Graham Cracker Crumbs and More

 Here were my findings this week at the Berkeley 99 cent store:

• Keebler graham cracker crumbs box- 1 month until expiration
• These boxes go for about $5 at some supermarkets!
• Portobello mushrooms
• Pasta- seaweed pasta, whole wheat pasta, lasagna noodles, penne, jumbo shells, birds' nest pasta
• A1 sauce
• Wasabi paste (Polar brand, made in China)
• A banana.  Yes, only one was left.  Must be due to those shortages caused by supply chain and shipping delays.
• Fresh Express kale spring mix 
• Black and kalamata olives
• Diced canned tomatoes, 28 oz.
• Orange extract
• Parsley flakes, thyme, Italian seasoning, oregano, crushed pepper flakes, Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cumin
• Frank's red hot sauce
• Gnocchi (Pampa brand, made in Italy)
• Heinz apple cider vinegar
• Red wine, balsamic, and pomegranate vinegar

They have an increasing amount of food above $0.99.  The price is not always clearly marked, so beware!  It may still be a deal compared to regular supermarkets.  For example:

• Green giant bite-sized potatoes, 1 lb. bag for $2.49
• Champignon mushrooms ~4 oz. for $2.49.  They look like shiitake
• King Arthur's brand flour- for ~$3 a bag

Pasta party at the 99 cent store!

 It was a pasta party at the Berkeley 99 cent store with these findings Labor Day weekend:

• Canneloni 8 oz. dried 
• Jumbo shells 8 oz. dried
• Tagliatelle 8 oz. dried
• Gnocchi, Parma brand, made in Italy

I have a hard time finding canneloni, jumbo shells, and tagliatelle at conventional big box supermarkets, so this was a boon!

The other useful veg*n findings that day for $0.99:

• portobello caps 4 oz.
• cremini mushrooms 4 oz.
• crushed red pepper flakes 3.5 oz
• crushed tomatoes 28 oz.
• Clabber Girl baking powder can
• La Victoria hot sauce
• Heinz apple cider vinegar
• black olives
• Seneca apple sauce 4 cup pack

They also had the usual produce: cauliflower, pasilla peppers, celery, lettuce, grape tomatoes.  Nota bene the refrigerated fruit section is pricey and above $1.

Dollar Tree vegan deals- pantry and kitchen supplies

 Dollar Tree's forte is bric a brac more so than food.  That being said, there are some vegan things you can find for only a dollar:

• Spices: Himalayan pink salt, parsley flakes, dried basil and oregano, lemon pepper, black whole peppercorns and ground pepper
• Frank's red hot sauce
• Gnocchi (made in Italy)
• Panko style bread crumbs 
• Dried pasta- penne, spaghetti
• Pasta sauce
• Dried beans- lentils, pinto beans...
• McCormick's bac'n bits- vegan per PETA.  Yippee!

They also have an impressive collection of kitchen gadgets for your vegan kitchen:

• Betty Crocker brand spatulas, measuring spoons, kitchen scissors, large plastic spoon, salad tongs, and other similar gadgets
• Can opener
• Vegetable peeler
• Sticks for caramel apples
• Toothpicks
• Salt and pepper glass shaker set
• Barbecue supplies- grill cleaner, spatulas
• Baking supplies- rimmed baking sheet, broiling pan, cupcake pan, and other pans
• Wooden slotted spoons and forks
• Funnels (set of 3)
• Strainer
• Ice cream scoop
• Dish towels
• Oven mitts
• Knives
• Metal utensils
• Sink strainer

Dollar Vegetable Deals

 Nowhere else in the Bay area have I found such inexpensive vegetables.  You might get these prices during occasional weekly sale deals, but to have them all available at once without having to wait for sales is so convenient.  Here's what I found this week for 99 cents:

• Cauliflower head- huge, fresh, stickered with when they were harvested (mostly a little over 2 weeks ago from Salinas)
• Bell peppers- orange, red, yellow- two for 99 cents.  Great deal for those red ones which tend to run more expensive than other colors.
• Yellow squash- 2 lb. bag
• Oyster mushrooms- fresh, yellow caps, grown in California
• Shiitake mushrooms- fresh, smaller and daintier than the ones from Trader Joe's or Asian groceries
• Baby bella mushroom (4 oz.)
• Portobello mushrooms 4 oz.
• Pasilla peppers in a bag- great for stuffing!
• Herbs, fresh- basil plant; marjoram plant, oregano, and others!
• Lettuce- head or also one that comes planted in dirt and is still "growing"
• Chile de arbol, dried
• Guajillo chiles, dried- I had paid double this price at an SF market!
• Chiles japones
• Serrano chiles
• Celery
• Leeks (2 stalks in a bag)
• Parsley (Italian)- 2 bunches
• Grape tomatoes- carton
• Regular tomatoes- tray
• Hibiscus petals for tea
• Zucchini bag
• Yams/Sweet potatoes- bag of approx. 2 lbs.

Other pantry staples:

• Dried beans- garbanzo and others
• Olives- black, manzanita stuffed, green
• Masa harina- small bag
• Stevia
• Corn bread mix (Aunt Jemima)
• Corn meal- small bag
• Pasta- 24 oz. penne, spaghetti, rotini...
• Apple cider vinegar
• Spices- whole black pepper, pink Himalayan salt, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon (sticks and ground), parsley flakes, basil leaves

Sadly there was no vegan cheese this time.

Happy salad making!