Let the record show that I do my shopping at Country Mart because it is convenient. NOT because it is economical. Prices are likely better at the Devil's Playground. Better at Save A Lot. But Save A Lot doesn't have some of the brand-name items I seek, and the Devil's Playground adds water to their meat. I'd rather pay over-inflated prices for actual meat than cheaper prices and realize I've been had!
You have to be on your toes to shop at Country Mart. Of course the expiration dates must be checked. I can't go in there without my glasses! The sales are not always cheaper. Be ready to compare. Here are three examples.
I wanted some hamburger to make meat loaf, and some left over for a pot of chili at a later date. I saw a family pack of ground beef for $11.86. It was 2.98 pounds, at the unit price of $3.98 per pound. I don't normally notice the price per pound. Such a package of ground beef used to cost me around $6 or $7 at Save A Lot. That was pre-pandemic, though.
I was about to put that ground beef in my cart, when I saw another pack. Bigger. It was $13.73. For 4.94 pounds, at $2.78 per pound. Well! That was more of a bargain! Again, not cheap. But I could get two additional pounds of ground beef for only $2 more! Of course I bought the bigger pack. Plenty for my meat loaf and future chili, PLUS four giant hamburgers that Farmer H grilled on GassyG Jr.
Next was potatoes. I'm not paying the new price of $1.99 for a giant baker! I was planning on a 5 lb bag of russets, which are good for baking. As I pushed my cart/walker along the produce aisle, I saw my 5 lb bag of russets for $5.99. BUT WAIT! Next to them were 10 lb bags of russets for $3.99! Twice as much, for 1/3 less!
I had no need for 10 lb of russet potatoes. But I bought them! Even if we end up tossing half the bag off the back porch if they rot, we got the five pounds we used CHEAPER than buying a 5 lb bag. Farmer H and I had baked potatoes as a side for our hamburgers. We will be having homemade fries, more baked potatoes, terrible taters on a smaller scale with pulled pork, perhaps some potato salad, fried potatoes and onions, and that broccoli/cauliflower/pepper/potato dish with cheese. We'll be like Bubba Gump, but with potatoes instead of shrimp!
The other curious item was chicken. Boneless skinless chicken breasts. Yes. The price has gone up on this frozen staple. I threw away my receipt already, but I spent several moments perusing the freezer case. The package I bought was 2.5 pounds, for $13-something. They used to be much cheaper, around $7 at Save A Lot. But I really wanted that chicken. Down at the end, I saw that the 2.5 lb bag of chicken WINGS was $15-something. That is outrageous! At least I wasn't paying for bones in my chicken breasts! I bet at least half of those wings were bone. I don't know about you, but Farmer H and I don't eat the bones!
Just sayin'... I'm not the most economical shopper. I'd rather pay more and walk less, and not spend T-Hoe's gas money driving over to the Devil's Playground for a bit cheaper prices. But I'll be danged if I'll pay more just for a lack of attention to portions and prices!
2 comments:
I check portions and prices too, but lately I've been willing to pay more for the smaller package because I know I won't use up the leftovers. For a while I convinced myself that I would and things got put in the freezer, only to be hauled out six months later and tossed in the bin. I go to the bigger supermarket more often too, they have a wider variety of brands and products and more of their fresh produce is local, so it is fresher and that shows in the taste.
River,
I've been cleaning out FRIG II's freezer. There are still items from when The Pony was living here. Possibly before he went off to college! I've been feeding it to the dogs as their treat. Lay it out when I get up, and then it's thawed when I get back to town. They really enjoyed the freezer-burned fajita beef! I wish I'd remembered it was in there in time to eat it.
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