Albertson's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales flyer for 02/25 - 03/03/09

This week, stop by $5dinners for great meal ideas for all of your favorite grocery stores. There are great menu suggestions on how to stretch your grocery budget and feed your family well all at the same time!

At Phoenix area Albertson's this week, the only sale item that really caught my eye was their boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.67 per pound. This is a terrific price for boneless skinless chicken breasts - definitely a stock up price if you have freezer space!

Albertson's is my favorite store for boneless skinless chicken breast as their chicken breasts are butterfly cuts. Basically, each chicken breast looks like a large heart. It is a great piece of chicken to put on the barbeque grill - so yummy and flavorful!

A few suggestions for using this week's sale chicken....

Menu #1 - chicken breast on the grill with grilled or fresh vegetables

Menu #2 - chicken stir fry over rice

(grab a bag or two of stir fry frozen vegetables which are also on sale this week - $1.50 per bag)

Menu #3 - chicken and broccoli casserole

(you can actually make the grilled chicken for meal one and use any leftover pieces of chicken for this yummy casserole a second night!)

Thanks for checking in with my bargain meals of the week! Please be sure to check back next week for more great meal ideas to simplify your meal planning for the week and maximize your grocery dollars!

Safeway's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales cycle running 02/25 - 03/03/09

This week, Safeway has a good sale price of $1.88 per pound for Boneless Beef London Broil. Below are a few great options on how to stretch your grocery dollars by making your family a delicious meal with this sale cut of beef!

Menu #1 - Crock pot roast with vegetables

Menu #2 - Grilled London Broil with a great dry rub marinade - consider grilling some vegetables to accompany the meat or add a tossed green salad

Menu #3 - Baked London Broil roast with gravy - serve over noodles, with mashed or baked potatoes or a green salad for a complete meal

If you have other shopping to do while at Safeway, be sure to grab a weekly sales circular from Customer Service or a cashier. There are Super Coupons on the front page for a free 2 liter bottle of Pepsi with a $10 minimum purchase. With that same $10 purchase, you can also buy a package of butter for 99 cents and a box of either Raisin Bran or Frosted Mini Wheats for 99 cents! If that wasn't a great enough deal, there is also a $10 off when you purchase $50 in groceries coupon that is valid 2/25 - 2/28/09!

Thanks for stopping by! For more great bargain meals using this week's sales circulars, check out $5dinners! And, be sure to visit again next week for more budget ideas!

Fry's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales flyer for 02/25 - 03/03/09

There are some great $1 deals this week so please make sure to check out your Fry's store ad before running to the store this week!

A few yummy snack or dessert items you may want to pick up for $1 each include....

• Popsicle ice pops (12 count)
• Kroger brand fruit snacks (16 ounce)
• Nabisco Snak Saks (5.5 - 8 ounce)
• Oscar Mayer mini lunchables (3.66 - 4.5 ounce)
• Armor lunch makers (2.6 - 3.5 ounce)
• Dole canned (15 - 20 ounce) or Del Monte Gold fresh pineapple (Limit 4 fresh)
• Fresh mangoes

Here are a few quick meal ideas for this week based upon the current sales!

Menu #1 - Fish and Chips and Relish Tray

Items to buy on sale for this menu:

Tilapia Fillets - $2.99 lb. (flash frozen)

McCormick breading or batter - $1 package

McCormick tartar sauce - $1

Bell peppers - $1 each

English cucumbers - $1 each

Cauliflower and broccoli - $1 per pound

Menu #2 - Homemade chili and green salad

Items to buy on sale for this menu:

Boneless Beef Chuck Roast - $1.97 per pound - ask butcher to grind into ground chuck for you (can purchase two packages at this price)

Hunt's tomatoes, 12-15 ounce - $1

bell pepper - $1 each

Dole premium classic salads, 10-12 ounce - $1

Roma tomatoes - $1 per lb.

English cucumbers - $1 each

You may also want to purchase some of these items as sides to your chili - all on sale for $1 this week!

• Kroger saltine crackers (15 - 16 ounce)
• Kroger shredded cheese (8 ounce)
• Pillsbury Golden Layers biscuits (10.2 - 12 ounce)
• Kroger sour cream (16 ounce)

Thanks for stopping by! For more great bargain meal ideas with this week's sales, check out $5Dinners and please check back for more great bargain meals next week!

Albertson's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales cycle 2/18 - 2/25/09

Here are a few menus that popped into mind while I was reviewing the Albertson's weekly ad for the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas this week.

