Inflation Busters: Look For Value Naturals Snacks

With inflation falling but still with us, food is taking a big bite out of everybody's budget. At my local Key Food Supermarket, as well as, at other supermarkets including Shop Rite, Value Naturals brand of snacks is still an excellent value. I paid $4.99 for 9 ounces of Walnuts, $1.99 for 6 ounces of Crystalized Sliced Ginger, and $2.99 for 8 ounces of Sun Dried Tomatoes. This Supermarket label has a wide assortment of other snacks available including candies and an oriental umami-flavored mix. I don't buy the oriental unami crunchy snacks with dried horseradish flavored peas because when in my pantry I can't stop eating them! I do pop 2 or 3 of the Crystalized Ginger slices in my mouth if I crave something sweet; the walnuts for a healthy dose of protein; and the Sun Dried Tomatoes if I eat cheese and crackers but think I should have cooked a vegetable.

My 3 favorites are always in my pantry. In addition to snacks, they can go on a cheese platter ... the Sun Dried Tomatoes go well in salads ... and the Walnuts into baked goods.

Although not sold in bigger sizes, they seem to last for a while, and the value pricing makes them inexpensive to rebuy as needed. I feel a little more affluent and fancy stocking them, caviar tastes on a tuna fish budget as the saying goes.😁😂 

Speaking of which, look for Value Naturals Snacks in the canned tuna, produce, or meat sections of your local supermarket. Usually, you'll find them in the exterior, i.e., the aisles near the walls where the real food lays.

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Sheltering At Home Essentials

Photo: Napa Valley Register

In the New Year I aimed to turn over a new leaf: In lieu of stocking up on supplies, I vowed to buy one, plus one of the common essentials like food, beauty and personal care items, or household cleaners. My reason was: Hey, I live 3 blocks from supermarkets and closer to drugstores, why should I continue to stock up as if I can't get to a store?

Well that was before COVID-19 hit us, and I'm definitely re-assessing the wisdom of that new course of action! My old habit will not change anytime soon!

For 2 months the following much-needed items have been sold out everywhere ... and seemingly they don't get restocked. Thankfully having a small stash at home has saved my butt!:

Photo: Austin Cronicle

• 70% isopropyl alcohol - I have 2.5 - 32 oz bottles
• 3% hydrogen periode - 1 - 16 oz bottle
• Clorex bleach - 1 - gallon bottle, 1 - quart bottle
• toilet paper - 1 - pack of 12 mega rolls (=48 small rolls) + 3 - individual mega rolls from the old pack
• 1 - 32 oz liquid soap and about 12 - bars of soap
• about 6 - mini hand sanatizers to carry in my purse

Fortunately, food has been easier to get. The supermarkets are sometimes out of stock of what you go for ... but you can make substitutions and not starve. Moreover, what helped me before our pandemic started is: 1) knowing exactly what I like and need; 2) buying the biggest package available; and 3) usually restocking before I completely run out. So I had the following in my cupboard but sometimes see an empty grocery shelf now:

• 64 oz bag of dry powdered milk + part of the old bag
• 5 lbs of unbleached all-purpose flour
• half of a 5 lb bag of whole wheat flour
• 4 lbs of sugar
• eggs - 2 dozen - I know it sounds crazy but I often buy 2 dozen when they are $1.99 each, which I did right before the pandemic. In the refrigerator, they never go bad on me. Good for puddings, cakes, bread, egg drop soup, tuna salad, french toast and snacks. They get eaten! Now they rose to $5 a dozen, which I will dislike paying while being grateful to get them!
• 4 - 16 oz boxes of whole wheat saltine crackers
• 5 lbs total of extra sharp cheddar cheese (my favorite snack! I tend to buy on sale and let them age longer. Little did I know, it also sets you up good to ride out a pandemic!)
• 5 cans of solid white tuna

  

  Photo: Duluth News Tribute

• 2 cans of Alaska wild salmon (I should've bought 5 cans!)
• 5 cans of sardines (because I don't rush to eat them!)
• pasta - different shapes - long spaghetti, bow tie, rigatoni
• Oatmeal - big Quaker (1-minute cooking) cylinder + a small cylinder (5-minute cooking)
• other whole grains - Quinoa + rice
• cans of tomatoes + sauce
• cans of kidney beans (for chili)
•  2 - 16 oz bags of dried pinto beans + split peas
• 1 - 3lb bag of cornmeal (I don't eat cornbread enough to buy a 5 lb bag.)
• 2 L bottle of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 - lb packages of butter
• 4 - 13 oz Chock Full o' 'Nuts Coffee
• wine and Champagne (delish with the cheddar and crackers↑)
• dark chocolate + Kraft caramels + SweatTarts

As I'm sure you will agree, Sheltering at Home has been nooo picnic, but at least I have the basics to get me through it! See you, my lovelies, during ... and on the other side!

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What Foods Are Always In Your Refrigerator?

Sitting  in Tupperware, strawberries are to the left and potatoes for a potato salad are to the right. Juniper Valley milk is delicious! 

I just got back from the supermarket ... as this morning I ran out of milk. It got me thinking: There are certain food items I restock immediately and never let myself go a day without them.

So the blog question of the day is: What food(s) trigger a run to the supermarket in your home? They must always be in your cupboard or refrigorator to eat or drink?

Here are some of mine:

1) a gallon of milk
2) A dozen eggs
3) bag of carrots
4) ground coffee
5) cheddar cheese, extra sharp
6) saltine crackers
7) cans of tuna
8) cans of whole tomatoes
9) cans of cooked beans - red kidney, pink, or pinto
10) fresh fruit -- however, I mix it up, so not always the same ones: strawberries, blueberries, oranges, bananas, avocados, pears, apples (and sometimes all of them).
11) Fresh and frozen vegetables - I mix these up too: green beans, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprout. These will change, whereas a bag of fresh carrots is a constant. There is always a bag of whole carrots in my refrigerator.
12) onions, 2 lb bag
13)  Idaho or Eastern potatoes, 5 lb bag
14) whole wheat flour, 5 lb bag
15) all-purpose flour, 5 lb bag
16) sugar, 4 lb bag and a jar of honey
17) Nuts - most often walnuts and dry roasted peanuts (technically, not a nut)
18) black and green tea bags (to make hot, or homemade kombucha) 
19) oatmeal, a big round 42-ounce box - I use it for breadcrumbs or quick meals.
20) peanut butter (from the health food store, 100% peanuts!) - for snacks, cooking and sandwiches.

I left off condiments or my list would be ridiculously long. Neither bread nor meat are on my list. I can make biscuits or bread with flour as needed. 

As long as I have protein at home running out of meat won't trigger a supermarket run. Yet running out of milk or eggs always will!

How about you? What makes you skedaddle to the supermarket prompto? 


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