Observations at the Grocery Store

As I mentioned, I had done a mid-week shopping trip last week which was well timed with the crazy out of stocks and checkout lines that occurred over the weekend. The reality was that trip was a standard trip for me. I bought extras of things that were on deals and a few things that we consider staples that I knew we might be low on but I didn't buy extra of things like bread to get me through this week. If I had thought about it when I made my quick stop on Friday, I might have grabbed a few extra things. Although, knowing that they were out of chicken, eggs and water, I might not have found it anyway.

I decided that I would get groceries mid-week this week and give Curbside Express a try. I'm a shopper, it is part of the experience to choose the food that you are eating, to seek out new and different, so although it sounds convenient it was not something that I have used. I do use Amazon and Target for ordering things that we always use and don't need to 'shop' to choose and explore. And, I do love their app, it lets me compare prices between stores in real time (reflects current ad) so that I can get the best deals/values.

I organized my freezers and took stock of what I had figuring that I would do a stock up purchase on things beyond staples, so that I could only have to worry about fresh staples each shopping trip in the near term. I compiled my list and sought input from the family on anything that they wanted and sat down to place my order. The next available pick up time was 6 days out. I was good on most things but would be out of fruit and bread long before that pick up.

I debated placing that order for stock up items and doing a quick drive up order for Target. However, when I checked the Target app, I couldn't order most of those things for drive up (some were simply out of stock).

I came back and started to build my order. I struggled. Most of my everyday items I could find but there were a lot of things missing or wouldn't come up in a search. (I later learned that I could use the app to browse by aisle and find some of the things that didn't come up and likely some of the other things were out of stock.) I also realized as I was choosing what type of bagged lettuce that the current sale would end and I could be choosing things that wouldn't be on a deal next week. This frustrated me (it probably didn't help that it was late). So, I made a new plan.

I narrowed my list to the things that we needed and a few that I couldn't find online and decided to arrive at the grocery as they opened. The store was well staffed. There were a few employees in the lobby area that were sanitizing carts. There were employees in nearly every department that were stocking products. There were other shoppers but everyone went about their own business with little conversations. I was able to get most things on my list but I made a few observations in the process.

Produce was well stocked. I assume that they get this on a regular basis since it is perishable. Their in store bakery was out of most bread until they were able to get a shipment. In the bread aisle, they had bread and buns from the local bakery and a good amount of bagels but not much else. I was able to get the bread I needed but paid more since the store brand was out of stock. Pizza crust and pizza crust mixes were out of stock, there were some kits and some shells but the area was mostly bare. The rice row was low on stock but pasta was well stocked. They were out of ground meat (beef, turkey, etc) but had a good stock of chicken breasts, thighs, legs and such. They were out of most hot dogs and sausages. Pancake and waffle mixes were wiped out. Cereal and snack bars were well stocked. Milk, juice, cheese, and eggs were all well stocked. Again, I assume that this is product that comes in on a regular rotation so the replenishments were already planned. Ice Cream had a very limited stock - stress eaters perhaps?

As I headed to check out, I learned that the Scan Pay and Go app is usually not up until 8 am but I was able to scan everything on my phone ahead of that (but not before 7) and even though I checked out well before 8 am, it seemed to work without an issue. I had to wait in a self check row since the SPG register was not open but appreciated that I had used the app and was able to check out quickly and go.

I did learn that I can edit my Curbside Express after placing the order. So, when I got home, I built an order of staples to meet the $35 threshold and reserved my pick up time for next Monday. When I get my ad tomorrow, I will add to my order if there are any specials that I want to pick up and any thing that we might discover we want or need. I will give them my coupons and pay when I pick up. Fingers crossed that I get nice looking fruit and that they check the expiration dates (I assume they do but it's a new process for me). I think that my new 'habit' will be to set up that next week pick up once I return from the grocery and hold my spot in line.

How are your grocery stores? Have you used/do you love the pick up services that the stores offer?

Giant Eagle Market District - Now Open in Green

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was invited to this special event.
Last week, I was invited to participate in the grand opening festivities for the new Market District Store in Green. What an amazing store. (I should insert that I am a bit of a foodie). According to the Market District Chef Ben D'Amico, that provided us with the tour of the store, the goal is for the Market District store to be a destination, not just a grocery store.

They have several restaurant stations available within their fresh produce and deli department. They offer a full salad bar with 70 items that are hand cut/prepared daily. The options on the salad bar change seasonally. In addition to their salad bar, they have a hot bar with several chef prepared options, including many seasonal favorites. In addition to the salad bar and hot bar, which you might be accustomed to seeing in other Giant Eagle stores (perhaps on a smaller scale), they also offer a Wok Station, Sushi, Made to Order Subs and Pizza. They have several vegetarian options available within their dining area. They also offer two types of Rotisserie chicken, the traditional ones that you find at the other stores, but also a free range option. They will even let you try any of the food before you buy. I know that I enjoy having the chance to try new things and it is good to know that I can find out if I like it before I make the investment.

And, they have a really nice dining area, including a loft. The setting is so nice, I could see a group of friends heading there to relax and enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch. I might even take my team from work there for a team lunch.

As with many Giant Eagle stores, they also offer an Eagle's Nest - a great way to let the kids have fun and make time for your own shopping or lunch with friends. Eagle's Nest is a FREE service available for Giant Eagle customers' children, of ages three through nine. You have to show your license to check them in and out of the area and they give you a walkie-talkie, so they can reach you if your child needs you or needs to use the bathroom. They have games, coloring, movies and more - to keep the kids entertained while you shop with less distraction (or enjoy lunch!).

On Friday evenings, they feature a 6/$6 event - you can enjoy 6 appetizers and 6 wine samples for just $6. That really could be a lot of fun...starts at 6 of course!

 

I was really excited to see the variety of items on their salad bar, but was also excited about their olive and antipasti bar and generally the variety in their produce section.

