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Here are my best bargains for the shopping week of May 17.

Sorry I’m a day late. Computers can be a pain in the backside.

Publix: Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Buy-One-Get-One, 32-ounce bottles. two for $11.99.

Winn-Dixie: Pompeian Extra Virgin or Classic Olive Oil, Buy-One-Get-One, 32-ounce bottles. two for $11.99.

Mac’s Meats, Winter Haven, Pork shoulder picnic roast, two per pack, 99 cents per pound.

Green’s Market, Winter Haven: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.99 a pound or $75 for a 40-pound box.

Harvest Meat Market, Lakeland and Auburndale: Whole boneless pork loins $1.97 per pound. $1.89 by the case.

This is probably the first time we have the same best bargain at both big chains. Stock up.

Publix has “southern” blueberries for $2.99 a pint. That’s twice as big as the small boxes that we have seen for about the same price. “Southern ” berries are likely not from Florida. A local grower told me this week that ours are just about gone. The crop was smaller than usual and most have been shipped at a good price — for the growers.

Large white shrimp — not local — are $6.99 a pound. If you want to keep some in your freezer ask at the fish counter if they  have some still frozen.

Porterhouse steaks go for $7.99 a pound. Cut the filet off one side and the New York strip off the other and let the dog enjoy the raw bone.

Surimi is on BOGO. You get a pound for $3.69. It can stretch an ettouffee or gumbo a long way.

People who like them tell me there’s nothing like a good tomato sandwich. Start with 100% whole wheat Mountain Bread ($2.79) and pile on the tomato,  Florida-grown for $1.49 a pound.

Want bacon with that? Smithfield hickory smoked is three pounds for $10. You don’t have to buy three pounds to get the price.

How about spicing up the bacon and tomato sandwich with a few Feta cheese crumbles? Athenos 6-ounce containers are BOGO at two for $4.49.

Arnold’s bread, Emerald Mixed Nuts, and Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal are all BOGO. Try the nuts on a sandwich and the cereal, too.

No time to cook? Lean Cuisine entrees go for $2.50. You can’t make them for that.

Winn-Dixie is charging $3.79 for boneless stew meat but only $2.99 for boneless chuck steak. Which would you choose?

Blueberries and cantaloupes are BOGO at $4.99 for two pints or two melons. Last week each was $2.99.

Surimi is BOGO at two packages of Louis Kemp brand, various flavors, for   $3.49. Some flavors are 7.5-ounce packages.

It’s hard to beat the W-D deals where you buy one thing and get a lot of other things free. With two jars of Kraft mayo ($10.98) you get potatoes, pickles, eggs, onion and mustard. That’s potato salad. There are a few of these in the flier.

Florida peaches are in the stores, but they won’t last long. Give them a try. The other day Publix was charging $2.99 a pound and the price at Green’s Market was $1.19.

Happy $hopping.

Here are my best bargains for the shopping week of May 10.

Publix: LaCroix Natural Sparkling Water, buy two 12-packs, get one free. Three packs for about $10.

Winn-Dixie: Ground beef chuck for $2.99 a pound.

Mac’s Meats, Winter Haven, pork spare ribs, 3 slabs per package, $1.69 per pound.

Santiago’s Market, Winter Haven, assorted pork chops for $1.99 per pound.

Green’s Market, Winter Haven, small spare ribs, three slabs per pack, $1.69 per pound.

Harvest Meat Markets, Lakeland and Auburndale, pork picnics, $1.29 per pound.

Publix has some cute stuff for Mother’s day. For instance, you buy shrimp cocktail cups for $7 each. That’s 5 ounces of shrimp and four ounces of cocktail sauce.

If dad and the kids have a little time to spend, instead of money, you can get a whole pound of 21 to 25-count shrimp for $8.99 a pound.

They have to be shelled and cooked and chilled. Cocktail sauce is easily made by mixing ketchup and horseradish to taste.

If ground beef is getting too high to be practical (except this week at Winn-Dixie where it’s $2.99 a pound), try ground turkey. Publix is charging $2.99 a pound. Add some flavoring for great burgers, meatballs and chili.

Something good to have on hand for part of an easy dinner for a couple or company is Barber Food Stuffed Chicken Breasts. I have mentioned these before because of top quality and work-free convenience.

Two in a package (10 ounces) cost $3.50 or get the bigger size (38-ounces) for $8.99. The small size costs 35 cents per ounce. The bigger box is 23 cents per ounce.

Vidalia onions cost $2.99 for a 5-pound bag (60 cents per pound). If you buy loose onions you will pay 99 cents per pound.

The sparkling water is my best bargain because you get a refreshing drink without anything that’s not good for you or fattening. The ingredients are “carbonated water, natural flavor.” The flavors are grapefruit, orange, lemon and coconut.

Winn-Dixie has ribs on sale. You get a Buy-One-Get-One deal on baby back ribs. Two pounds for $6.99 or $3.50 a pound. That’s still a high price for a lot  of bone.

