In produce, oranges are 59-cents a pound; mini peeled  carrots are 99-cents a bag and yellow or zucchini squash is 99-cents a pound.

In the deli, there's a coupon for $2 off a large espresso drink when you buy a breakfast panini.

Raley's is offering two Ham Dinner specials for Easter. The Nob Hill Trading Co. spiral ham at $39.99 feeds 8-10. You must pre-order the ham in the Meat Dept. and pick it up by April 11. If you want a complete meal, for $64.99 you will get the ham, asparagus, dinner rolls, potatoes, and lemon meringue pie. The dinner serves 8-10 and is available for pick up in the deli on April 11 and 12. If you order online at www.raleys.com/order, you save $5.

Over at Save Mart be sure to get the strawberries because it's a great deal at buy one get two free. They also have boneless pork loin for $1.99lb and a Friday-Sunday sale on tri-tip for $2.47lb. Fresh Express salad blends are BOGO; apples are 99-cents a pound and leaf lettuce is 79 cents a head. Baby carrots are 99 cents a bag; broccoli crowns or Brussels sprouts are 99 cents a pound; and the green onion, radish or cilantro trio is 3/99 cents.

Sunnyside yogurt is 48 cents a carton; Arrowhead spring water is $3.99 a case and Keebler cookies are $1.99 a package. Save Mart has the coupons, too. You just need to spend $10 on groceries and clip the coupons to get 7-Up products for 88 cents a jug; a dozen large eggs for 99-cents (remember Easter is coming); a 5-pound bag of Idaho potatoes for 99-cents and -my favorite - Gallo Salame for $3.99.

And now that Safeway ad. It's mostly the Mix&Match stuff, which is definitely a good deal if you can keep track of the 10 items you buy. Other stuff worth mentioning includes whole tri-tip roast for $2.77 a pound; a two-pound container of strawberries for $2.97 and cooked shrimpmeat for $2.99 a pound. You get a choice this week for the $5 Friday special: either a whole roasted chicken or a cut-up 8-piece roasted chicken. Safeway has also cut prices on its Signature Cafe soup to $3.99 for 24-oz; fresh baked cookies are $2.99 for 20 and a dozen donuts for $3.99.

The Shop Cheap kitchen will be closed for a couple of days. So come back on Friday for some tasty recipes.