Thanksgiving 2025 prices through the roof; search out every deal

If you’ve started your Thanksgiving food shopping, you know food prices are through the roof. One store I shop that sold romaine lettuce hearts for $2.99 last year has them for $6.99 this year for example. Its likely imported.

So how do you survive, and enjoy, this Thanksgiving? Track down every bargain you can.

I spent roughly $70 today at a local Jewel, for example, but everything I bought was on sale and so I saved $40 on my bill.

I’m headed to a second store Tuesday to find more bargains, you can’t buy everything you need at one store and expect to save money this year.

Look non-traditional places too. I found light mayo at a dollar store for $1.25 for 10 ounces, for example.

A 20-ounce bottle at my local Jewel was on sale for $3.99, or $2 for 10 ounces if you do the math. This year, more than ever, DO THE MATH.

Good luck.

November 25, 2025 0

Listeria outbreak linked to Walmart, Kroger products

*One of the recalled products — Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5 oz*

A deadly listeria outbreak which already has killed three people has been linked to chicken products sold at Walmart and Kroger stores.

“FreshRealm, a large food producer with sites in California, Georgia and Indiana, is recalling products made before June 17,” reports the Associated Press. “The recall includes these products, which were sold in the refrigerated sections of retail stores:

— 32.8-ounce trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken and Shaved Parmesan Cheese with best-by dates of June 27 or earlier.

— 12.3-ounce trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettucine Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli and Shaved Parmesan Cheese with best-by dates of June 26 or earlier.

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June 19, 2025 0

Use by dates have different meanings for different people

A new study finds that Americans have different ideas what “Use by” dates on food products mean.

Some see them as indications of deteriorating quality while others think they indicate the safety of consuming the food involved, found The International Food Information Council (IFIC) in a study released this June.

“When survey takers were asked what “Best by,” “Best if used by,” and “Use by” dates mean to them, 48% of survey takers say the date labeling indicates when a product begins to lose quality.

“Another 29% believe the dates signal when the food is no longer safe to eat, while 17% think they indicate when the product should be discarded. Just 5% say they do not know the purpose of date labeling on food packaging,” the IFIC says in a PowerPoint presentation it issued on the survey.

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June 6, 2025 0

Was it fiber or taste that propelled Olipop and Poppi?

Are Americans so worried about their stomach health that they’re willing to spend more than three-quarters of a billion dollars a year on gut-health-promoting sodas?

That might be too simple an explanation for the rapid growth of competitors Olipop and Poppi, according to a fascinating analyst in the Food Institute site by Dr. James Richardson is the founder of Premium Growth Solutions,rt a strategic planning consultancy for early-stage consumer packaged goods brands.

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May 29, 2025 0

Säti Slim — A sugar-free soda option for Memorial Day

I grew up drinking Coke and Pepsi. These days, I tend to drink Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi despite concerns about the sweeteners they use. But when an alternative come along, I’ll try it. The makers of Säti Soda Slim, rolled out late last year, were nice enough recently to offer me samples to review.

“Säti Slim’s ingredients were meticulously chosen to give you that caffeine kick at no expense to your health and wellness. Keeping with Säti Soda’s commitment to providing both function and flavor, Säti Slim includes:

Clean caffeine sourced from 150 mg of green coffee beans for that energy boost and appetite suppression
Functional Benefits: Includes PurC, an organic Vitamin C blend from Acerola fruit, which supports immunity, skin health, and acts as a natural preservative & Lion’s Mane supporting cognition and caffeine absorption
Zero-sugar, zero-stevia, zero-artificial sweeteners: Sweetened with only organic monk fruit.
Better-for-You Option: A clean, organic energy drink that prioritizes health without compromising on flavor,” explains a company press release.

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May 23, 2025 0

Seven 100-calorie snacking options

I’m always wary of stories with headlines like 7 Foods Under 100 Calories You’ll Love. Normally those lists involve mostly foods I don’t like to eat, such as nuts.

Eating watermelon doesn't fill me up, although it's high in water content. — *A fun snack, although I don’t find it filling at all given its high water content.*

But this list from LoseIt! actually has six things I do like to snack on — six out of seven, not bad. The only loser for me is hard-boiled eggs.

