Pork Chops at $1.59 and Apples for 99 Cents This Week

I noticed this week that apples and sweet potatoes are hitting 99 cents a pound at more than one store, and the pork and chicken prices are the kind I don't see often. Pumpkins are everywhere too, if you want one for the porch or the pie. Pay attention to the dates, though. Piggly Wiggly's sale ends Sunday, October 11, a couple of days before most of the others.

This Week's Best Deals

Pork chops at Piggly Wiggly, $1.59/lb. These are the Family Pack Assorted Pork Chops, and that's a price worth stocking the freezer for. Pan-sear a few tonight and freeze the rest in meal-sized packages. Giant also has Center-Cut Pork Chops at $2.99/lb if that's closer to you.

Whole chicken at Piggly Wiggly, $1.69/lb. The Springer Mountain Farms Fresh Whole Chicken is a bargain. Roast it on Sunday, eat the good meat that night, and simmer the bones for a pot of soup. One bird will feed you three different ways.

Apples at 99 cents a pound. ALDI has the Pennsylvania SnapDragon Apple Tote at $0.99/lb, and Meijer has a Local Apple Tote Bag at $0.99/lb. If you want something fancier, Piggly Wiggly has Washington Honeycrisp at $1.49/lb, and Kroger has Cosmic Crisp or Envy at $1.49/lb with a card. Buy the big bag and bake a crisp, or just keep them in the fruit bowl.

Sweet potatoes at 99 cents a pound. Giant lists them at 99¢/lb, and Meijer has Bulk Sweet Potatoes at $0.99/lb. Bake them, mash them, or cube and roast them next to those pork chops.

Butterball Turkey at Kroger, $1.28/lb with card. I don't see a price like that often outside the holidays. Check what you need before you buy, since the flyer doesn't say which cut it covers. If it suits you, a turkey makes a lot of dinners and sandwiches. ALDI also has Fresh Antibiotic Free Family Pack Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs at $2.49/lb for a weeknight pan of something savory.

Quick Breakfast & Lunch Ideas

The breakfast and lunch pickings are modest this week, but a few things work well together.

• Eggs and toast: Giant has Grade A Large White Eggs at $1.79 each and Giant Roundtop White Bread at $1.49 each. That's a plain, honest breakfast for very little money.
• Peanut butter and jelly: Giant also has Giant Peanut Butter at $3.99 and Giant Concord Grape Jelly at $2.49. Add an apple from the bargain bag and you have a lunchbox that hasn't changed in sixty years, and doesn't need to.
• Deli sandwich: Meijer has Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Lunch Meat at 2 for $6.00. Publix has Kraft Cheese Singles BOGO, so you can stack a cheese sandwich or two without much spending.

Before You Shop

Your full meal plans for the week are ready on the site, built around these sales so you're not guessing at the store. Take a look, pick what suits your table, and I hope you eat well and spend a little less doing it.