This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

We have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts and Whole Foods stores. Something new is probably also happening at Vitamin Cottage, since their long-lasting sale ended last Saturday, must check that out. So here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts through June 15th, I'm liking value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.88 a pound, London broil $3.99 a pound, bone-in country style pork ribs $1.99 a pound (shoulder roast also), and their own stuffed chicken breasts $2.99 a pound. In fish, really big previously frozen 13/15 count raw farmed shrimp are $7.99 a pound, previously frozen wild Alaskan snow crab clusters are $7.99 a pound, and fresh farmed Atlantic salmon fillets are $6.99 a pound, but stay tuned shortly for a post about salmon.

In organic produce at Sprouts, on-the-vine tomatoes are $1.98 a pound, then the specials are all fruit: red, green or black seedless grapes $2.98 a pound, various size packages of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries $2.98 each, and Red Raven black plums $1.98 a pound. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking bulk cut hot pepper jack cheese for just $1.99 a pound, Horizon Organic milk $2.99 for a half gallon, a line drive of 30% off all Amy's brand products, my very favorite Green Mountain Creamery Greek yogurts just 77 cents each (most are 110 calories!), Home Run Inn frozen pizzas $6.99 each, Annie's mac and cheese $1 a box, the 15-ish size of Muir Glen organic tomatoes $1.25 a can, 5.5 ounce bags of Late July tortilla chips $2 each, and spice it up with 40% off all Tabasco brand products.

At Whole Foods through the 14th, I'm ecstatic about wild halibut fillets for $14.99 a pound (nearly half price, and MSC certified of course, but wonder that it doesn't specify fresh/frozen). Also, brined St. Louis style pork ribs are $4.99 a pound, and Belgioioso Auricchio burrata is again $3.99 for eight ounces. Some Mineral Fusion shampoos and conditioners are half off at $5 each, and some Fage Greek yogurts are $1.25 each. Otherwise, not a lot is hitting me for this week's sale, but I'll be on their doorstep for that halibut.

My Poor Herbs!

Yesterday afternoon's storm really did a number on my herb plants in pots. My giant basils from Whole Foods are now staked up, praying for a recovery. My parsley might make it, but somehow that doesn't seem as important as the giant basils. Plants in the herb garden proper are fine - once they got established, those guys seem indestructible.

Tips For Storing Greens

In this season of beautiful spring greens, my fave Red Wagon Organic Farm offers this blog post on how to best store them for better shelf life in your fridge.

Boulder Farmers' Market Today

With so many markets run these days by the Boulder County Farmers' Market, guess I need to say that unless specified, I mean the original in downtown Boulder. (The organization is also hosting the regular Saturday Market at the fairgrounds in Longmont today, plus the inaugural Union Station Farmers' Market today, which being in Denver strains the definition of Boulder County.) In any case, the wonderful local produce you are likely to find will have the same seasonal theme. This from the Farmers' Market (and p.s. that I've heard a limited number of cherries may already be available):

Fresh at the Market this Week: 
turnips, spicy greens, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, pea shoots, asparagus, mint, arugula, kale, Swiss chard, green garlic, spring onions, lettuce, bok choy, micro-greens, peonies, allium stems, sweet peas (flowers), hanging baskets & gardens starts

coming soon: snap peas, strawberries and cherries

Union Station Farmers' Market Tomorrow

After a couple of evidently successful trial runs last summer, the Boulder County Farmers' Market will open its first ever regular season at beautiful Union Station in Denver tomorrow, if you happen to be in the area (perhaps taking the Flatiron Flyer RTD bus from Boulder that will land you right at the Station). Here's what the Market says:

This Saturday, 23 Colorado farms and 17 local food producers will set up their stands for the inaugural Union Station Farmers Market, downtown Denver's growers-only market at the historic Union Station. Our newest market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., weekly through October 22. Join us at the Grand Opening for the ribbon cutting (9 a.m.), vegetable tastings, chef demo with Beast + Bottle (10-11 a.m.) and Market Bucks giveaways throughout the day.