One thing that I really liked was that they offered a variety of unique items and provided cut-open views of them as well as information about the produce and it's uses.  For the grand opening event, they had talented artists on site that were carving the fruit and produce to make beautiful displays.

Their bakery offers a wide variety of products. They have these really cute birthday cupcakes that look like little tiered cakes. They have several options when it comes to pastries, cakes and cookies. (we tried some of their Chocolate Chip Biscotti and my family has been asking me to buy more). They have seasonal flavors (and regular) of candy corn and have a full candy bar with fresh fudge and more. They offer bagels sourced from New York, Da Bronx, as the sign notes - talk about authentic.

Their bulk food section has so many varieties of candy, grain and more. They even have an olive oil and vinegar bar where you can choose your variety and they aren't just offering run of the mill vinegar - did you see the Blueberry Infused Balsamic that I took a picture of. I can just imagine using that to make a salad dressing.

This is one of my favorite features - a Grab 'n Go section that features the staples that you often will stop in for mid-week. I love that even though they want to be a destination, not just a grocery store, they are still catering to those that need to stop in for a few items and get back home. That is the type of courtesy that makes me feel valued at the store, whether there to explore their vast offerings and enjoy their specialty features, but also when I need just a few items.

While we were at the grand opening, we got the chance to meet Tyler Florence, who was part of the grand opening ceremonies. It was great and I will share more in a future post, but for now, here are a couple of pictures.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As an invitee to the blogger event at the grand opening, I was able to meet Tyler Florence, get a copy of his cookbook and was provided with a store tour to learn more about the features. I also received a gift basket to thank me.

Apple Cinnamon Chex deal!

I needed to pick up some ingredients for the salad that we were bringing to dinner at our friends' house tonight, so I decided to do my grocery shopping a day earlier than normal. I mapped out my menu and created a list, but didn't look at the ad. It was sort of strange shopping without knowing if there were any specials I should stock up on.

We seem to go through a good amount of cereal, so I always check the cereal aisle for deals. I was looking to see if Chex cereal was on sale this week, because I had a coupon with me and the kids enjoy it. I was surprised to see that just the Apple Cinnamon Chex were on sale, not any of the other varieties. I actually had two coupons so I grabbed two boxes.

Deal:
2 - Apple Cinnamon Chex @ $1.49/each

-$.50 Chex IP (from coupons.com - not sure if they are still available)
-$.50 double coupon
-$.50 Chex IP
-$.50 double coupon

Total OOP $.98 for TWO boxes of Apple Cinnamon Chex!

Of course, I used my Foodperks today too, which saved me 5%...so actually, I guess it was more like $.93 for two boxes.

On another note, I was sad to see that they had replaced their coffee bar with some machines, because they had to make room for draft beer. I missed being able to have a frozen coffee or a mocha while I shop. The cappuccino was tasty, but not quite the same experience (although, considerably cheaper).

Hello Kitty Dial Soap - FREE after coupon

A few days ago, I was looking through the coupons on Coupons.com and saw that there was a coupon for Hello Kitty Body Wash and Hello Kitty Soap from Dial. My daughter is a huge Hello Kitty fan, so I printed off one of the Body Wash and a couple of the soap ones and asked my husband to as well.

The soap is currently on sale at Giant Eagle at 10/$10. Since the $.50/1 coupons all double at Giant Eagle, it makes them free. The body wash was not on sale, so I will hold on to that coupon for a future opportunity.

4 - Hello Kitty Dial Soap (they only had regular not foaming)

-$.50 Hello Kitty Dial IP
-$.50 double coupon
-$.50 Hello Kitty Dial IP
-$.50 double coupon
-$.50 Hello Kitty Dial IP
-$.50 double coupon
-$.50 Hello Kitty Dial IP
-$.50 double coupon

Total $0.16 tax. My total was actually much more, as this was part of a standard grocery trip, but all the four soaps cost was tax.

Method Products & Giant Eagle - a giveaway

Method Products - "Made up of biodegradable products that clean like heck, smell like heaven and leave nothing nasty in their wake, Method is ideal for People Against Dirty. With naturally derived ingredients, free of parabens, phthalates, triclosan or EDTA, moms can feel secure using Method around the house and with the kids."

One of the things that I really like about Method Laundry detergent is that you get 25 loads of product in a nice small compact container. I feel like I have limited storage in my laundry room, so the compact size is nice. Plus, it takes up less space in the garbage can too. It is a concentrated detergent that can be used in both standard and HE machines. To compare, here is a bottle of another HE detergent with about 25 loads compared to the Method 25 load bottle:

We also use their hand wash refills. Unlike other refills we have used, they come in a stand up pouch with a pour spout at the top. They offer the same refill, but they take up less space in the trash after we use it.

I have purchased the Method Laundry Care at Giant Eagle before, but now you can also find additional Method products at Giant Eagle. New at Giant Eagle - Method Handwash, foaming and gel and Method Dish, for hand-washing or the dishwasher.

Use the coupons from the recent coupon inserts to save more:
* $1 OFF any one (1) Method Hand Wash
* 75¢ OFF any one (1) Method Home Care Product

Like Giant Eagle on Facebook to take advantage of a limited time Facebook eOffer (quantities limited) and Save $2.00 OFF any one (1) Method Product.

You can find Method online at mehtodhome.com and Giant Eagle at gianteagle.com.


Giveaway!
Courtesy of Giant Eagle, I am able to offer to five (5) A Busy Mom of Two readers a chance to try Method with VIP Free Coupons for Method (up to $5).

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through November 30th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.


No compensation was received for this post. Giant Eagle provided a Method product sample pack, information and coupons for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Giant Eagle Wireless Center & a Giveaway

Giant Eagle Wireless Center: "We have all the hottest no-contract phones – including the latest smartphones -- and prepaid wireless plans to fit anyone's needs! Great for teaching your teen a lesson in responsibility, or to simply save money over traditional wireless provider. In fact, you can save more than $1000 compared to a pricey two-year contract. To learn more, visit http://www.gianteagle.com/save/wireless-center/."