Meal #1 - sweet and sour pork served over rice

Items to Purchase on Sale this week for this Meal

Pork Loin Roast - sold whole in bag (but butcher will cut and re-wrap for you free) - $1.88 per pound *

(for this particular recipe, ask butcher to cut at least a portion of the roast into chops - you can then cube the steaks more easily for the sweet and sour recipe)

large red or yellow bell pepper - $1.50 each

Meal #2 - beef roast with steamed broccoli

Items to Purchase on Sale this week for this Meal

Beef Bottom Round Roast - $1.88 per pound

Fresh Broccoli - 77 cents per pound

Meal #3 - an easy Breakfast (or Breakfast for Dinner) option - breakfast sandwiches and fruit

Items to Purchase on Sale this week for this Meal

Grands Biscuits - $1 (final price as part of a buy 10, save $5 promo)

Albertson's brand 18 count eggs - $1.50

Tyson bacon - 16 ounce package - $3.50

Seedless red grapes - 77 cents per pound

* consider buying an extra pork loin and adding it to your freezer for future meals if you have a bit of freezer space

Recipes have now been added. Click on the title of each suggested item to see the full recipe on our sister blog, One Thrifty Mamma Recipes!

And, please be sure to check back next week for more great meal ideas. Other menu suggestions based upon this week's sales can be found at $5 Dinners!

Fry's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales flyer 2/18 - 2/25/09

I apologize for the slight delay in posting my suggestions for menus this week based upon this week's sales flyers. Recipes to accompany some of the below menu suggestions will post later this week for your convenience.

I feel very fortunate to be involved with $5 Dinners' new feature, Bargain Meal of the Week. Each week, I will be posting a meal that you can make based upon the items on sale at Phoenix and Tucson area Fry's grocery stores. Meal ideas appear below as well as a list of items on sale that work within each meal.

Meal #1 - chicken in a haystack with green salad

Items to purchase on sale for this menu

Foster Farms Boneless skinless chicken breast - $1.67 per pound *

Dole Salad Blends or Kit, 5-13 oz. bag - $2.50

Meal #2 - pork chops and scalloped potatoes

Items to purchase on sale for this menu

Center Cut Pork Loin Chops - $1.77 per pound

Meal #3 - beef roast with roasted carrots and potatoes
(a bit of a repeat from last week, but the roast is a great price again this cycle)

Items to purchase on sale for this menu

Boneless Beef Bottom Roast - buy one get one free - $4.99 per pound

(the secret that makes this a great price is to try and get two packages as close to the same weight as possible!)

* - This is a definite STOCK UP price on Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast! Consider buying extra (limit 4 packages) to keep in your freezer for future meals

Recipes have now been added - click on the title of each suggested item to link to the full recipe on our sister blog, One Thrifty Mamma Recipes!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to tune back in each week for meal updates!

Safeway Bargain Meal of the Week - sales flyer 2/18 - 2/25/09

I apologize for the slight delay in posting this week's menu suggestions. I will post accompanying recipes to go with these menu suggestions within the next few days and will link them to the menu suggestions then! :)

I feel very fortunate to be involved with $5 Dinners' new feature, Bargain Meal of the Week. Each week, I will be posting a meal that you can make based upon the items at Safeway's grocery stores in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. Meal ideas appear below as well as a list of items on sale that work within each meal.

Meal #1 - crock pot beef stew and homemade rolls

Items to purchase on sale for this menu
Rancher's Reserve Boneless Beef Chuck Cross Rib Roast - $1.98 per pound *
Eating Right Bagged Baby Peeled Carrots - 16 ounce package - 99 cents

Meal #2 - roasted turkey breast with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed carrots

Items to purchase on sale for this menu
Honeysuckle White Bone In Turkey Breast - 99 cents per pound *

Eating Right Bagged Baby Peeled Carrots - 16 ounce package - 99 cents

* - consider buying extra on sale meats to store in your freezer for future meals

(there is a purchase limit of 3 of the turkey breasts, but no limit on the beef roast)

Red seedless grapes are also a great sale item this week for 68 cents per pound. Consider adding them as a snack item to one of your days this week!

Recipes have now been added. To view, click on the suggested food item and you will be taken to our sister site, One Thrifty Mamma Recipes!!

Thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to tune back in for a new meal each week!

Menu Plan Monday - week of 2/16 - 2/23/09

One thing that definitely saves our family money (and me some sanity) is planning out our meals. I strive to plan out our weekly dinner plans, taking into consideration the current grocery ad sales as well as our activities for the upcoming week. Here are a few tips I have used in our meal planning....

