Shop Cheap

As we flip the calendar from May to June, it's beginning to feel a lot more like summer. Area grocery stores are getting into the season with lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Safeway has begun labeling its produce as "California grown." Raley's and Save Mart have been doing the "locally grown" gig for a while now.

Starting at Safeway, here's what we like this week. Produce is at the top of the heap with Lodi cherries for $2.99lb; BOGO strawberries from Watsonville and 'chokes from Castroville. Red seedless grapes are $1.99lb; brococoli is 99-cents a pound and leaf lettuce is 99-cents a bunch. Corn on the cob comes in at 4/$2 and bell peppers are 99-cents each.

If you live for the BOGO, here's what you can look forward to this week: Fritos or cheetos; Chips Ahoy! or Newtons; Farmer John sliced bacon; Foster Farms grilled chicken strips; and a whole lot of other stuff from BBQ sauce to cranberry juice cocktail, Golden Grain pasta and Green Giant canned veggies. Safeway Kitchen bread, Lucerne mozarella, Guerrero tortillas and Safeway brown rice all all BOGO. Add to that Bumble Bee solid white tuna. The 4-day sale adds Oroweat sliced bread and Oscar Mayer products....all buy one, get one.

Sargento cheeses are 2/$4; refreshe water is $3.33 a case. If you're clippin', General Mills cereals and Nutri-Grain bars are $1.99 a box; Skippy Peanut butter is $2.49 a jar; Rosarita refries are 89-cents and Safeway ice cream cups are 59-cents each.

On $5 Friday, you can pick up pizza; cooked shrimp; muffins and cookies; and a large container of blueberries and raspberries. The Friday-Monday, 4-day sale features deli counter turkey breast for $5.99lb; chicken tenders for $5.99 and salmon fillets for $4.99.

And best of all...spend $75 or more and get a $10 rewards coupon.

If you're celebrating a graduation or other cake-related activity, Raley's is the place to go. Order a sheet cake - any size - and get a free container of Sunnyside ice cream. And if you haven't tried their new artisan breads, grab a sample then grab a loaf for $2.99. You won't be disappointed.

In the produce aisle, cantaloupe is GOBO; bags of baby potatoes are 2/$5 and Fresh express salad is 99-cents. Strawberries are BOGO; oranges are 99-cents a pound and blueberries are $3.99 for a pint.

Coupons worth clipping include Gatorade for $3.99; Gallo salame for $4.99; 2-liter Cokes for 99-cents and Sobe, Lifewater or Lipton drinks for 88-cents.

Snackwells are $1.99 a box. Kellogg's raisin bran or miniwheats are $1.99 a box when you buy 4. Arrowhead and Nestle water is $3.99 a case.

In the deli, Volpi lunchmeat is BOGO.

Save Mart has the BOGO going on all berries. Large cherries are $3.97lb; cantaloupe is $2.50; tomatoes and leaf lettuce are 97-cents. Red bell peppers are just 25-cents each. Spend $25 or more and get a bag of baby carrots - with coupon.

Cross rib BBQ steaks are $2.49lb; fresh shrimpmeat is $3.99lb and boneless, skinless chicken breasts are $1.99lb. Quaker Life or Cap'n'Crunch cereal is $1.69 a box.

Graduation cakes are available at Save Mart, too. But the ice cream is extra. $14.99 for a quarter sheet and $2.88 for the ice cream. On Friday, you can get a dozen cupcakes for $5.

A case of Sunny Select drinking water is $2.50; tortilla chips are $1.79; Nabisco saltines are $1.99 and a big jug of Minute Maid punch is $2.88. The buy theirs, get ours free promotion includes Quaker Quakes and Aunt Sue's honey.

A dozen eggs is $1.99 and Bayview Farms OJ is $3.99. Sun Burst liquid detergent is free with coupon and $25 spent on groceries.

Sunflower Markets will be sprouting where Sprouts markets currently exist. The deal to merge the two "Farmers Market" type stores was finalized on Tuesday. Both have great prices on produce. This week Sunflower has blackberries for 77-cents. Bell pepper, celery and broccoli for 88-cents. Keeping with the 88-cents theme, red seedless grapes and apricots are 88-cents a pound at Sprouts. Cilantro, radishes and green onions are 4/$1; red bells and white corn are 3/$1.

Until next week....