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13 Under $20 Wines Perfect For Hostess Gifts

partysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:15:34 -0800

Do you have an iPhone? Then stop what you're doing right now and download the Nirvino (my preferred online drinking community) wine ratings guide. With over one million wines listed by name, price, grape varietal, flavor profile, region, and producer, the wine application is an amazing resource to always have at your fingertips.

Not only does it provide food pairing suggestions, but there's also lots of fun lists to browse. Food Network's Aida Mollenkamp shares her favorite wines to drink while cooking, Sommelier Mark Bright rounded up his top bottles from Whole Foods, and yours truly has even created a list!

I headed to Safeway to pick out the best wines - all of which are under $20 - for hostess gifts. I've tasted and enjoyed these wines and would bring them to a party. Be it a birthday bash at Hog Island oyster farm, an intimate Thanksgiving dinner, or an upcoming holiday soirée, there's a bottle for every occasion. To check out my list, keep reading.

How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Thanksgiving

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:30:52 -0800

Thanksgiving grocery shopping led me to two different grocery stores (Safeway and Trader Joe's), and as luck would have it I still missed a couple of items on my list. I'm hosting a few friends for the holiday and can't wait to make all of the traditional holiday treats, with a twist, of course.

If you've been to the store to pick up your own Thanksgiving feast ingredients than you may have some good luck on the quiz that asks about how much some of these items cost. How money are you?

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How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Safeway

SavvySugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:30:10 -0800

Sometimes you look through your cabinets and refrigerator and realize there's not much you can do with the items on hand. This trip to the grocery store had me searching for things that could put all of those pieces together, and the result was a seemingly random cart. Think you know which items cost more than others? Take the quiz!

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Supermarkets Shrinking

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:11 -0700

In a world of oversize food - genetically modified apples, super-size fries, and venti coffees - one thing may be coming up smaller: grocery stores.

According to the New York Times, grocers across the country from Safeway to Wal-Mart are turning to stores with smaller square footage. Supermarket retailers, like Jewel-Osco, who is building a smaller-format store in Chicago, are hoping to capitalize on an untapped segment of time-starved shoppers who are looking for an affordable meal to go without menu prices, or who just want to pick up a handful of grocery items.

These chains aren't shuttering the warehouse-sized predecessors, but hoping to gain market share as competition grows cutthroat. Both convenience stores and drugstores such as CVS are selling more groceries and fresher prepared foods, and British retail giant Tesco began stateside expansion last Fall.

Source

How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Safeway

SavvySugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:00:10 -0700

My trip to Safeway in San Francisco this weekend showed me that even grocery stores get in on classic Labor Day sales. I got some great deals on everything from cleaning products to snacks, but some items haven't been on sale all Summer and the holiday was no exception.

Let's see if you can guess the prices for the items I purchased this weekend. How money are you?

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Safeway to Roll Out Private Labels Nationwide

YumSugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:00:00 -0700

For those of you who've raved about the Whole Foods private-label 365 brand, I've got good news for you: There are more of these brands coming your way.

Fellow grocery giant Safeway has plans to go national with two of its house brands, O Organics and health-conscious line Eating Right. So far, both lines have limited market, but will expand nationally this Fall. In the wake of the troubled economy, America's grocery giants have reported record sales of their own private-label brands.

The Safeway brands aim to be different from generic store brands. The New York Times explains that O Organics and Eating Right have been marketed entirely differently:

Both were built much more like name brands than like store brands ... Instead of competing simply on price they appeal to consumers who feel they ought to be eating better, but perhaps find the thicket of smaller, virtue-food brands confusing - or simply inaccessible.

I've tried the brands and think they're great - my cutie is a huge fan of the orange juice and the ice cream bars. Still, I won't be letting them pull a price trick on me. What about you - will you give the new brand a try?

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How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Safeway

SavvySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:02:01 -0700

It's been a couple of weeks since we've played Trip to the Grocery Store because I've been terrible about eating at home lately. Busy days lead to unmotivated evenings, but now that my fridge is full of goodies I have no excuse for ordering in.

My trip to Safeway this weekend was surprisingly pleasant and it seemed as though everything I touched was discounted - love that! Let's see if you can guess the original prices for the items I purchased on sale. How money are you?

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Yummy Links: From Salmonella to Homemade Ricotta

partysugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:00:33 -0700

The raw tomato Salmonella outbreak has spread to 16 states. - FitSugar
A lovely alternative to classic pasta salad: Thai shiitake mushroom salad. - 28 Cooks
Isn't this gorgeous dress cake perfect for a bridal shower? - Frosted Garden
When baking, don't add too much flour while kneading. - The Kitchn
The best of ballpark food. - The New York Times
Due to the recession, Safeway's baker's dozen will only include 12 items. - Slashfood
Boxed wine isn't that bad. Here are six to try.-Mainstreet
Learn how to make homemade ricotta.-The Wednesday Chef

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How Money Are You: Trip to the Grocery Store, Safeway

SavvySugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:27:38 -0700

Did you ever get frustrated at the contestants on The Price is Right for their inaccurate estimates? Then you'll love getting competitive with yourself in my new feature, "Trip to The Grocery Store." I'll test your knowledge about what items cost at the grocery store according to a receipt from my most recent trip. It will be interesting to see how prices change over time and how cost-aware we really are. In this case, the store was Safeway in San Francisco and the trip was just yesterday. How money are you?

Source

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FoodFlex from Safeway

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:45:00 -0800

Recently I learned about a new program offered to Safeway Club Card members called FoodFlex. (For those of you unfamiliar with Safeway, it is a major grocery store.) Basically FoodFlex is a program that you enroll in (free) and you're able to see all your previous purchases that you've swiped your club card for. The program then analyzes all your purchases for nutrition based on USDA dietary guidelines.

While it does seem a bit big brother-ish, I've found it helpful and pretty darn cool. I was able to see that my husband and I may be purchasing items generally healthy and within the guidelines, but a little high in sodium. You can take it further by then asking the program to suggest food alternatives for the items that you may want to replace. Me, I am just going to really take a look at the sodium content of my potential purchases the next time I am shopping so I can find ways to cut it down a bit. I'll be checking back frequently to see how I'm doing. If you don't have a Safeway near you, check with your grocery store to see if they offer a similar program. From what I understand, this is the wave of the future for grocery stores.