Shrimp at W-D is $8.99 for fresh jumbo headless white shrimp. Product of USA. That’s a plus.

Also American, Alaskan cod fillets go for $7.99 a pound.

Boneless top round steaks make great stew or braises. They’re  BOGO at two pounds for $5.79 or $2.90 a pound.

Try cutting off a piece about the size of your hand and pounding it thin. Then roll it around a bread stuffing, tying the bundles,  and braising in tomato sauce with plenty of Italian flavors.

Asparagus goes for $2.49 a pound. Cabbage costs 49 cents a pound. Add some finely chopped cabbage to the stuffing for the steak rolls.

Standing out from the crowd of BOGOs is Nature’s Bounty and Disney Vitamins. The illustration is fish oil and Gummies but the text says “Save  up to $31.99 on two.”

Buy three General Mills cereals — Cheerios, Trix, Lucky Charms and Cookie Crisp — and get a gallon of milk, Ready Crisp Bacon, Thomas’ bagels and W-D cream cheese. That’s a hard deal to beat . . .especially if you have coupons for the cereal.

Happy $hopping.

Here are my best bargains for the shopping week of May 3.

Publix: Uncle Ben’s Converted rice, 5-pound bags are Buy-One-Get-One. That’s 10 pounds for $7.79.

Winn-Dixie: Whole roasting chickens $1.19 a pound.

Save-a-Lot: Pork spare ribs, frozen, for $1.79 a pound.

Neighbor’s Meat Market, Lake Alfred,  has frozen, boneless pork loin roasts for $1.49 a pound.

Mac’s Meats, Winter Haven, is featuring country style ribs for $1.99 in family packs.

Harvest Meat Markets, Lakeland and Auburndale, have boiled ham in the deli for $1.99 a pound.

Green’s Market, Winter Haven, has ground beef for $1.99 a pound when you buy 8 pounds or more.

Santiago’s Market, Winter Haven, has 20-pound bags of Canilla brand long grain rice for $8.99.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are BOGO at Publix. You get two pounds for $4.59 a pound or $2.30 a pound. The less expensive of two packages is free so get two packages as close to the same price as possible.

This is a real stock-up deal for Publix.

Fresh salmon is also a stock-up price at $6.99 a pound. The price is the same at Winn-Dixie.

Keep an eye on the frozen fish case. There are specials there, too. Most packages are 10 to 12 ounces, perfect for a couple. This week you can get 12-ounce packages of Publix mahi fillets for $8.99. You might want to turn the packages over and see the country of origin. The world is really getting smaller.

Florida blueberries are still $2.50 for the tiny, 6-ounce boxes. You can get a pound of California strawberries for the same price.

Florida Athena cantaloupes are also $2.50, but that’s for a whole melon.

Cheese for $6 a pound seems like a bargain these days. Publix house brand provolone is $5.99 in the deli.

There are plenty of BOGOs scattered through the stores. Keep your eyes peeled for  savings.

Roasting chickens for $1.19 a pound are no cheaper than they are most weeks at Winn-Dixie. I chose this as a best buy because the parts are more than equal to the whole. A few strokes with a knife or poultry shears can save you a bundle — boneless, skinless chicken tenders (on a BOGO) cost $3 a pound; boneless, skinless chicken thighs go for $2.99 a pound; skinless split chicken breast cost $2 a pound.

A little time will save you a lot orf money.

And you have the carcass and bones for soup.

Georgia-grown yellow squash and zucchini go for $1.29 a pound. Georgia cucumbers cost 44 cents each. Publix has Florida squash for $1.49 a pound.

Happy $hopping.

If it hadn’t been for an ad in a free coupoon book we might never have found Roscoe’s in Thriving downtown Frostproof.
It’s a cute place with black
tables and white walls inside and plasris and metal tables outside.
Each day has special soups, Friday is clam chowder and tomato basil bisque with a sandwich of the day — roastbeef, turkey, ham and Swiss cheese called Frostproof.
Roscoe,s gets the name a brand or oranges from Orange Bend Growers’ Association, according to a poster in the dining room.
You order the ingredientsfrom a long list and the open kitchen staff does the work.
The menu has a whole page of fancy drinks. Prices run $1.65 for coffee to $4.29 for a frappee and such.
Sandwiches and salads go to $7.25.
Roscoe’s’ 3 N. Scenic Hwy, Frostproof.
Enjoy

Here are my best bargains for the shopping week of April 26.

Publix: Maxwell House ground coffee at $7.99 for a large can.

Winn-Dixie: Large eggs for $1 a dozen.

Neighbor’s Meat Market in Lake Alfred has ground beef for $2.09 a pound.

Mac’s Meats in Winter Haven has boneless, skinless chicken breast for $1.99 a pound.

Green’s Market in Winter Haven is selling bottom round roast of beef for $2.89 a pound.

Harvest Meat Markets, Lakeland and Auburndale, havecountry-style pork ribs for $1.77 in the family pack.