• When I know we will be out of the house for a full day, I try to plan a crock pot dinner. That way, dinner is done when we arrive home and everyone is starving and unable to wait for prep. time.

• If we will have an activity one night, I plan something simpler to make sure we are able to eat and be out of the house on time. This helps prevent grumbling about being hungry and curbs the temptation of stopping for unhealthy take-out - or budget-busting grocery store stops for snacks.

• I also strive to incorporate leftovers into our meal plans. I do this two ways - first, by leaving a day open for leftovers at the end of the week. If we don't have leftovers, we can easily make something quick and simple that night. Second, we do leftover makeovers! This can be turning leftover turkey into turkey soup or enchiladas, or it could be turning roast beef into BBQ sandwiches or the starter for beef burrito mix!

This week, I am excited to share a post of our weekly menu plan. I will do my best to add recipes for these as we make them for our meals this week. For more great meal plans, check out Organizing Junckie's Menu Plan Monday.

• Monday - roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green salad and steamed vegetables

• Tuesday - tacos with fresh vegetable tray

(for this meal, I will be using some ground beef that I am purchasing on sale this week - Albertson's has 73% lean on sale in a 5 pound chub for 98 cents per pound. I cook it and then drain the grease and rinse it well with hot water to make it leaner for our family)

• Wednesday - roast beef with potatoes and carrots (and gravy!)

(for this dinner, I am using a Rancher's Reserve roast that I purchased at Safeway for $1.77 per pound)

• Thursday - attending cub scout potluck dinner (we are bringing some buns for sandwiches)

• Friday - turkey enchiladas with rice and green salad

• Saturday - family birthday party - meal yet to be determined

• Sunday - leftovers to clean up the fridge!

BONUS Bargain Meals of the Week - Albertson's - sales cycle 02/11 - 02/17/09

Erin over at $5 Dinners was kind enough to allow me to post bargain meals of the week for two of my local grocery stores - Fry's and Safeway. But, we also have a few others stores in our local area. And, as I was making my own personal shopping lists this week, I noticed a few quick and easy meal combinations at another local grocer - Albertson's! This post may not be as thorough as my other two stores, but I felt someone else out there might still appreciate the few quick meals my mind noticed while perusing this ad.

Meal #1 - spaghetti and meatballs or meat sauce, green salad and french bread

Items on sale this week to make this a quick and easy meal:

Moran's ground beef, 73% lean - 98 cents per lb., sold in 5 lb. chub

Albertson's brand or American Beauty assorted pastas - 88 cents

Hunt's spaghetti sauce, 26 ounces - 88 cents

Fresh Express garden salad, 12 ounce size - 88 cents
Hot House tomatoes, $1 per pound

french bread not in ad but usually .99 to $1.49 a loaf

Meal #2 - tacos, quesadillas, salsa and guacamole

Items on sale this week to make this a quick and easy meal:

Moran's ground beef, 73% lean - 98 cents per lb., sold in 5 lb. chub

Fresh Express lettuce shreds, $1 per bag

Hot House tomatoes, $1 per pound

Haas avocados, $1 each

Jalapenos, $1 per pound

If you need a recipe for quesadillas, check out The Pioneer Woman's suggestion for a Make Your Own Quesadilla Party.

And, check out her recipes for Pico de Gallo and Guacamole here.

Or, a Mexican Layer Dip.

Yummmmmm!

Safeway's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales flyer 2/11 - 2/17/09

I feel very fortunate to be involved with $5 Dinners' new feature, Bargain Meal of the Week. Each week, I will be posting a meal that you can make based upon the items at Safeway's grocery stores in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. Meal ideas appear below as well as a list of items on sale that work within each meal. Look below the meal ideas for specific recipes for suggested items.

Meal #1 - beef roast with steamed asparagus and baked potatoes

Items to purchase on sale for this menu
Rancher's Reserve Beef Bottom Roast - $1.77 per pound *
Fresh Asparagus - 98 cents per pound

Meal #2 - crock pot beef stew with rolls

Items to purchase on sale for this menu
Rancher's Reserve Beef Bottom Roast - $1.77 per pound *

Ask at the butcher case and they will chop the roast into stew meat for you free of charge - or grind it into ground beef for your needs as well

* - consider buying extra of the beef bottom roast to store in your freezer for future meals

Recipes:

Meal #1 - beef roast with steamed asparagus and baked potatoes

I have two favorite ways to cook any type of roast.

The first is to use a Reynold's roasting bag and just follow the instructions within the package. You can actually purchase a box of roasting bags and check the instructions while in-store to make sure you have all ingredients on hand to make your meal. The roasting bags make a very moist and delicious roast every time with minimal effort!