This Week's Red Wagon CSA

Here's what Red Wagon Organic Farm has been offering in its CSA this week, always a good indicator of what to look for at tomorrow's Boulder Farmers' Market. From Red Wagon:

Week 2, and welcome to our biweekly B!

Yummy lettuce headed your way

This week we hope to bring you:

Regular Share
-Egyptian Walking Onions
-Green Garlic
-Easter Egg Radishes
-CHOICE: Hakurei turnips OR Scarlet Turnips OR Red Russian Kale
-HERB CHOICE: Cilantro OR Mint OR Garlic Chives OR Oregano OR Thyme OR Sage OR Lovage
-CHOICE: Arugula OR Lettuce OR Pea Shoots OR Spinach


Large Share Additions
-CHOICE: Hakurei Turnips OR Scarlet Turnips OR Red Russian Kale
-Green Curly Kale
-TWO CHOICES: Arugula OR Lettice OR Peashoots OR Spinach
-TWO HERB CHOICES: Cilantro OR Mint OR Garlic Chives OR Oregano OR Thyme OR  Lovage

Whole Foods Launches New Store Concept

I read yesterday via my cool new favorite New Yorker app that Whole Foods has just launched the first of a new line of smaller, lower cost stores, 365 by Whole Foods. It's evidently tech- and millenial-friendly, and scaled back in ways such as no butcher in the meat section. Aside from the tech saturation, I'm rather wondering if Whole Foods wasn't in fact piloting something along these lines when they took over and revamped the Wild Oats at Broadway and Baseline a few years ago, offering something more for the CU student than the serious cook. In any case, the intriguing New Yorker article is available here.

Vitamin Cottage Through Saturday

Just a reminder that the current long lasting sale at Vitamin Cottage runs through this Saturday, the 4th. You can read my picks here, bearing in mind that stocks tend to run low on sale items right at the end, and who knows what a new sale might bring.

One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Today

For today only, the 1st, our local Whole Foods stores have Kikka sushi spicy salmon avocado rolls (seven ounces) for $4.19 each, basically half off.

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

Good first morning of June, after a lovely overnight rain. We have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts and Whole Foods stores, while the current long lasting one at Vitamin Cottage runs through this Saturday, the 4th (heads up on that one). Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts through June 8th, I'm liking boneless pork loin chops (roast also) for just $1.79 a pound, grass fed fresh ground beef $4.99 a pound, their own stuffed chicken breasts $2.99 a pound, there's a Buffalo Stampede of many specials on bison, and fresh ground chicken, chicken breast or pork are $2.99 a pound. In fish, I'm liking previously frozen wild Alaskan cod fillets for $6.99 a pound, and previously frozen 21/25 count farmed ez peel raw shrimp for $5.99 a pound. They also have three fish specials priced per portion - do the math on those and you probably won't bite. And we've just barely entered the fresh wild salmon season that always begins very high, no advertised specials on that yet.

In organic produce at Sprouts, pints of mini sweet peppers (great on the grill) are $1.98 each, some one pound packages of Earthbound Farm salads are $3.98 each, red or green seedless grapes are $2.98 a pound, and mini seedless watermelons are just $1.98 each. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking Newman's Own pizzas $5.99 each, some Kashi cereals (bars also) $2.99 each, Near East side dishes $2 a box, DeLallo whole wheat pastas $2 each, and I've never tried them, but Plainville Farms organic sliced meats sound good at $5.99 for a six ounce package. Plus there's a Sip into Summer sale with a bunch of beverages 50% off.

At Whole Foods through the 7th, much looks like a repeat of last week, but I'm liking air-chilled split chicken breasts for $2.49 a pound (half price), fresh Artic char fillets $12.99 a pound, brined St. Louis style pork ribs $4.99 a pound, and brined chicken breasts $6.99 a pound (although far better to get the split ones and brine them yourself). I'm also liking Principe prosciutto di San Daniele $2.99 for a one ounce package, Belgioioso Auricchio burrata $3.99 for an eight ounce container, and for a cheat, the prepared caprese salad sounds good at $6.99 a pound, $3 off. In organic produce, blueberries are $3.98 a pint, cantaloupes are $2.50 each, and red or green seedless grapes are $2.99 a pound, basically a match with Sprouts on that one.