I hit the chicken jackpot!
By Kelli M
@spiderdust (14741)
San Jose, California
January 17, 2023 6:54pm CST
On the way home from work, we go near the recently opened local grocery warehouse/restaurant supply store, Smart & Final. I've been having good luck there recently with finding clearanced items in their refrigerated section. Their sale on chicken leg quarters for 79 cents/lb is ending today, so I thought I'd pop in for a few minutes, look for clearanced items, and see if they still had any of the chicken on sale.
I found something even better! All the packages dated for tomorrow and Thursday were marked down to around 32 cents a pound! 
I ended up getting nearly 15 lbs. of chicken for less than $5!
I'm roasting some of the legs for dinner tonight and will be making BBQ chicken legs on the grill tomorrow (provided that the weather cooperates). The rest I'm going to cook, strip off of the bones, and package in meal sized portions for later.
Have you found any (good) surprises at the grocery store this week?
I ended up getting nearly 15 lbs. of chicken for less than $5!
I'm roasting some of the legs for dinner tonight and will be making BBQ chicken legs on the grill tomorrow (provided that the weather cooperates). The rest I'm going to cook, strip off of the bones, and package in meal sized portions for later.
Have you found any (good) surprises at the grocery store this week?15 people like this
14 responses
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 Jan 23
Wow! You made out like a bandit there! I'd do the same thing if I'd found chicken at such a good price! You can always use the cooked/deboned chicken in different pasta dishes, omelets and bakes. YUMM!
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
18 Jan 23
@spiderdust I've never canned anything. I usually freeze stuff or dry it.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
If I was better prepared right now, I'd can some of it.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
@DaddyEvil I've canned chicken before. In fact, it's one of the easiest things to can (as long as you have a pressure canner) because you just put the raw chicken pieces in a jar, add salt, put on the lid and ring, add it to the canner, fill with water to the required amount, and pressure cook it for the required time.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
C'mon over, it's just 7 hours away! 
2 people like this
@much2say (53954)
• Los Angeles, California
18 Jan 23
@spiderdust I'll bring my crockpot . . . so if I can hook it up to my car somehow, I can prep it out your way and it'll be done by the time I get home 
.
I'll bring my crockpot . . . so if I can hook it up to my car somehow, I can prep it out your way and it'll be done by the time I get home .1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
@much2say You know, there *are* crockpots that will plug into the power outlet in a car.
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2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
Ooh, that's the bad kind of surprise! 
Or at least it is around here. Soda has gotten really expensive.
Or at least it is around here. Soda has gotten really expensive.1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (49032)
• United States
18 Jan 23
I’m so happy for you. 
what a blessing.
what a blessing.2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
It truly is! That frees up a good bit of the grocery budget for us.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
Although it sounds like your friend's Instacart snafu made you hit the chicken/roast bonanza too.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
I know I'll never find prices like that again, it was such a lucky find.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
@CarolDM I might, but it's definitely hard to predict.
It's worth popping in there every day on my way home from work to look for their yellow clearance stickers.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203452)
• Nashville, Tennessee
18 Jan 23
@spiderdust You never know, you might get lucky again.
1 person likes this
@popciclecold (35142)
• United States
18 Jan 23
You did hit big. I had no idea Smart and Final had a refrigerator section. I just thought it was paper goods. You were blessed with that deal.
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
I think all of the ones I've gone to have a refrigerated section, but I've only been to Smart & Finals in California. Some are definitely more "grocery store like" and some are more "warehouse like".
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (57804)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Jan 23
Nothing quite like that. But, our food card and points at Winn Dixie did add up. Cut our grocery bill in half, so I can't complain about that.
@kaylachan (57804)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Jan 23
@spiderdust Yeah, we'll take it.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458453)
• Switzerland
19 Jan 23
@spiderdust I never get tired of eating chicken, it's the meat I like more and there are so many ways to cook chicken.
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
I've never seen it at this price and probably won't find it again for a long time (if at all). We may get tired of eating chicken this week, but I'm still thankful for it and we'll use the saved money to find something else later.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
I got some tangelos in my produce delivery this week. They are so nice, especially this time of the year where it seems we need the extra vitamin C.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247004)
• United States
19 Jan 23
@spiderdust I do belong to Costco and they never have offers like that!
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
I've heard it compared to a small Costco/Sam's Club/Price Club without the membership fees. It's definitely smaller and the prices are slightly higher than a Costco, but I understand the comparison.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
19 Jan 23
@DianneN True, I've never seen this there either! ??
1 person likes this
@just4him (306527)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
18 Jan 23
@spiderdust I decided to wait until Friday to go shopping.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
The chicken sale was what is usually thought of as a "loss leader", one that the store won't make a profit on, but it encourages people to come in and buy the sale item and they likely buy other things while they are there. Then this store discounted the chicken even further to move it out of the store before it spoiled.
I haven't seen chicken this inexpensive for a very long time, at least not for a few decades.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14741)
• San Jose, California
18 Jan 23
@Nevena83 Some businesses will do that here too.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65282)
• Serbia
18 Jan 23
@spiderdust Here, vendors will rather throw away food than lower the price, and often sell expired food.
