Lidl on Grand St opened yesterday and I've been there 4 times so far

 In general, I like it, but they need to figure out their basket situation. They only have carts and big baskets you drag around on wheels. Those are too annoying for New York. Stores get crowded. Let me get by people!

Worse, on the trip I just got back from, there were none. They're just stacked up at the cash registers from past shoppers. I hope they figure this out.

So far I've bought tortilla chips ($1.50), 3 jars of salsa for $5, flour for $2.30, a big jar of pickles for $3, a bag of lemons for $2.30, cannelini beans for $1, two cans of tomatoes for $1.70 or so, tortillas for $1.50, tater tots for $3, and hot dog buns for $1.50. Oh, and mushrooms for $1.19

Things I might buy soon: wings for $1.49/lb, hot italian sausage for $3, a big bag of frozen whole sardines for $8, butter for $3, a baguette for $1, Greek yogurt for $3.35, and queso fresco for $3.

I got an air fryer recently so I like things I can air fry, like wings. And hot dogs. And mushrooms. And pickles.

Snacks and some other grocery thoughts

 I used to not even notice potato chips.

Now I always do, and that's not very good. They aren't that healthy.

I don't know a good price, but those seem ok? I dunno.

Asparagus is coming into season. $1/lb at Key Food this week.

I bought so much ground turkey at C-Town last week. And Greek yogurt there and Key Food the week before. All the people in my life doing WW Points have affected me. I walk home with 0 points of food all the time. I'm gonna add a WW tag to my posts.

Today I went to Bravo and walked home with 10 lbs of bread flour, which is many points. I never owned bread flour before. We'll see what happens! I also got a little jar of sambol olek for $1.5. I have remnants of a big jar (that cost $4 according to the tag) in the refrigerator that is probably 40 years old. I'm gonna gry to use it more. This week I used up a jar of mapo tofo sauce this week that said use by 2015. (I didn't buy that... many roommates ago left it)

Tofu was $1/lb for last week so I bought so much of it. I even told my roommate Taha about it.

Brooklyn Harvest Market has weird receipts

 I can barely tell how much I paid for anything.

Eight Pounds of Food for $7.50

 I was just at Key Food. I got 5 lbs of flour for $2, 2 lbs of mozzarella for $4, and 1 pound of tofu for $1.50. It's funny to think of food in terms of dollars per pound.

In other news, Green Corner delivered a circular to my building! Rather than hit refresh all day on Fridays, I can just look at it. And it looks like ground beef is $1.99/lb again for the 6th week in a row or so.

I haven't been shopping too much because I made Oktoberfest food twice and live off leftovers.

Key Food is the only store that still publishes a circular

So I'm going to read it! I haven't been in a grocery store since March 21 :-(  But I think I will go sometime this week.

I wish I could go to Whole Foods and buy potted herbs to plant in my window too. Basil, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

Anyway, Key Food: Ham is $1.29/lb because Easter is soon. I want one. 16 oz white mushrooms are $3.49, which isn't bad. 30 oz Hellman's mayo is $3.49. A pound of PollyO mozzarella is $2 and 2 lbs of ricotta are $3. I want both! Cracker barrel cheese is $2. Canned tomatoes are 4/$5 and you must buy 4. Usually that is too many for me, but in these Covid times, I can take 4. This says flour is on sale, but I doubt it's in stock. Pepsi and Schweppes 2 liters are also 4/$5 MB4 but I don't think I can carry 8 liters of pop in addition to everything else and I'd rather not make multiple trips. Tonic water is $0.60 per liter. Jarred fried peppers are $2.50. A pack of hot dogs is $1 and I'm tempted.

What's on sale this week - Coronavirus Week 3

I saw "Week 3" because this is the 3rd week when it's been relevant to my grocery circular perusings and musings.

First, Food Bazaar:

I think the rest have circulars though. Whether I'll be able to find things when I go, who can say?

C-Town: Colavita pasta is $1. That's my preferred brand now. Coke products are 4/$5. Asparagus is $1.99/lb. Krasdale flour is $2 for 5 lbs. I have been on a focaccia kick. I can't spell it though. Maybe that's right.

Western Beef: 

Their sales always suck anyway. I do like their pickled things.

Green Corner: They also canceled their circular, but they put it on their website on a weird way so no picture.

