Fire Up the Grill: Chicken & Corn Deals Under a Dollar

It's a big week for the grill. Chicken leg quarters are running under a dollar a pound at both Giant ($0.99/lb) and Food Lion ($0.89/lb), and sweet corn is practically being given away at Publix (5 for $3.25) and Food Lion ($0.50 an ear). If you've been waiting for a good reason to fire up the charcoal before the holiday, this is it.

This Week's Best Deals

Chicken leg quarters at Food Lion, $0.89/lb. I've been buying chicken leg quarters for decades, and you won't find a more forgiving cut for outdoor cooking. They stay moist over indirect heat, they take seasoning well, and at this price you can feed a crowd without any stress. Pick up a big family pack and you're set.

St. Louis-style pork ribs at Giant, $3.99/lb, and Food Lion, $3.49/lb. Ribs at this price during Fourth of July week is genuinely good timing. Food Lion edges out the better price if you have one nearby. Low and slow, a little dry rub, and you have the centerpiece of the whole cookout.

Whole seedless watermelon at Food City, $1.99. That is about as cheap as watermelon gets. Kroger has them at $2.99 and Giant at $3.99 this week, so if you shop at Food City, grab an extra one. They keep well on the counter for several days.

Vidalia onions at Giant, $0.99/lb, and Food Lion, $0.79/lb. Vidalia season doesn't last forever, and Food Lion's price is especially good. Slice them thick for the grill, or caramelize a batch low and slow and put them on everything for the next three days.

Ground beef at Meijer, $2.49/lb (80% lean) and $2.49/lb for family pack chicken breasts. If you're stocking the freezer before the holiday weekend, Meijer is doing you a real favor this week. Both of those prices are solid, and buying a family pack stretches the savings further.

Quick Breakfast & Lunch Ideas

Eggs and toast. Market Basket has Pete & Gerry's Organic Extra Large Eggs on sale for $3.00 a dozen, and Lidl has plain NY bagels for $0.79 each. Scramble a few eggs and put them on a toasted bagel with a little cream cheese (Philadelphia Cream Cheese is on sale at both Market Basket and Meijer for $1.99). That's a real breakfast for very little money.

Deli meat sandwiches. Piggly Wiggly has Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Lunch Meats at $2.99, and Lidl has deli sliced cheese at $1.29. Aunt Millie's stadium buns are $1.99 at Meijer. Put those together and you have a straightforward lunch that travels well to a picnic or cookout.

Fruit and yogurt. Publix has tree-ripened peaches or nectarines at $1.00/lb this week, which is a wonderful summer price. Pair them with Siggi's yogurt on sale at Food Lion for $2.49 and you have something worth sitting down for.

I hope something in this week's flyers caught your eye and gave you a plan to work with. Head over to MyMenuPlans.com to see the full meal plans built around these sales, with complete shopping lists so you're not guessing at the store. It's always nice to walk in knowing exactly what you need.