This Week's Hot Deals (IMHO)

Goodness, we have new deals starting today at Alfalfa's, Sprouts, Sunflower, and Whole Foods, with only Vitamin Cottage continuing its current sale that also started just a few days ago, so there's lots to cover. Here's what appeals most to me in the new specials, IMHO, as always.

Alfalfa's sale is a short one for them, running only through November 15th, so they'll be primed to tempt you with more goodies just before Thanksgiving. In the meantime, I'm liking what they're doing in organic produce, with one pound bags of baby carrots for $1.49, broccoli $1.59 (although see Sunflower below for a stunning deal on that), Granny Smith apples $1.39 a pound, and pie pumpkins 69 cents a pound. Their bakery is trying to bust a few diets with alluring specials on temptations like housemade pumpkin cake, individual ginger cakes, and whole pies. In cheese, Barber's vintage reserve cheddar is $3 off at $7.99 a pound, and Woolwich goat brie is also $3 off at $6.99 each. Their sustainably wild harvested bay scallops are $2 off at $8.99 a pound. Frontier's lovely spices are on sale, up to $3 off, and at the juice bar, any juice or smoothie gets a free add-in.

Sprouts retakes the conventional Hass avocado mantle through the 9th, offering them for 49 cents each. Center-cut top sirloin steak is just $3.97 a pound, all chicken sausage is $2.99 a pound (same at Sunflower), fresh free-range turkey breasts (whole or half) are $2.99 a pound, pork loin chops or rack of pork are also $2.99 a pound, ground chicken, chicken breast, or pork are all $2.99 a pound, and they still have fresh wild caught Pacific salmon, this time at just $5.99 a pound. In organic produce, cult favorite honeycrisp apples are $1.99 a pound (galas are $1.29 a pound), garnet yams, D'Anjou pears, and Italian squash (think zucchini) are all $1.29 a pound (but the yams are just 88 cents a pound at Sunflower), celery is 99 cents a bunch, five pound bags of russets remain $3.99 each, butternut squash is just 77 cents a pound, and three pound bags of Bosc pears are $2.99, making them $1 a pound. Select varieties of their own organic spices are $3 each, some Brown Cow yogurts are 69 cents each, bulk mozzarella is $3.99 a pound, and select varieties of my favorite Earth Balance butter spreads are just $2.99 each, beating out even Vitamin Cottage.

Sunflower has several stunners through the 9th, with organic broccoli or yams at just 88 cents a pound, conventional asparagus $1.29 a pound, and ground turkey or family packs of chicken tenders both $1.99 a pound. All chicken sausage is $2.99 a pound (same at Sprouts), their new, antibiotic-free pork loin chops or roasts are both $3.99 a pound, beef stew meat is $3.99 a pound, and black pepper marinated steaks are nearly half off at $4.99 a pound. In organic produce, in addition to the previously mentioned stunning prices on broccoli and yams, one pound bags of baby carrots are $1.50 (matching Alfalfa's), "topless" beets look good at 99 cents a pound (I'd only use the beet greens if they were fresh from the Farmers' Market or farm stand anyway), and 7.5 ounce bags of fresh cranberries are $2.99 each. Nut Thins are $2 a box (basically matching Vitamin Cottage, and don't forget the Mambo Sprouts coupon), eight ounce Mozzarella Fresca fresh mozz cups are $3.99 each, bulk sharp cheddar is just $3.99 a pound, and smoked gouda is $7.99 a pound.

At Whole Foods through the 15th, organic Bartlett pears are stellar at just $1 a pound. I'll stock up on their excellent 365 organic frozen veggies, since they are 20% off. Their wonderful air chilled whole chickens look good at $1.49 a pound, while loaves of their own rosemary sourdough bread are good at $2.99 each. Select Stonyfield yogurts are very good at 60 cents each, and I'm liking my favorite Seventh Generation dish liquid at $2.50 each.

Whew, that's a lot of stuff!