When I was a kid, cell phones didn't exist. I can remember the first time I saw a car phone. It was my second term of my co-op job and there was a car phone in the company van. It was huge! I got my first cell phone about a year later. It was one of those old flip phones. Closed it was probably was 2" thick. So, when my son asks, when can I get a cell phone - I'm not entirely sure what the answer is. I'm challenged with the idea that I don't think that he needs to have until he is older and the reality that with him and his sister being busy with extra-curricular activities, it might be nice for him to call if the activity ends early or he needs us to bring him something. Not that we ever leave him alone anywhere - he is always with another parent if one of us can't be there, so he would have access to a phone likely. But, there was one time after soccer when he had to use the bathroom and I was parked in the opposite direction. I told him that I would go get the car and meet him back at the restroom. Somehow, we missed each other and he got back to where the car was and I wasn't there - because I was now down by the bathrooms. He was very concerned that I had left. He did the right thing and found a parent to call me. When he wasn't at the bathroom, I started to walk back to where I had parked and saw him standing there upset. It would have been nice for him to have his own phone with my number programmed. With our wireless program though, if we add a line for his phone, it would come with all that we have. I am not looking for him to have a Smart Phone, but also hate to pay Smart Phone prices for a basic phone. Plus, I want it to be more an as needed phone for now. When he is in high school, then I think it is the right time for him to have his own phone that he can use more often and have his friends call him on.

I have always been a little bit intrigued by the No Contract Phones. I never was really sure how they worked, but thought it might be a great option for having a phone for the kids. When I was given the opportunity to check out a phone, I was excited for the opportunity to learn more and put it to the test.

Giant Eagle Wireless Center offers both traditional phones and smart phones. There are a wide range of wireless cards available to choose from, although for the smart phones there are limitations on which cards will work. Right now at Giant Eagle, you can earn a BONUS $1 fuelperks! when you buy any no-contract phone and prepaid wireless card together!

I received a TracFone Samsung T245G. Set up and activation was easy. It took only a few minutes to set up the account and then about half an hour to actually have the phone be activated. If you have a phone number that you want to transfer to the phone, that is an option you can select at set up. I didn't have one to transfer, so I'm not sure what impact that has on set up time for the phone. Since I didn't have a phone number, one was assigned. They do ask what zip code you will make most of your calls, I am assuming that this is what is used to assign a number.

The phone displays both the remaining minutes and the remaining days of service. One thing that I learned, is that you need to have days of service. So, if you buy a card that is 200 minutes and 90 days. You don't lose your minutes after 90 days, but you do need to add another card to add the additional days. The cheapest options (also lower minutes), are either pay each month @$9.99/month and 30 minutes or you can buy a full year @$99.99/year and 400 minutes. Of course, you can pay more and have more minutes, but the nice thing is it is up to you to decide. Note though, if you have a Smart Phone, you will need an unlimited card - even with those, it seems to be about $50 - $60 per month, depending on provider. Not a bad deal relative to a standard contract phone.

The service area has been fine. I would say it is similar to the reception I have had with other cell phones. I guess this should not be a surprise, as I learned that the no contract phones use the networks of the major carriers.

Giveaway!
Courtesy of Giant Eagle, I have the opportunity to give away to one A Busy Mom of Two reader a no contract phone and wireless card. You do not need to live in a Giant Eagle territory, but if you do, there is a bonus entry.

The winner will receive:

· NET10 Huawei Ascend II with a 3.5” touch screen, Android 2.3 OS, and 5 MP camera/video recorder.

· NET10 Unlimited wireless card which includes unlimited talk, text and web for 30 days

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through November 15th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.


No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary no contract phone and wireless card from the Giant Eagle Wireless Center for the purposes of sharing my experience. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Giant Eagle Greek Yogurt

I'm not sure when I started to eat yogurt, but I can remember in high school that I would bring it to lunch several days a week. You see, one of my friends, who was also a 'cool' kid brought in yogurt and well, I wanted to be part of the group. I remember at the time, I pretty much would only eat lemon. There was something about the lemon flavor that 'masked' the yogurt for me. Maybe it was because I expected a sour flavor, that it helped detract from the astringency of the yogurt.

Over the years, my tastes have matured and I have rather come to enjoy yogurt. There are so many more options, both in varieties and flavors, than there used to be. I tend to stick with the low fat/no-fat regular varieties of yogurt. I tend to stick with blended yogurts if I am getting regular yogurt, but like the 'stacked' parfait style yogurts with sprinkles.

My children were introduced to yogurt at a young age and it is a go to hold me over to dinner snack, when we are running out the door for sports and meetings, before we can eat a dinner. They also like it as a 'dessert', a lunch box treat, and a middle of the day snack too.

One of the types that I have been trying lately are the Greek Yogurts. I really like the idea of Greek yogurt - "which is strained extensively to remove much of the liquid whey, lactose, and sugar, giving it its thick consistency—does have an undeniable edge. In roughly the same amount of calories, it can pack up to double the protein, while cutting sugar content by half."

For a while, the only one that I could enjoy eating was a Key Lime flavor. Again, much like my high school experience, I was using the lime flavor to mask the yogurt. My experience with the Greek yogurt was that it was more astringent than regular yogurt - or maybe, because it was thicker it would hang on my tongue that extra bit and makes it seem more astringent. Either way, I felt a bit like I was forcing myself to eat it (sometimes grimacing as I did), because I knew it was probably that little bit better than a standard yogurt.

Much like my experience with regular yogurt, my tastes matured (or I got used to the change in texture and astringency) and started to branch out to other flavors. I have concluded that if there is fruit that I prefer it on the side or the bottom, not mixed. I am okay with the vanilla yogurt, but feel like I need to have some fresh fruit on the side.

I recently discovered a new Greek Yogurt on the shelf at Giant Eagle, Giant Eagle Greek Yogurt. "Giant Eagle Greek Yogurt has 0% fat, is gluten free, an excellent source of protein and comes in seven delicious varieties: Pineapple, Black Cherry, Strawberry, Peach, Raspberry, Vanilla and Plain." It carries their 100% satisfaction or Double Your Money Back Guarantee, too.