Boneless, skinless  chicken breast are a staple these days. You can pay as little as $1.99 at Mac’s Meats or as much as $3.99 at Publix. In between we have: $2.20 as a Buy-One-Get-One for 40-ounce bags at Winn-Dixie or $2.99 for fresh at the same chain. It pays to stock up when the price is right.

Bogos abound at Publix. A Buy-One-Get-One means you leave the store with two items, essentially paying half price for each. When the sale is 50% off, (as it is with Birds Eye frozen vegetables this week) you pay the same half price as a BOGO but you don’t have to buy two.

Another thing to watch is a price that says “2 for $7″ for example. You don’t have to buy 2 to get that price. One is $3.50.

Publix has medium white shrimp, 41 to 50 per pound,  for $5.99 a pound. You can serve a quarter pound (10 to 12 per person) for $1.50 each.

Check the price on Bourbon marinated salmon fillets. Then pick yourself up off the floor. One 6-ounce fillet costs $5.99. That’s $16 a pound. Check the price on regular salmon (often $7 to $8 as a special) and add your own booze.

Asparagus is $1 less than last week when it sold for $3.99.

Florida blueberries are getting a little more reasonable at $2.50 for a 6-ounce package.

Here are some BOGOs that caught my eye: Post cereals, Cap’N Crunch, Ragu pasta sauce, V8 V-Fusion, Gatorade, Ruffles chips, Arnold Sandwich Thins, Whole Fruit Sorbet, Kozy Shack puddings.

Winn-Dixie has some good stuff this week . . .and that’s not even mentioning the savings on gasoline.

Large tomatoes are a bargain at 99 cents a pound. Jumbo Vidalia onions go for only 69 cents a pound. Gwaltny bacon, to go with the bargain eggs, is BOGO at two pounds for $5.99.

Assorted pork chops work out to $2 a pound on a BOGO.

Here’s one you don’t see often — Buy one get two free on Ajax liquid laundry detergent in 50-ounce bottles. “While supplies last.”

Hormel no-beans chili in 10.5-ounce cans (just right for a light serving), and 15-ounce cans of tamales are BOGO at $2.29.

We have a few orange trees, so we buy juice only when the fruit is finished. My question is: When did Florida’s Natural orange juice go to 59-ounce containers?

Happy $hopping

Here are my best bargains for the shopping week of April 19.

Publix: Pompeian olive oil, 32-ounce bottles, buy-one-get-one. $10.99 for 2 bottles.

Winn-Dixie: cauliflower and broccoli are $2 each and a bunch.

Mac’s Meats, Winter Haven: Pork shoulder picnic roasts, 2 to a package, for 99 cents per pound. That includes skin and bones.

Neighbor’s Meat Market, Lake Alfred: Talapia or catfish for $2.99 a pound.

Harvest Meat Markets, Lakeland and Auburndale: Whole boneless pork loins, cut up as you like it, for $1.97 per pound.

Green’s Meat Market, Winter Haven: Pork shoulder picnic roasts for 99 cents per pound.

Publix has BOGO on Italian dinners with Mueller’s pasta, DiGiorno cheeses and Bertolli pasta sauce all on buy-one-get-one.

Pork spareribs cost $2.69 per pound. Simmer these in spaghetti sauce then chill the sauce and remove the fat. You won’t believe the taste orf the sauce and the ribs.

Publix brand haddock loins are $5.99 for a 10-ounce package. There are 2 in a package that works out to close to $10 a pound but $3 a portion. Large white shrimp are less expensive at $7.99 for 31 to 35 per pound.

If you want a non-meat sauce you can have one that’s all -Florida. Tomatoes (99 cents), red potatoes ($2.99 for 5 pounds), green peppers ($1.49), green beans, zucchini and yellow squash ($1.29).

Try a variation on Salade Nicoise with the vegetables and shrimp instead of canned tuna.

Bartlett pears go for 99 cents a pound. Halve one, remove the core and use it as the center of an arranged salad. Sprinkle with some of the grated cheese or fill the core space with goat cheese. Drop a few cold shrimp on top of the pile.

Board’s Head cheeses can cost the farm. Muenster is on sale at $6.49 a pound.

Eight O’Clock coffee doesn’t have the star status of Starbucks, but it makes a nice cup. Go BOGO at 2 bags for $6.77. That’s only $4.51 a pound.

Finish Automatic Dishwasher detergent, the kind that comes in little bags or plastic containers has had great reviews in Consumer’s Reports. Once in a while it goes on BOGO. This is the week.  Check your coupon stash for $1 or 75-cent off.

We use a lot of Publix brand sandwich bags to portion dog food for the freezer. I have watched the 200-count boxes go from $2.99 to $4.49. Stock up this week. They’re 200 for $3.99.

Here’s a head-scratcher — Publix has Florida sweet corn — “white, yellow or bi-color varieties” at 6 for $2 (33 cents each). Winn-Dixie has “Florida sweet corn” at 10 for $3 or 30 cents a cob. Inside the flier, the price of “summer sweet corn, bi-color” is $2.99 per four pack. That’s 75 cents a cob????

Happy $hopping.