Trader Joe's, Lucky, and Safeway - what to buy where this Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving, I thought I'd do some comparison shopping! Here are the best deals right now at Trader Joes, Lucky, and of course Safeway - because a special Thanksgiving doesn't have to be an expensive Thanksgiving :) Cheers! --Safewaygirl

Turkey and gravy

Frozen turkey: $6.77 each up to 16lbs ($8.77 each bigger than 16lbs) with min $20 purchase at Safeway

Turkey gravy: $1.49/17oz box Trader Joe's

McCormick gravy mix: 99¢/pouch Safeway

Stuffing

Stove top stuffing: Safeway $1.79/box must buy 2 (Lucky $1.99/box)

Celery: 47¢ each Lucky (99¢ each Safeway)

Onions: 49¢/lb Lucky (99¢/lb Safeway)

Dried cranberries: $1.99/8oz bag Trader Joe's

Sides

Yams: 79¢/lb Safeway & Lucky

Fresh cut butternut squash: $1.99/12 bag Trader Joe's

Betty Crocker box potatoes: $1.79/4.8 to 6.6oz box Safeway

TJ's box garlic mashed potatoes: $1.99/6oz box Trader Joe's

Cranberry sauce

Fresh cranberries: Trader Joes $1.99/12oz bag (Safeway & Lucky: $2.50/12oz bag)

Fresh cranberry sauce or cranberry orange relish: Trader Joes $3.49/16oz

Rolls

Pilsbury crescent rolls: $1.50/package must buy 2 Lucky (Safeway $2/package)

Fresh baked cranberry rolls: $2.99/13oz bag Trader Joe's

Safeway brown 'n Serve rolls: $1.19/11.5oz bag Safeway

Crackers & cheese

Water crackers: 99¢/4.4oz box Trader Joe's ($3.99/4.25oz box Safeway)

Wheat thins or Socialbles: $1.88/5.5oz to 10oz box Safeway

Cranberry chevre log: $3.99/8oz Trader Joe's

Pies

Fresh Pumpkin pies: $2.99/8in pie Lucky ($4.99/9in pie Safeway, $5.99/18oz tart Trader Joe's)

Honey pecan tart: $6.99/20oz tart Trader Joe's

Beverages

Martinelli's sparkling cider: $1.89/bottle Safeway ($2/bottle Lucky)

San Pellegrino sparkling water: $1.50/bottle Safeway

TJ's spiced apple cider: $2.99/64oz Trader Joe's

Sparkling cranberry juice: $2.29/750mL bottle Trader Joe's

Wines & liquors: usually best per quantity at Costco (see How to shop at Costco without membership)

Sale dates:

Safeway through Thurs Nov 26

Lucky through Tues Dec 1

Trader Joe's through Mon Nov 30 (for more ideas, see What to buy at Trader Joes)

My favorite Thanksgiving cookbook:

Posted via email from Safewaygirl's Safeway deals

Best Safeway deals Nov 18 - 26

Be on the lookout for Safewaygirl: Thanksgiving edition, posted soon!

Also note that these savings apply through Thanksgiving Thursday (not Tuesday this time).

Safewaygirl's plan: Not cooking a Thanksgiving dinner this year, but will probably still take advantage of a bunch of these Thanksgiving sale items to mix and match for dinners over the next week or so!  Is it too much to buy a turkey?  I think not!  (What great value of meat per lb!)

Fruits and veggies

Grapes 99¢/lb

Yams 79¢/lb

Celery 99¢ each

Meats

Safeway frozen turkey $6.77 each up to 16lbs ($8.77 each bigger than 16lbs) minimum $20 total purchase

Safeway fresh turkey 88¢/lb

Safeway spiral sliced ham $1.99/lb

Snacks

Wheat thins, other nabisco crackers $1.88/box

Pillsbury crescent or cinnamon rolls $2 each

Baking

Lucern butter $1.99/box

Safeway sugar $2/5lb bag

Desserts... yum!

Sara Lee Signature frozen fruit or cream pies $4.88 each

Posted via email from Safewaygirl's Safeway deals

Great Safeway deals through Tuesday. Don't forget!

I saved 58% today!  Even including wine :)

Don't forget, two more days to buy 50¢ avocados, $2 Sara Lee bread, 49¢ cans of Green Giant veggies, and $1.99 fresh cinnamon rolls!

See the other good deals at Safeway this week

Check out a recipe idea using sale items from Safeway this week

Learn how to stock up on avocados

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Tip of the week: buying avocados

Avocados are only 50¢ each this week at Safeway, and as a huge avocado lover I always take this opportunity to stock up.