The rest — cherry tomatoes, yogurt, edamame, oranges, popcorn and watermelon, are all items I turn to when I don’t want to eat junk food.

Watch for them on sale at your local supermarket and then try them. Pints of cherry tomatoes and watermelon cups tend to be on sale regularly where I live, for example.

May 9, 2025 0

Eggs too expensive? Try these protein sources

Eggs prices have been coming down lately. A store near me had them on sale for $2.99 a dozen recently, causing a stampede of people around the egg freezer. But if prices are still to high for you, here are some protean alternatives courtesy of LoseIt.

A tasty edamame appetizer at Seasons 52.

Plain Greek Yogurt
Tofu
Cottage cheese
Lentils
Tempeh
Protein Shakes
Edamame

There’s two on there I’d eat, Greek yogurt and edamame. Cottage cheese has never appealed to me, it just looks wrong doesn’t it?

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April 25, 2025 0

Better eating can seem like a mountain to climb, but here are some small steps to start the journey

We’re into April now, past the time most people give up on New Year’s resolutions like, “this year, I’m going to eat healthier.”

Stuck at a fast food outlet? Try to find one still offering salads like this one at Buona Beef in Chicago.

Eating healthy in a society drenched in high-fat, high-salt, high-calorie, high-sugar foods can seem like an impossible mountain to climb. If you’re like me, you’ve climbed it many times, only to slide back down when you hear the siren songs of your favorite junk foods.

But don’t give up, here’s an interesting piece called 13 Small Changes You Can Make to Eat Healthier Forever that may help.

The steps really are small, like start your day with a glass of water or eat a vegetable with every meal, but they can add up.

Some, like focusing on fiber and adding more omega-3s (found in such fish as salmon), I’m already doing. Others, like thinking about food as a friend rather than an enemy or getting enough sleep, I still struggle with.

Healthier eating is a journey, not a destination for most of us. Keep walking.

April 8, 2025 0

Time for our annual hidden sugar primer

When I saw Justvegantoday.com writing this piece about hidden sugars, I thought — haven’t I written about that before? Yes, severel times it seems. But it’s good to have an annual reminder.

*Sugar is hiding everywhere in our food supply, be aware.*

“Sugar often masquerades under various aliases, making it even more challenging to identify them in an ingredients list. Common names include fructose, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, and dozens more. Manufacturers often use these alternative names to disguise the actual amount of sugar they are putting into products,” Justvegantoday.com writes.

How to combat the sugar rush?

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March 14, 2025 0

Consumers fret over food costs; here’s where they hurt most

Consumer confidence has been dropping in recent weeks as food prices remain high. Some foods, like eggs, remain extremely high because of a plague sweeping the country’s bird population.

USAToday recently reported on a study by WalletHub that showed people are paying the highest percentages of their incomes for food mostly in southern states.

*Food prices remain stubbornly high. Here are the states feeling the most pain.*

States where shoppers spend the highest percentage of income on groceries are:

Mississippi (2.64%)
West Virginia (2.57%)
Arkansas (2.49%)
Kentucky (2.41%)
Louisiana (2.39%)
New Mexico (2.36%)
Alabama (2.34%)
South Carolina (2.27%)
Tennessee (2.23%)
Oklahoma (2.21%)

“The top states also coincide with the states where the median income is the lowest in the country, said Chip Lupo, writer and analyst for WalletHub,” USAToday reports. U.S. food prices have risen a total of roughly 25% in the past five years, the newspaper reports.

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February 25, 2025 0

Category: smart shopping

Thanksgiving 2025 prices through the roof; search out every deal

Listeria outbreak linked to Walmart, Kroger products

Use by dates have different meanings for different people

Was it fiber or taste that propelled Olipop and Poppi?

Säti Slim — A sugar-free soda option for Memorial Day

Seven 100-calorie snacking options

Eggs too expensive? Try these protein sources

Better eating can seem like a mountain to climb, but here are some small steps to start the journey

Time for our annual hidden sugar primer

Consumers fret over food costs; here’s where they hurt most

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