Bravo: Cans of Luigi Vitelli tomatoes are only $1, but when I did a taste test with Scalfani, Luigi Vitelli lost by a lot so I don't know if I will bother.

Key Food: Asparagus is only $1.49/lb here. Gala apples are $0.99/lb. Flour is $2/lb. Powerade is $1. A pound of butter is $3. A half pound of luxury butter is also $3. Goy dry beans are mostly 3/$5. I want to get more cannellini. I might as well find out what fava are like too.

What's on Sale This Week - St. Patrick's Day and Coronavirus

Last year Key Food has very cheap corned beef, so I ate it for the first time in my life. It was good, but it's not the same sale this year. Also, I wouldn't invite a lot of people over because of social distancing. My kitchen is pretty full with stuff, but I'm going to see what is on sale this week anyway.

Western Beef: nothing

Food Bazaar: A 44-pack of fish sticks is $6. I can't remember if that's a good price. Considering how many fish tacos I could make with 44 fish sticks (22), it's a pretty good price. That's the only good sale, so I won't go there.

Green Corner: Nothing really.

Key Food: (I hope I find good sales, even though I looked yesterday and know there aren't any as good as last week's.) Cabbage is $0.27/lb. (It also lasts a long time, perfect for a quarantine or even social distancing.)  Flour is $2 for 2 lbs. I have been making a lot of focaccia. The corned beef is $1.99/lb with a $25 purchase. Scalfani canned tomatoes are 3/$4 (must buy 3). Usually that would deter me, but in these times of hoarding I might do it.

C-Town: Nothing

Bravo: Luigi Vitelli pasta is $0.79. I am up to my gills in pasta though. Krasdale cheese hunks are $1.67 for 8 oz.

I keep leaving Bravo with nothing

I even put things in my basket, then walk around more, put everything back, and leave empty-handed.  This is frustrating for me, but it also has to upset Bravo, who is losing sales.

I keep doing it because they are out of stock of something I went there specifically for. And because their credit card minimum is $7, which is too high when I just want a bag of sugar and some onions, or whatever.

Today, I wanted onions, sugar, flour, and milk. The big empty space is the sugar that was $1.99 for 4 lbs. I put the onions and milk back and left.

I wonder what's on sale this week.

Nothing much good was on sale last week, but I only eat peanut butter and bac'n bits anymore anyway. I was interviewed for my expertise in grocery stores on Wednesday, so I will look again. I hope no good sales last week lead to good ones now.

In order of how my tabs are open:

Green Corner: Pork shoulder is $0.98/lb which is 1 cent cheaper than I've ever seen it. That would save me a dime on a typical shoulder, and I would only have to bike 0.75 miles (each way) for that. Oktoberfest is coming up, so we'll see. Limes are a dime. Celery is $0.79 (other stores want $3 sometimes!). Onions are $1 for a 2 lb bag. Zucchini is $0.79/lb. I could enjoy eating all those things.

Key Food: A carton of orange juice is $2. Maybe I should quaff some screwdrivers. Apple Jacks are on sale for $2. Apple Jacks introduced a generation to the concept of de gustibus non est disputandum.

Back to Key Food. Flour tortillas are on sale so you can have a burrito party if you have friends. Avocados are expensive everywhere, so they better be really good friends.

C-Town: Vine tomatoes $0.99/lb. Heckers flour $2. Some cereals are on sale, but I don't even eat or buy cereal so I don't know why I wrote about it before. I'm done. Eggplant is $0.99. Maybe I will make parm.

Bravo: Nothing. Yesterday I spent $26.

Associated: Cantaloupe is $1.50. Generic flour is $1.69 for 5 lbs. Maybe it's time to restart my sourdough habit. Mushrooms are $1.50.

What I might buy this week

Last week I made stew, and with that, ended my winter cooking. Time to eat plants. So I wonder what is on sale.

Associated:  5 lbs of flour is $1.50. I am not off to a good start of not cooking for winter. Maybe if I make sourdough pizzas with spring vegetables. Frozen vegetables are $1 per 1 lb bag, so I will eat those.

Food Bazaar: Mussels are on sale. I haven't made them for a long time.

Bravo: nothing

Key Food: nothing

Maybe I won't eat this week.