How do you stock up on fresh produce, you ask?  It's easy.

Avocados are ripe when they give slightly when squeezed.  You can easily speed up the ripening process by putting the avocado in a brown paper bag at room temperature.  You can easily slow down and nearly stop the ripening process by putting the avocado in the fridge.

For 2 - 3 weeks of ripe avocados:

1) Pick out avocados at a variety of ripenesses.  During this sale, there will probably be avocados both near the Safeway entrance as well as in the main produce section.  At the least, make sure most of the avocados are not yet ripe.

2) Place the ripest avocados in a paper bag on your kitchen counter.  Eat these in the next few days. 

3) Place the rest of the avocados in your fridge.  Take out of fridge and put in paper bag 1-2 days before you run out of ripe ones.

4) Enjoy the 500 days of, er 21 days of avocados!!

--Safewaygirl

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Recipe of the week: Avocado and citrus salad for $3.53/person (with sale items from Safeway)

This salad is one of my favorites :)  I adapted it from this book: Absolutely Avocado.  I eat it as a light meal, but you can add chunks of chicken if you want something hardier.

Approximate total cost: $7.06 for two or $3.53 per person + pantry items.

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 Tbsp mustard

1 Tbsp fresh dill

2 large oranges 79¢/lb

1 grapefruit 79¢ each

1 purple onion, peeled ~$2/lb

2 avocados, diced: 50¢ each

1 head romaine lettuce: $1.69 each

Dressing: Combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and dill.  Blend well.

Peel the oranges and grapefruit.  Separate into segments and cut into bite-size chunks.  Slice half the onion into thin rings and dice the other half.  Place the oranges, grapefruit, diced onion and avocados in a bowl.  Stir the dressing and pour it over the salad.  Toss gently.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Line a serving dish with crisp lettuce and pile the salad in the center.  Scatter the separated onion rings over the top.

Notes:

- Prices are for Safeway Nov 11 - 17th

- Calculation for 2 people: 2lbs oranges ($1.58) + 1 grapefruit (79¢) + 1lb onion ($2) + 2 avocados ($1) + 1 head lettuce ($1.69) = $7.06

Posted via email from Safewaygirl's Safeway deals

Best deals at Safeway Nov 11 - 17

Safewaygirl's plan: Hit up a bunch of random but great deals this week including 50¢ avocados, 49¢ canned vegetables, $1.99 packages of butter for holiday baking, and $1.99 for *six* fresh cinnamon rolls to eat when I give up on holiday baking :)

Fruits & Veggies

Avocados 50¢ each

Grapefruit 79¢ each

Oranges 79¢/lb

Autumn pears 99¢/lb

Fresh

Lucerne butter $1.99/16oz package

Fresh Safeway cinnamon rolls $1.99/6-roll package

Sara Lee breads $2 each

Pantry

Green Giant canned vegetables 49¢/can

2-liter Pepsi or 7-Up 88¢ each

Soups (select varieties) $1 each

Meats

Safeway turkey $6.77 EACH (up to 16lbs)

London broil beef $1.79/lb big packages

Pork loin $1.69/lb big bags

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Best Safeway sales Nov 4 - 10

Safewaygirl's plan: Pick up 99¢ tomatoes, bags of Starbucks coffee at $5.99 (thank goodness! I just ran out!), and spices (25% off) which are rarely on sale.  And steaks are still really cheap if you missed the sale last week!

Fruits and veggies

Tomatoes on the vine 99¢/lb

Asparagus $1.47/lb

Meats

Top sirloin steak $1.99/lb (big packages)

New york strip steak $3.99/lb (big packages)

Whole beef tenderloin $6.99/lb (big packages)

Pantry

Starbucks coffee $5.99/package

Hamburger helper $1/package

Progresso soups (special varieties) $1.25/can

Chicken of the sea tuna 69¢ each

McCormick spices 25% off

Cereals $1.50 to $2.50 each when you buy 4

Fresh

Artisan breads from Safeway bakery 25% off

Thomas english muffins and bagels $2.50/package ($1.99/package with coupon)

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Two more days for $2.50 pumpkin pie and $3.99/lb steak!

For inspiration, here are photos and a (rather silly) message sent in by a reader :)

Dear SafewayGirl, 

Thank you for your wonderful blog. I think of you every time I goto Safeway now. I decided today to do the Safeway Girl dinner, and have attached photos for you. Pretty good. I can't believe the pie was only $2.50!

Regards, 
Fan of SafewayGirl

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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