Currently, it is on promotion at 10 for $10. When we stopped in the store to pick up cheese for dinner the other night (we were having pizza and were out of mozzarella!), I grabbed a few varieties to check them out. My daughter chose Strawberry for her flavor and I grabbed Peach, Vanilla and Plain.

I was very pleased with the flavor and texture of the yogurt. The 6 oz cup was the perfect size. With 14 grams of protein (the plain has more), it really helped me on my way to meeting my daily target of protein. In fact, that is more protein in the cup of yogurt than some of the protein shakes I use and at a lower calorie content - I just might have to make a swap to eating my protein.

The vanilla was a little astringent to me, but when paired with some fresh berries, it was very balanced. (As an aside, I was at a party this weekend and someone had a bowl of fresh fruit and reached into the fridge and added a scoop of vanilla yogurt to the top - that is a great idea, I never would have thought of that. I frequently will have fruit on the side because I pack both in my lunch, but never really on top of my fruit like that.)

I really enjoyed the flavor of the peach fruit. The peach is on the bottom of the cup. I don't actually stir my yogurt, I dig down to the bottom on the first bite and then scoop a bit of the fruit with each bite. I feel like it delivers more fruit punch per bite that way. The size/shape of the cups allowed me to easily eat it in this fashion (I'm sure that I am strange for not mixing it - but, so be it).

I can't wait to pick up some of the other varieties to check out.

No compensation was received for this post. Giant Eagle provided information about the product and promotion, as well as a gift card so that my family and I could experience the new product. All opinions expressed are solely my own or that of my family.

New at Giant Eagle - b•lēve

Have you seen the new line of skin care, hair care and bath & body products at Giant Eagle. The line is called b•lēve and consists of quality beauty products made with natural ingredients and backed by advanced science.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been trying out a number of the b•lēve products and have been very satisfied with them.

Skin Care - the skin care line uses natural grape extract technology.

b-luminous facial cleanser - Unlike some of the facial cleansers that I have been using lately, this creamy cleanser doesn't really 'foam'. I am fine with that, it seems to do an effective job cleaning my face. I do like that the cleanser pours out of the bottle versus being squeezed. I feel like I can get the right amount and feel that I will be able to use all of the product.

b-vibrant rejuvenating day lotion - This lotion meets my two criteria for facial lotions - it has an SPF and has a good consistency. I am in and out all day long, so I like to know that I am starting with a good base. When I go out to 'play', I put sunscreen on, but when I am simply moving from building to building at work, I rely on my moisturizer to provide some level of protection. This lotion is just the right thickness that it goes on smooth and leaves my skin feeling soft.

Hair Care - the hair care line uses ingredients like olive, white tea and cactus.

b-voluptuous shampoo/conditioner - As with any shampoo and conditioner, I had to use it a few days to see what I thought about it. I am not sure why, and don't suspect that I am the only one, but whenever I change shampoo or water, it takes my hair a few days to adjust. I have been satisfied with this shampoo/conditioner. It works well enough to allow me to continue on my practice of washing my hair on alternating days. To me, this means it is giving me a deep enough clean and sealing in moisture that my hair still looks good the next day. The smell of the shampoo and conditioner is pleasant and not very intense.

Bath & Body Care - uses moisture beads and Oleofirm technology to keep you moisturized throughout the day.

b-tranquil body wash - I have been using this body wash with my poof every morning for the past couple of weeks. I feel that it gives a nice lather and does a good job of cleaning my skin. Again, the smell is pleasant and not very intense.

b-tranquil body lotion - The lotion has a nice texture. It is just thick enough to provide good moisture, without being too hard to rub into the skin. It doesn't leave me feeling sticky or greasy either.

Overall, I have been pleased with the product line. They "b•lēve that quality beauty products made with natural ingredients and backed by advanced science should be convenient and affordable." Based on the display (below) at my local store, the hair care (12 oz bottles) and bath & body care products (16-17 oz) are priced at $6.99 each. The facial cleanser (6.6oz) is available for $6.99 also. The other facial care products are priced at $15.99 and include eye cream, night cream, face and eye serum and the day lotion. In addition, the b•lēve products also give you a double-your-money-back guarantee if you're not completely satisfied.

Would you like to try some? Thanks to Giant Eagle, in addition to the sample product box that I received, I have a sample product box available to share with one A Busy Mom of Two reader.

The sample product box contains:
b-passionate body lotion
b-luminous facial cleanser
b-restful rejuvenating night cream

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through August 7th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. One sample product box and product information was provided for me by Giant Eagle. In addition, they also provided a sample product box use as a giveaway to a reader. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Hershey's Simple Pleasures

I've shared more than once that I am a big fan of chocolate. To me, it is one of life's little pleasures (I actually found myself wanting to say, simple pleasures, but more on that later). Be it true or not, I like to believe that having a little chocolate each day is a good thing. I think that a little indulgence daily, can keep me from wanting to sit down and eat lots and lots of chocolate. Plus, I know that I have read somewhere that chocolate is actually good for me (something technical about antioxidants and flavnoids) and I know that eating a good piece of chocolate is something that is soothing to me.

So, even when I am watching my calorie intake and trying to lose weight, it is not uncommon to see me reach for a piece of chocolate. When I allow myself to indulge, I want it to be worth my while - this is true for books, shows, wine, candy, food, clothes, because there is nothing more disappointing than spoiling yourself and not enjoying it. So, when I have a piece of chocolate, I want to know that it is a good, smooth, flavorful treat that I will enjoy.

If you are one that likes to indulge in chocolate like me, you will be glad to hear that there is a new chocolate product from Hershey that will be hitting the shelves at your local Giant Eagle today! It is called Hershey's Simple Pleasures.

"Hershey's Simple Pleasures combines quality ingredients, including dry roasted cocoa beans, brown sugar and pure milk to create a velvety smooth chocolate outside and a rich, creamy center."

