It's all about the bottom line! What is your best price?

[Mikki 316]

Originally Posted by katieprov19 My issue is finding prepackaged foods on sale on a miniscule budget. I work for a food kitchen and I need to know good prices for things like Hamburger helper, instant potatoes, evaporated milk, muffin mix, basically Thanksgiving type food. We are given a list of foods and about $100 to use it on. I got Hamburger helper today for 3/$2.25 and I have no idea if that was a good deal or not. If anyone has a basic price list on these things or could help me out it would be great.

As for Thanksgiving type food, the Qs will start coming out closer to the Holiday, maybe in mid-to late-October if I recall correctly. Also, some grocery stores will have promotions for free turkey when you buy $x at their store for a given time period. The huge sales on the ingredients for baking and other holiday recipes will begin sometime in October as well.
Basically, I just keep my eyes open for long expiration dated products and store them in airtight containers/freeze them if I find a good deal before that time.
Also, don't forget to think "outside the box" when looking for these deals. Sometimes, WAG, CVS, etc will have deals on baking products and packaged foods that you can get free or close to free with their incentive programs. Also, Kmart, Walmart, Target, etc.
Keep an eye out for OYNO catalina promotions during Sept and Oct for good deals on boxed products, including Hamburger Helper, instant potatoes and muffin mixes. Kroger family stores are having a Mega Event next week (and probably the following week) and these items might be included, so check your regions sales circulars.
Oh, and don't forget the local "mom & pops" type stores. I find amazing deals in those type stores, even though they don't double coupons. HTH.

[ladycat00]

Originally Posted by katieprov19 I got Hamburger helper today for 3/$2.25 and I have no idea if that was a good deal or no.

That's an excellent price, I wish I could find it for that cheap! Hamburger Helper is one of the items I scrounge for to fill the food boxes (my mother and I operate a food pantry and we have gotten NO donations in a long time AND we're on a fixed income so I have to coupon to the max).

About those bottom line prices- HBA are all free, most non-foods (cleaning supplies, toilet paper etc), I usually manage to get awfully cheap.

So food prices are my biggest concern. My maximum prices (usually) on some of the staples are:

Cereal 50 cents a box
Mac and Cheese 25 cents a box
Produce $1 a pound
Tomato products $1 for 28oz cans, 25 cents for 8oz cans
Meat $2/lb, but usually manage to keep it much less
Cheese $3/lb
Sugar $1 per 4# bag
Condiments- usually manage to keep them under 50 cents
Mayo- $1/qt

Lots more, of course, too much to list.

It can get difficult because none of the stores here have double or triple coupons.

[faeryedark]

Originally Posted by katieprov19 My issue is finding prepackaged foods on sale on a miniscule budget. I work for a food kitchen and I need to know good prices for things like Hamburger helper, instant potatoes, evaporated milk, muffin mix, basically Thanksgiving type food. We are given a list of foods and about $100 to use it on. I got Hamburger helper today for 3/$2.25 and I have no idea if that was a good deal or not. If anyone has a basic price list on these things or could help me out it would be great.

If you have a store that puts it on sale 10/$10 and doubles then if you use the 75c off 3 doubled it'd be $1.50 for 3 boxes.
This is the best I'm able to get it in my area.

[angeleyeza]

cheese : .99/lb usually get enough to stock for a while
fruit .99/lb or less
vegs: .99/lb or less
laundry soap $2.99 or less
HBA : free at cvs and RA & Kmart(when they double)
poptarts: .50 or less
cat litter: $2 or less big buckets
cat food/Dog Food : .99 or less
bottled water $2 or less
dish soap: .50 or less ( havent had to buy in over 2 yrs
paper plates: .50 or less
pastas : .50 or less
spag. sauce $1 or less /jar

[mama2kangaandroo]

Originally Posted by mommytaylor Morningstar Crumbles $.97

Would LOVE to know how you get this deal. That's amazing! lol!