Shop Cheap

After all the dogs and burgers consumed over the July Fourth weekend, Shop Cheap thought it would be a good idea to focus on fruit and veggies this week. Thankfully, the grocery stores think so, too, because there is an abundance of fresh produce along with other healthy-eating fare.

First, we need to share a little item from  Safeway. This week the grocery chain is introducing a new way to get coupons: loading them into your Club Card. Here's how it works: go to www.Safeway.com/coupons and register your card. From there you can select various coupons and load them into your card (or you can print them out the traditional way). Once you get to the checkout - and assuming you remembered which coupons you saved to your card - the savings will be deducted at the register. The only catch for me - remembering. Guess I'll have to write it on the grocery list!

Now for the sale stuff:

SAVE MART always has good deals on produce. This week it's strawberries for $1.37 a pound; blueberries are $2.97 for 18oz. and raspberries and blackberries are $3.99. A personal size seedless watermelon is $1.99; a whole seedless watermelon is $4.99. Large green bell pepper are 2/$1; fresh green beans are $1.29lb; large tomatoes are $1.49lb. and Italian squash is 79-cents a pound.

Other items include Quaker cereal buy 3; get 3 free; and lots of customer rewards coupons. You must spend $50 to cash in on the coupons. Here are the highlights: Chunk light tuna 69-cents a can; Nature Valley granola bars $1.99; baby carrots for 69-cents a bag; Arm & Hammer laundry detergent $1.99; Sunny Select bath tissue or paper towels $1.99; and Pantene Pro-V hair care $2.50.

A case of Sunny Select drinking water is $2.99; Sunnyside Farms bread is $1.50 a loaf; Treetop apple juice is $2 a jug; a carton of 18 large eggs is $1.99; Dannon Light&Fit yogurt is 10/$4 and a package of Cowabunga string cheese is $2.99. And for a healthy dessert, Angel Food loaf cake is $2.50 (see strawberries above!)

Over at Raley's, the healthy savings include Bing cherries for $1.99lb; hot house tomatoes for $1.27lb; organic cucumbers for 99-cents each and cantaloupe for 49-cents a pound. Breakfast items on sale include a dozen large eggs for $1.49; English muffins for $2.49; Yoplait yogurt 10/$6 and MorningStar Farms sausage for $2.99. A case of Crystal Geyser Spring water is $3.50.

Raley's has a separate ad for a 2-week Natural Foods sale. My favorite Lundberg rice chips are $1.89 a bag; Vitamin Water, Sobe, Lifewater and Smartwater are 99-cents each; Clif bars are 88-cents. Bulk almonds are $3.99lb; Alvarado St. Bakery buns are 2/$5 and Nature's Path organic cereal is 2/$5.

Back in the regular ad section, you'll find a Rotisserie Chicken meal for $7.99. It includes the bird, coleslaw and Hawaiian rolls. Basically enough for a family of four. Sunnyside Farms cottage cheese is $3.99 for the 32-oz. carton; Stouffers Lean Cuisine is $2.29 and if you buy 6, you get free Skinny Cow ice cream treats.

There are two recipes to check out in the Raley's. One, is on the second page of the Natural Foods tab. It's for "Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats." The other is "Grilled Pineapple Pork Chops" on the back of the circular. It sounds great and claims it will take 30 minutes or less.

 Safeway has lots of cart-worthy produce. Rainier cherries are $2.49lb; white or yellow peaches are 99-cents a pound and green beans are 99-cents  a pound. Eggplant is $1 each; green bell peppers are $1 a pound; white or yellow corn on the cob is 5/$2 and mangos are $1 each.

There's a 72-hour sale (Fri.-Sun.) that includes lean ground beef for $1.79lb (Safeway buns are $1.50 a package); Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies 99-cents  a box; and a 12-pack of Lipton Iced tea for $3.99. On the flip side of the 72-hour sale, you'll find coupons for Betty Crocker brownie mix 79-cents; Lucerne large eggs (18 count) $1.49 and Chinet plates or cups for $2.50.

If you're doing another BBQ this week, London broil is $1.79lb and boneless, skinless chicken breasts are $1.99lb. The Friday $5 special is a Signature Cafe whole roasted chicken. With the chicken purchase, buy a 2-liter Coke for 88-cents. In the bakery, Ball Park, Oroweat and Colombo buns or rolls are $1.99 a package.

You'll really clean up at Safeway this week. There's a Mix & Match sale on Charmin tissue; Brawny towels, Tide, Bounce, Glad and Ivory soap. Buy and three or more for $4.99 each.

Come back tomorrow for some healthy recipes.