There are three varieties of Hershey's Simple Pleasures available - Dark Chocolate with Chocolate Creme, Milk Chocolate with Chocolate Creme, and Milk Chocolate with Vanilla Creme.

When I got the box with the samples, I couldn't wait to give them a try. I, of course, had to try one of each. Fortunately for me, they are only about 30 calories each (a serving of 6 pieces is 180 calories - I did the math to get to 30 calories) and they have 30% less fat than the average of leading milk chocolate.

As I prepared to give them a try, I wasn't sure how to eat them. I know it sounds silly, but generally, when something is cream filled, I have a tendency to want to take a bite out of them so that I can get the flavor of the cream mixed with the chocolate, vs a solid chocolate that I tend to allow to simply melt in my mouth, but the bag calls them an "indulgent, melt-in-your-mount chocolate experience".

So despite this 'direction' on the bag, I decided that I would go with instinct and take a bite. The first one that I tried was the Vanilla Creme, of course, as I would come to learn, this one has the most 'liquidy' center and that first bite left me with this tasty vanilla cream dripping from the second half. So, I decided that I would allow the second one to melt in my mouth. I went with the milk chocolate variety next. Trouble was, for me, the chocolate didn't fit nicely on top of my tongue, nestled into the roof of my mouth, so allowing it to melt and not chew it was a challenge. Lastly, I tried the dark chocolate variety. I took a hybrid approach for this one, I took a bite and allowed this bite to melt in my mouth, rather than chewing it.

Despite all of my challenges around how to enjoy them, I can assure you that I enjoyed them! I think that the Milk Chocolate with Chocolate Creme was my favorite, which is a bit surprising to me, because normally I am a big dark chocolate fan. There was just something so creamy and satisfying about the milk chocolate variety.

I'm not sure that Hershey's is looking for more ideas - but I think I'd like to see a marshmallow creme and a caramel creme - or a marshmallow and caramel creme variety for their next offering.

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample of each variety and information was provided through Giant Eagle. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Giant Eagle Pasta Deal!

When I was a child, pasta was a meal that we had about once a week and simply called Spaghetti. Sure, we would have macaroni and cheese and lasagne from time to time, but mostly it was Spaghetti with ground meat and sauce.

Having married a man with an Italian heritage, my consumption of pasta has changed significantly. Fortunately, so has the variety of pasta dishes that I eat.

I think I've changed things a little for him too. I have taken pasta and turned it into non-Italian meals, like Taco Stuffed Shells. I have even taken pasta and moved it to a side dish on occasion.

A number of our favorite pasta dishes are knock off dishes that I recreate at home after we eat out. It is a great way to enjoy a variety of flavors without having to go out.

One of our favorites is a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce. This recipe makes a lot! Which is great, because you can either feed an army or for me, it gives me an easy freezer meal in the next few weeks.

Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
1 jar Traditional Pasta Sauce
1 jar Light Alfredo Sauce
1/2 c diced, roasted red peppers
1 small onion, diced
1 pound Chicken Breast, pound thin and cut into bite size pieces
olive oil
Prepared Pasta - I use Penne, but you can choose your favorite shape

Saute the onions in your skillet, using a little olive oil. Add the chicken breast and cook through. Add the roasted red peppers and both jars of sauce. Cook over medium heat until warmed through. Split the sauce, setting half aside. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.

I had to run to the grocery store this evening because I needed some ingredients for dinner and while I was there, I picked up the ingredients so that we could enjoy this recipe for dinner next week. While at Giant Eagle, I took advantage of a great offer that they currently have on their pasta and sauces. From now through April 25th, mix and match 10 Giant Eagle Pasta and Pasta Sauce products for just $10 - a savings of up to $7.90 with your Advantage Card. As a bonus, for every 10 you purchase, you can earn 10c in fuelperks!

I love deals like this, I get to earn 10c for this deal and the $10 purchase counts towards the spend $50 get 10c fuelperks! standard offer. Since you fuelperks! can save you on up to 30 gallons, this bonus offer is worth up to $3 in additional savings.

I got 6 jars of sauce and 4 boxes of pasta. Unfortunately, no Giant Eagle Alfredo sauce - but they do have a savory cheese sauce that combines Parmesan and Romano in Tomato Sauce that sounds interesting. For the pasta, I picked up some fun shapes like Choo Choo Wheels, Cavatappi, and Farfalle (bowties) plus a box of Penne.

While there, be sure to pick up their Infinite Pasta-bilities, Amazing Value booklet that has some pasta recipes like Creamy Shrimp pasta, Spaghetti Pie, Garden Medley Pasta and Beefy Mac & Cheese. I found them on a tear pad on a display in the pasta aisle, or you can also check out www.gianteagle.com/pasta-dinners for more recipe ideas.

No compensation was received for this post. A sample pack including two jars of Giant Eagle Pasta Sauce, two boxes of Giant Eagle Pasta and information about this promotion were provided by Giant Eagle. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Giant Eagle Deals - 1/8

Did you happen to print out the coupons from Coupons.com that I shared the other day? If so, and you live near Giant Eagle, you can pick up some great deals this week.

Here is what I picked up today:

2 - Frosted Toast Crunch (@4/$10)
4 - Dulce de Leche Cheerios (@4/$10)
4 - Peanut Butter Cheerios (@4/$10)

-$.75 Frosted Toast Crunch IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Frosted Toast Crunch IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Dulce de Leche Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Dulce de Leche Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Dulce de Leche Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Dulce de Leche Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Peanut Butter Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Peanut Butter Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Peanut Butter Cheerios IP
-$.75 double
-$.75 Peanut Butter Cheerios IP
-$.75 double

Total $10 for 10 boxes of cereal. One dollar a box is a pretty good price for cereal. Now, I didn't actually do this in one transaction, as according to their official coupon policy you can only use 2 like Internet Printable coupons in a transaction.

