10 Grocery Sales You Didn’t Know to Look for at Thanksgiving, Christmas
The grocery store is where the real holiday deals are!
By Sarah Rae from Reader's Digest Magazine (Adapted from thekitchn.com) | November 2012
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1. Butter
The price hovers around $4 a box for most of the year but can drop to $1.99 during the holidays. Since butter freezes nicely, don’t be afraid to just ask for a case. Your local dairy stocker will thank you.
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2. Sugar
Look for this pantry staple to take a $1 to $2 price cut, with
brown sugar and powdered sugar taking the largest dip. Sale terms may
limit you to one or two packages per purchase, but there’s no shame in
making ten purchases in a row. Just add another grocery item to each transaction, and your sad-eyed cashier might be willing to combine them all into one!
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3. Crackers
Nothing beats cheese and crackers for impromptu entertaining
(or no-time-to-cook nights). Look for sales on snack crackers and
saltines; prices usually bottom out between 75 cents and $1 a box.
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4. Frozen vegetables
Throughout the year, you’ll see sale prices as low as $1 a bag—but during the holidays, that number can drop
to as low as 50 cents a bag. I stock up on frozen peas and spinach for
quick stir-fries.
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5. Bacon
It usually sells for $2.50 to $6, but it’s been known to fall
to $1.50 a pack around this time. It freezes like a champ, so buy in
bulk. It’s a great item to have around for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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6. Oil
Look for ridiculously great deals on oil at both grocery stores
and hardware stores, where it’s sold with the deep fryers for turkeys. A
gallon will run about $20 instead of the usual $35.
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7. Poultry and pork
We all know turkey goes on sale for Thanksgiving.
But so do chicken and ham, so buy extra of all three and freeze for
winter stews and quick meals. And prices are even better (as low as 40 cents a pound) the week after a holiday, as stores empty their freezers for new products.
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8. Storage supplies
Stock up on plastic bags and wrap, parchment paper,
aluminum foil, and reusable containers for less than half the normal
price.
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9. Birthday cake mixes
Both everyday and seasonal flavors go on deep
sales throughout the holidays. Think beyond the gingerbread to upcoming birthdays: This is the time to buy white, yellow, and chocolate mixes. And pick up cupcake liners too: They can drop 50 percent from $3 a pack.
Photographed by Lucas Zarebinski; Stylist: Linda Keil for Halley Resources
10. Canned goods
Chicken broth, soups, green beans, fruit, and pumpkin can be used in countless dishes throughout the next year. Look for deals of half off—or more—on anything used in holiday feasts.
