Shopping victories!

[Karen]

I really dislike shopping of almost any sort, except grocery shopping. And as someone with some unusual food allergies, I read ingredient labels for everything, all the time. I can rarely find any prepared soups that do not have canola oil or coconut oil in them, for example. But tonight, I had a coupon for a Dole brand "garden soups" package - and the Sweet Corn Soup is safe! I was inordinately excited, it get like a major victory! I have not even tried it yet, but am just happy it is a possibility for some day when I feel like having soup, but do not have the time or ingredients to make some from scratch - which usually ends up being the case, that and most recipes make a far bigger quantity than I need. And I even got a cat aline for another coupon, in case it actually tastes good!

And Paul had a shopping victory on my behalf today, too! I love adding, and as long as I shop carefully, it is safe for me to have. Good and good for ya, even. And by shopping at a particular supermarket, he got me 4 packages of pudding cups, all Karen-safe, for less than 50¢ per 4-pack! My fridge is well stocked, and I had given him a list of the kinds without coconut i or canola, and he got 3 different kinds!

What shopping victories have you had lately?

[cassiesmom]

I was at Meijer on Sunday night and they had raspberries in those small, flat plastic boxes. They were displayed in 2 different places. One display had a sign that gave the price as $3.49 for six ounces but the other said 2 for $1.00. I was hesitant, but I shouldn't have been. I should have taken two boxes and marched right up to the checkout. I love raspberries, 2 for $1.00 must have been the price for whatever was there before. There's no way they could have been that cheap unless they were just about to go bad and Meijer wanted to move them out quickly. They sometimes discount their produce if it's "borderline". I look at it even if it's in the discount area, though- sometimes I can still use it right away and it will be okay. The people at Meijer are nice and just might have let me buy them at that price, even if it wasn't their intent to sell the raspberries out quickly.

Even better news - Mariano's supermarket is opening right down the street from my church (same cross street, 2 intersections down) this week! Yay! That will be so handy after choir rehearsals! Their products are almost as good as Whole Foods but not nearly as expensive.

Edited to ask - Karen, does your supermarket carry the Amy's Kitchen brand of soups? If they don't - Meijer and Trader Joe's around here do. I will check the ingredients for you. My brother got me started on Amy's because their products don't have all the chemicals and gunk that Campbell's soup does.

[Karen]

I should have taken two boxes and marched right up to the checkout. I love raspberries, 2 for $1.00 must have been the price for whatever was there before. There's no way they could have been that cheap unless they were just about to go bad and Meijer wanted to move them out quickly. They sometimes discount their produce if it's "borderline". I look at it even if it's in the discount area, though- sometimes I can still use it right away and it will be okay. The people at Meijer are nice and just might have let me buy them at that price, even if it wasn't their intent to sell the raspberries out quickly.

Karen, does your supermarket carry the Amy's Kitchen brand of soups? If they don't - Meijer and Trader Joe's around here do. I will check the ingredients for you. My brother got me started on Amy's because their products don't have all the chemicals and gunk that Campbell's soup does.

Aww, you should bought 2 - raspberries freeze really well!

I will have to see if they have Amy's Kitchen next time I am there ... almost every kind of prepared soups I have ever encountered have canola oil or even "canola and/or some other oil." Or coconut oil or beans, and I'm allergic to them, too.

[cassiesmom]

Aww, you should bought 2 - raspberries freeze really well!
*banging head on desk* I was hesitant. Next time I'll go for it.

Meijer has Dole brand soups! I spotted them yesterday when I was in the aisle with soups, canned beans, canned vegetables and fruits. I'll have to try them - thank you, Karen for the tip :)

[Karen]

*banging head on desk* I was hesitant. Next time I'll go for it.

Meijer has Dole brand soups! I spotted them yesterday when I was in the aisle with soups, canned beans, canned vegetables and fruits. I'll have to try them - thank you, Karen for the tip :)

You're welcome! I did find the Amy's Soups you mentioned - but all the ones I saw had beans or lentils in them, or peas, so are not Karen-safe!

[Vette]

Well its not food,, but i got FarCay 3 while it was on special :p

[Karen]

Well its not food,, but i got FarCay 3 while it was on special :p

HEy, any shopping victories count!

And reporting in, I finally tried the corn soup - it was yummy, mild and sweet and thick! For fun (as I am genetically predisposed to tinker with things) I sprinkled on some "Santa Fe Spice Mix" I had in the cabinet, and it was really good! Maybe next time I will crumple some bacon on top instead!

[pomtzu]

Not long ago, I got a beautiful $39 sweater at Penny's for $4.97. It was on clearance, but can't figure why, since it's not a summer-type sweater. The one and only Christmas gift I have bought so far...............:(

[Karen]

Not long ago, I got a beautiful $39 sweater at Penny's for $4.97. It was on clearance, but can't figure why, since it's not a summer-type sweater. The one and only Christmas gift I have bought so far...............:(

It is probably a shade someone has decided is "last year's color" ... although that is just the whims of store buyers and fashion maven wanna be folks!

[pomtzu]

It is probably a shade someone has decided is "last year's color" ... although that is just the whims of store buyers and fashion maven wanna be folks!

Nope - it's black. Really pretty - a v-neck and a part mohair blend, so it is super soft and silky. It has very tiny black sequins throughout the yarn, so it has just a tiny bit of sparkle to it. It could be worn casual, or dressy and holiday-ish! It seems that a whole lot of clothes lately, have that little extra bling to them.

[momcat]

My Mom was extremely allergic to tomato so everything and every label had to be carefully checked. There's tomato in so many foods that her choices were quite limited. If she sliced one and got the juice on her hand she immediately had a reaction. Mom was thrilled when our local pizza joint started making white pizza - no tomato sauce, only cheese and whatever topping you wanted. To Mom it was a super treat.