I also got a good deal on Cheese:

8 - Kraft Shredded Cheese (@2/$4)

-$.50 $.50/2 Kraft Shredded Cheese IP
-$.50 double
-$.50 $.50/2 Kraft Shredded Cheese IP
-$.50 double
-$.50 $.50/2 Kraft Shredded Cheese IP
-$.50 double
-$.50 $.50/2 Kraft Shredded Cheese IP
-$.50 double

Total $12 for 8 packs of cheese. Used to be that 2/$3 was a sale price, but lately 2/$5 seems to be the deal locally, so getting them at 2/$3 is a pretty good stock up price. Again, I didn't actually do this in one transaction per the coupon policy.

I actually still have a couple of coupons left (I have three computers that I can print from - so 6 of each coupon). I might head back to get more, the Frosted Toast Crunch wasn't available today when I printed my coupons - so I only had the two I printed from my main computer. I think I would like to try the new Cheerios before buying more, but if we try them before Wednesday, I just might head back.

Solo Cup Deal at Giant Eagle

After reading (here on Saving in Akron) that there was a Catalina deal on Solo Cups at Giant Eagle, I decided to give it a try. I had hoped they would have the 20 ct packages that were on sale for 2/$4, but they were out and only had the 30 ct packages at 2/$5.

4 - 30 ct Solo Cups

-$6 4x$.75 doubled Solo Cup IP

Total OOP $4.46, earned a $4 OYNO coupon.

Basically, I got 120 cups for a net cost of $.46. Of course, if they had had the smaller packages, then I would have been able to make money on the deal.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday.

Grocery Deals

I made a quick stop to Giant Eagle on Wednesday, before the ad changed. They had the Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta on sale for $1/box and when I went earlier in the week, they were out and I failed to get a rain check.

2 - Diced Tomatoes
2 - Tomato Sauce
4 - Ronzoni Smart Taste Spaghetti
2 - Skittles
1 - 5# bag of flour

-$1 $1/2 Ronzoni mfg coupon
-$1 $1/2 Ronzoni mfg coupon
-$.50 $.50/2 Skittles IP
-$.50 double

Total $8.29 OOP. Plus, I picked up a rain check for 12 boxes of the pasta.

BJs

My husband was near BJs, so I had him pick up the free bananas and mini corn bread loaves that I had printed coupons for from their website. Unfortunately, the bananas cost $.20 more than the coupon, so they weren't entirely free, but $.20 for 3# of bananas is still a good deal.

Giant Eagle Deals 9/30

I headed to Giant Eagle lat night, mostly to get Bananas for my daughter to take to school for their shape picnic, but also to use up some coupons that were expiring.

I felt like I did pretty well, until I learned that I likely could have purchased one more shredded cheese and gotten back another $5 Catalina. I would have needed to spend $2.89 more, but would have gained $5. In my book, it would have been worth it. I just am never sure how to tell if the Catalina is working on shelf price or sale price. What do you do? Do you ring your order based on shelf price and if it doesn't print out, return and re-ring? The thing is, that mine don't print until after I have paid with my credit card and that seems like too much of an issue to me. I also am not sure how you can tell if you can get two Catalina's for buying twice the amount indicated in ad...sometimes, doesn't it give you just one no matter how many you buy in a transaction? Oh well....I still got a great deal.

10 - shredded cheeses
1 - gallon milk
2 - CheezIt Snack Crackers
2 - Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies
4 - Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta
1 - Danonino Yogurts, 6 pk
3# - Banana
1 - Al Fresco Chicken Sausage (4 links)

-$5 $5/5 Kraft Cheese coupon
-$5 $5/5 Kraft Cheese coupon
-$2 CheezIt coupon
-$2 Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies coupon
-$1 $1/2 Ronzoni mfg coupon
-$1 $1/2 Ronzoni mfg coupon
-$1 Danonino Catalina coupon
-$2 Al Fresco Chicken Sausage (sign up on their webpage)

Paid with $5 in Catalinas from my last trip and $18.62 OOP and earned $5 Catalina.

Not too shabby, when you consider that normally shredded cheese is on sale for $2 (occasionally $1.67/ea). The cheese alone on sale would normally cost me $20, so it's almost like with the coupons and Catalinas on the cheese, that I got the other stuff for near free.

I do like that at every visit I get a $1 Danonino Catalina. I keep using them, my kids love that yogurt and it is just the right size for a snack. Plus, right now the kids are fascinated with the letters inside. I want to know though, are you getting a lot of different letters - we have 5 Os, 1 S, and 1 E. Not to many words we can spell, I don't think that Sooooo counts.

I do have two $5/5 Kraft coupons remaining and think I have one computer I can still print them from. I might make it back to the store next week to test the shelf price thing...it would be $7.89 OOP if I pay with my Catalina from this week and I would either get back $5 or $10 in Catalinas. I'd like to get Cream Cheese for the Holidays (cookies, dips and all those healthy snacks at the Holidays), but the expiration dates are still in November at my stores. So, I keep checking back. The one set of coupons doesn't expire until later in October, so I have time.

Giant Eagle Deals 9/6

Happy Labor Day!

We were out of milk this morning, so a morning run to the grocery was in order. I took my two kids with me and promised the family donuts, since we didn't have any milk for breakfast and they had to wait for breakfast.

I spent $67.75 for all of my groceries for the week (as well as my stock up items) and saved $69.71, just over 50% savings. This was for 60 items, which was not too bad, considering I purchased produce, bread, a 3# bag of chicken, 2 6-pk kid's yogurts, donuts, a pack of Silly Bandz for one assistant shopper (which she promptly paid for when we got home) and other "non-deal" type groceries. I did get some really good deals combining sales and coupons.