My second choice for cooking a roast is to place it in a large crock pot slow cooker with some spices (use your favorites or just pour an envelope of dry onion soup mix on top and add about a 1/2 cup of water). I set the dial to low and let it cook ALL DAY on low. It makes my home smell wonderful and is another great, easy way to make dinner. I will even go so far as to use the meat drippings from the crock pot to make gravy on a good day! :)

You can actually bake your potatoes with your roast in the crock pot too! Just wash them well and pat dry. Wrap each in it's own piece of aluminum foil and place in bottom of crock pot. Place roast on top and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5-7 hours. A great step by step recipe for stacking this meal in the crock pot can be found on Stephanie O'dea's wonderful crock pot website here.

Meal #2 - crock pot beef stew

*ask the butcher to cut one package of the Rancher's Reserve beef roast into stew meat for you*

1 ½ to 2 lbs. Cubed stew meat
salt and pepper to taste
1 finely chopped onion
½ finely chopped bell pepper
2 (8 oz. Size) cans tomato sauce
5-6 large carrots, sliced
5-6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 cups boiling water
1 (15 oz.) can green beans

Sprinkle stew meat generously with salt and pepper. Layer ingredients in crock pot in order listed (meat, pepper, onion, tomato sauce, carrots and potatoes). Add boiling water. Stir everything to make sure ingredients are mixed well. Some of the meat should come to the surface as you stir well. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. After the crockpot is turned off, add green beans before serving.

Thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to tune back in for a new meal each week!

Fry's Bargain Meal of the Week - sales flyer 2/11 - 2/17/09

I feel very fortunate to be involved with $5 Dinners' new feature, Bargain Meal of the Week. Each week, I will be posting a meal that you can make based upon the items on sale at Phoenix and Tucson area Fry's grocery stores. Meal ideas appear below as well as a list of items on sale that work within each meal. Look below the meal ideas for specific recipes for suggested items.

Meal #1 - meatloaf, steamed asparagus and scalloped potatoes

Items to purchase on sale for this menu

Super Lean Ground Beef - $1.88 per pound (sold in 2 lb. chub) *

Fresh Asparagus - 97 cents per pound

Meal #2 - roast with carrots and potatoes and green salad

Items to purchase on sale for this menu

Boneless Beef Chuck Roast - $1.97 per pound *

Kroger Mini Peeled Carrots - $1.25 for 1 lb. bag

Romaine, Red Leaf or Green Leaf Lettuce - $1 (for green salad) OR

Dole Salad Blends or Kit, 5-13 oz. bag - $2.50

* - consider buying extra of the ground beef (limit 4 packages) or boneless chuck roast (limit 2 packages) to keep in your freezer for future meals

Recipes:

Meal #1 - meatloaf, steamed asparagus and scalloped potatoes

Make Ahead Meatloaf

4 eggs

2 cups dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 Tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 pounds lean ground beef

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add next five ingredients. Mix well. Add ground beef and mix again. Shape into two meatloaves (shape similar to a football, but flat on one side). Place side by side in a 9 by 13 pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, checking internal temperature with a meat thermometer.

Depending upon your family size, you can use both meatloaves in one sitting and use any leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches. Or, if you have a smaller family size, use one meatloaf for dinner and freeze the second for a future meal!

Scallopped Potatoes

Use your favorite homemade or boxed recipe. Or, try this great recipe from recipezaar.com

Meal #2 - roast with carrots and potatoes and green salad

Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

I have two favorite ways to cook roast with vegetables.

The first is to use a Reynold's roasting bag and just follow the instructions within the package. You can actually purchase a box of roasting bags and check the instructions while in-store to make sure you have all ingredients on hand to make your meal. The roasting bags make a very moist and delicious roast every time with minimal effort!

My second choice for cooking a roast is to layer all the ingredients - vegetables first (one onion, cut into chunks, a bag of baby carrots and a few potatoes, cut into chunks), then meat on top - in my large crock pot slow cooker. I set the dial to low and let it cook ALL DAY on low. It makes my home smell wonderful and is another great, easy way to make dinner. I will even go so far as to use the meat drippings from the crock pot to make gravy on a good day! :)

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to tune back in each week for meal updates!

Welcome!

I am so excited to have this brand new blog, to share some of the things that work in our home to help us spread our dollar - and teach important lessons on frugality and thrift! In the coming weeks and months, I hope to make this blog a place where I can share with others menu plans, recipes, tips on being frugal at various grocers and other thrifty tips. Thanks for stopping by -and please come again and share your own thrifty ideas!