This Week's Hot Deals (IMHO)

We have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts, Sunflower, and Whole Foods, while current sales continue at Alfalfa's and Vitamin Cottage (click those links for my prior reports). Here's what impresses me in the new sales, stores in alphabetical order, as always.

At Sprouts through September 21st, I'm happy to see the return of their 25% off the whole bulk department sale. This includes 25% off their bulk roast coffee, which makes their organic Fair Trade coffee offerings a fantastic deal. Also looking good are 100% grass-fed organic ground beef for $3.99 a pound, boneless skinless chicken breasts (value pack) or spare ribs for $1.99 a pound, boneless center-cut pork loin chops or their yummy stuffed chicken breasts for $3.99 a pound, and previously frozen wild caught Alaskan cod at $7.99 a pound. They also have fresh wild caught Alaskan coho salmon for $8.99 a pound, but I wonder how much I'd like that this late in the fresh wild salmon season. Organic produce is looking good to me, with baby carrots $1.50 for a one pound bag, red grapes $1.99 a pound (same at Whole Foods), celery just 99 cents a bunch, Bartlett pears $1.49 a pound, romaine hearts $1.99 for a three-pack, and bananas 69 cents a bunch. Tillamook medium or sharp cheddar looks good at $3.99 a pound, my favorite Straus European-style yogurt is $3 for the big 32 ounce container (same at Alfalfa's), and in Sprouts' own organic lines, all 8 ounce salad dressings are $2.50 and all spices are $3 a jar, wow.

At Sunflower through the 21st, they're having an "all natural chicken extrravaganza," with family packs of several cuts all 50% off. Chicken sausage is $2.99 a pound, and fresh whole Rosie organic chickens are $2.99 a pound. Avocado fans will note that Hass avocados are 77 cents each, by far not the best sale we've ever seen, but low for recent memory. In organic produce, plums are just 99 cents a pound, romaine lettuce is 99 cents a bunch, green onions are 50 cents a bunch, three types of apples are $1.88 a pound, and russet potatoes and red or yellow onions are all 99 cents a pound. Mozzarella Fresca fresh mozzarella balls look good at $3.99 for the half pound ball (but see below for an even better fresh mozzarella deal at Whole Foods), and I'll also check out the select Ling Ling appetizers for $3.49 each (they make some very good choices like potstickers that are great to have in stock in the freezer).

At Whole Foods through September 27th, there's an excellent sale that totally dismays me: organic butternut or acorn squash for $1 a pound. That's a great price on organic squash, but I am so not ready for fall. On a brighter summer note, organic heirloom tomatoes look good at $3.99 a pound, organic grapes are good at $1.99 a pound (Sprouts is limited to the red ones at that price), and organic Bartlett pears are also $1.99 a pound (but just $1.49 a pound at Sprouts through the 21st, and check out the King Soopers price below). I love their Market Made wild salmon burgers, and the flavor on sale this time is the incredible-sounding roasted red pepper and fennel one. WFM's own large pepperoni pizzas are very good at $8.99 each, and I like Ford Farm Seaside cheddar for $8.99 a pound, but the big news in cheese is the excellent Crave Brothers fresh mozzarella at $5.99 for a big, one pound log. Finally, my favorite Mrs. Meyers Clean Day liquid hand soap is very good at $2.99 each, and if you're really lucky, you might find one with a $1 off coupon hanging from it.

Finally, I don't usually cover King Soopers, but they're having a particularly good organic produce sale, including Colorado-grown Bartlett pears at $2.50 for a three pound bag (wow, under $1 a pound), yellow peaches, nectarines, or black plums at $1.49 a pound (Sunflower doing better on the plums), green, black or red seedless grapes for $1.99 a pound (matching Whole Foods), and mini carrots $1.50 a bag (matching Sprouts), all prices with K Soop card.