I got these 8 cans of Progresso soups for a net cost of $1. They were on sale 8/$8. I had 4 $.50/2 coupons, which doubled to a total of $4 off. I earned a $3 OYNO coupon at check out.I got these 10 packs of shredded cheese, 3 blocks of cheese, 2 packs of American slices and 2 containers of sour cream for a total of $14.34 or about $.84 each. The shredded and block cheese were on sale 5/$10, the American slices 3/$5 and the sour cream $1.50 each. I used 3 of the $5/5 Kraft IP coupons and two $.75 Breakstone IP (doubled to $1.50).These Purex 3-in-1 Sheets, regularly $5.99, were $1.99 after raincheck and $3 mfg coupon.I found a coupon on shelf for BOGO for the Cheese Explosion Macaroni and Cheese and got these for $2.29 total - not a great deal, but at just over $.55 each, its not too bad for a quick lunch item for the family.

This post shared at Shopping Superstars and Super Savings Saturday.

Giant Eagle Deals

Mid-week last week, I took a 1/2 day vacation with the intention of grocery shopping and working on getting my house in order in preparation for the weekend. Turns out, I only got my shopping done, but at least I got that much accomplished.

My trip to Giant Eagle was a big trip, by design. Giant Eagle has a program called foodperks!, where you earn a discount on your groceries by purchasing fuel. Giant Eagle is not our regular station to fill up, because its not on my way to work and we have a gas station around the corner too. We do use them occasionally, especially when we get close to E and we have fuelperks to redeem. I had gotten my total foodperks! to 19% (after a fill-up on the way into the store) and wanted to maximize my savings. You can apply the discount to up to $300 in groceries (after coupons).

I started to strategize last weekend on what I would get to get to $300. In my planning, I got to just about $120. I figured that there would be other things I would by and had a list of some things to stock up on. I grabbed a cart and headed into the store. I purchased produce for the weekend and this week. I purchased some pepperoni and specialty cheese from the deli. I purchased 9 12-pk of Pepsi products and 3 bags of chips (1 free with each 3 12-pk purchased). I bought yogurt, milk and ice cream. I picked up aluminum foil and Ziploc bags and containers. I bought cat food. I tried to buy detergent, but they were out of the Purex 3-in-1. I just kept shopping. I kept a running total as I went, I had an over-full cart (I was carrying the gallon of milk in my hand and balancing some pizzas with my other arm) and yet, I was just over $200 after coupons. I never would have thought it would be this hard to spend $300. Now, I will give you that I wasn't going to buy anything at a premium, just to save money. Everything I was buying was on sale or if it wasn't, it was something that I needed for the weekend. When I went to check out, I had some items that weren't ringing correctly, so while the cashier was working through those issues, I ran back and grabbed 10 boxes of Green Giant vegetables, which I realized that I had forgotten to grab (not that I could have put them anywhere) when I was shopping.

Here is what I got:
I didn't have a chance to get pictures of the groceries out of the bags, because we had to rush off to our first flag football game, but you can at least see how much I got.

In the end, I wound up spending $169.62 for $305.40 in groceries. My savings were split about equally between weekly specials, coupons and the foodperks! savings. I purchased 133 items at a savings of 45%. Considering I bought everything I needed for the weekend (had overnight guests on Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night), I think this was a pretty good deal. Of course, as luck would have it, I had to make another grocery trip because I had forgotten things. Oh well, such is life.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday.

Giant Eagle - Pasta Deal!

I headed out briefly to Giant Eagle this evening to pick up a few things that were on sale and I had coupons for.

10 - 1# box San Giorgio Quick Cook Pasta
1 - gallon Milk
1 - loaf Wonder bread
1 - Pieces York
1 - 16oz bag Marshmallows

-$10 10 x $.50 + $.50 (double) San Giorgio Quick Cook IP
-free Pieces mfg coupon

Total $5.37 OOP. Not too bad for 10# of pasta, milk and bread, plus a few treats.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday and Cha Ching Challenge.

Retail Therapy

I'm not sure what it was about today, but I did a lot of shopping. Some with the whole family, some with just my daughter and some on my own.

We started our trip at Kohl's. We had a $10 on $10 coupon that a friend had given us and a 20% off catalog. We wound up with a pair of shoes and a shirt for my son, a dress and a pair of shorts for my daughter, and 4 shirts for my husband.

We made a few other stops, including lunch at Steak 'n Shake, where we spent only $13.50, because the kids eat free on the weekend.

CVS
After dropping off my husband and son, my daughter and I headed to CVS.

4 - Glade Sense and Spray refill
2 - Coppertone Spray Sunscreen

-$1/2 Glade Sense and Spray refill mfg coupon
-$1/2 Glade Sense and Spray refill mfg coupon
-$3 $3/$15 Suncare CRT
-$1 Coppertone IP
-$1 Coppertone IP

Paid with $21 in ECBs (including a $5 ECB I had gotten for completing a CVS advisor survey) and $5.14 OOP ($1.66 was tax). I earned $5 and $10 ECBs. Of course, I came home and found a $2 Coppertone IP that I had printed earlier and didn't find when I was looking. Oh well!

Rite Aid

Our next stop was Rite Aid. Luckily before leaving, I had checked out the video value coupons and watched the one for Clearasil and I got a $3 coupon.

1 - Lubriderm (had to get the big one, not free but still a good price)
1 - Clearasil Foaming Face Wash
1 - Rite Aid Kids Toothbrush, 2 pack
1 - Jergens Natural Glow Lotion
1 - Blink Tears

-$5 $5/$25 Rite Aid coupon
-$3 Lubriderm in ad coupon
-$2 Lubriderm IP
-$3 Clearasil Video Value coupon
-$1 Clearasil mfg coupon
-$2 Jergens Natural Glow mfg coupon
-$2 Blink Tears IP

Total $9.86 ($1.21 was tax). I will submit for the $7.99 Blink SCR at the end of the month, for a net cost of $1.87 for everything.

K-Mart

Next we drove to Kmart to take advantage of the Super Double Coupons and to get some Turkey! Unfortunately, I failed to read some coupons and had to put some stuff back because they were do not double and without doubling, it just didn't make sense. Also, the chest freezer where the Jennie-O Turkey is normally sold was completely empty. I asked about the unseasoned breast meat and the worker couldn't find any. He was able to find me some of the ground turkey, so I picked up some of that as well as a few other things.
(dairy and frozen were already put away)

10 - Jennie-O turkey items - ground, tenderloin, bacon, deli and So Easy meal
1 - Jergens Natural Glow facial moisturizer
1 - Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer
1 - Secret Deodorant
1 - Whiskas Cat Food
2 - Fancy Feast Appetizer
1 - Arm & Hammer Detergent
1 - Ziploc Vacuum Bags
2 - Gushers
1 - Taco Bell Sauce
1 - Taco Bell Taco Seasoning
2 - Ritz Bitz
1 - Digiorno Deep Dish
1 - Red Baron Deep Dish
1 - Tornados
1 - Loaf Wonder Whole Grain White

Total $33.43, paid on a gift card I had received for free. Saved $68.79 (or about 70%).

We stopped home to drop off all of our frozen items and headed out to pick up pizza for dinner (not a stellar eating day, but it was easy!) and a quick stop at a grocery store.

Acme
Acme frequently features 2 day sales on the weekend. This weekend, they were having a special on Capri Sun 2/$3, since we like to freeze these and tuck them in our bag when we go to the park or a game, I couldn't pass up this sale. They also have their Berry Bonanza going on with all the berries at $1.48/pkg.

2 - Capri Sun (10pk)
5 - packs of assorted Berries
4 - bananas
1 - gallon milk
1 - 12pk Sunkist
1 - Powerade

Total $16.27 OOP.

After the kids were in bed and I realized that it was a day later than I thought, I headed out to use some coupons that were going to expire today.

Target
Target didn't have the wipes I was looking for, but I had some Target coupons that were expiring, so I picked up some deals.

2 - kids Band Aids
2 - kids Nexcare Bandages
1 - Neosporin to Go
1 - First Aid Bag (free with 3 first aid items)
2 - Bottles of Water
1 - Hamper
1 - Wet Ones

-$.75 Target Band Aid coupon
-$.75 Target Band Aid coupon
-$1 BandAid Mfg coupon
-$.50 Band Aid Mfg coupon
-$.50 Target Nexcare coupon
-$.50 Target Nexcare coupon
-$1 Nexcare mfg coupon
-$1 Nexcare mfg coupon
-$.50 Neosporin mfg coupon
-$.50 Target Wet Ones coupon

Total 19.27 ($10 was the hamper), paid on two free gift cards. I'll also submit the BandAid/Neosporin for a free first aid kit (with $15 in coupons).

Giant Eagle

I headed to Giant Eagle to pick up some groceries, after all of the shopping today, I didn't want to think about going out tomorrow. I picked up yogurt for me (3 Greek yogurts) and for the kids (2 - 6pk Trix), burrito and soft taco shells, enchilada sauce and taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, pablano peppers, and grapes, wipes, Snuggle dryer sheets, 2 tubes kids toothpaste, My total was $17.97 with a savings of $15.46 or 46% savings. I put $7.30 on a gift card and the remaining $10.67 OOP.

Walmart

Since I couldn't find the Huggies Pull-ups wipes anywhere and my coupons expired today, I headed out to Walmart before going home.

4 - Huggies Pull-Ups Wipes
3 - Pampers Wipes (for a friend)
1 - Welch's White Grape Juice
2 - Silly Bandz (some other brand, but those shaped rubber bands)
1 - Johnson's Safety Swabs

-$4 4x$1 Pull-Ups Wipes mfg coupon
-$6 3x$2 Pampers Wipes mfg coupon
-$1 Welch's 100% Juice IP
-$1 Johnson's Baby product mfg coupon

Total $8.14 OOP.

It was a busy day for me. Aside from Kohl's and lunch, I spent $50.08 OOP (plus $60 on gift cards) for everything and saved $181.12 with coupons and sales. Not too bad. So, for only $50.08 cash OOP, I got $291.20 worth of product (83% savings). I will also be submitting for a $7.99 SCR and a free first aid kit with $15 in coupons, further increasing my savings.

This post shared at Super Savings Saturday.

Giant Eagle Twitter Promotion

You may have heard that Gillette has a new razor, the Fusion ProGlide—Gillette’s Best Shave Ever. The Fusion ProGlide provides a more comfortable shave with less irritation through its thinner, finer blades, improved cartridge structure, micro-comb technology (on Power only), and improved handles.

To introduce Gillette’s new razor, Giant Eagle is giving their followers on Twitter the opportunity to win one of 50 Fusion ProGlide shaving kits. On June 3, be sure to follow @Giant_Eagle on Twitter for chances to win throughout the day (11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m). Giant Eagle will post a series of 10 Gillette/shaving trivia questions every ½ hour, starting at 11:30 a.m. The first 5 followers with the correct answer will win!

foodperks!

Do you shop at Giant Eagle? Depending on where you live, will now be able to participate in foodperks! They rolled out this program as a pilot last year in Pittsburgh (and maybe Columbus too), but it appears that they are expanding the program and it now includes at least the North East Ohio locations.

You already can earn savings on your gas by buying groceries (fuelperks!), but starting today you will be able to earn savings on your groceries by buying gas. The best part is that you earn foodperks even when you redeem fuelperks! and vise verse. For every 10 gallons of fuel you pump at GetGo, you earn a 1% discount on a future visit to Giant Eagle. You can accumulate your foodperks! too. The maximum you can redeem is 20% on a $300 maximum grocery bill.

You can learn more about foodperks! here. Watch their interactive video and get a head start by earning 10% foodperks! just for watching.

I watched the video when they rolled out the program a while back (I wasn't able to redeem the % at the time because my store didn't participate, but it showed up on my receipt when I purchased gas within the test market - wonder if it will be on my card?), so when I clicked on the interactive video link, it told me that I had already watched the video but could earn a free coffee. It still showed me a reward of 10% while watching the video, but the last screen told me that I had earned a free coffee from GetGo. Oh well! At least I can start earning foodperks! now.