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!

Vegan smoked cheddar and portobello...99 cent store veg*n Philly cheesesteak?

Caveat empor!  Not everything at the Berkeley "99 cent only" store is 99 cents anymore.  Sadly with inflation and Bay area prices, that's totally understandable.  Still, the prices can't be beaten!

I am leery of any food made in the People's Republic of China, so I'll note it if that applies.

Here are vegetarian/vegan deals that I found at the Berkeley 99 cent store (prices above 99 cents are noted):

• Violife vegan smoked cheddar block $1.99.
• This is cashew free.  It's the same brand of cheese the King's Feet (which is walking distance from the 99 cent store!) uses if you don't want the cashew based Butcher's Son mozzarella.
• Violife vegan cream cheese 7 oz. container $1.99
• Shiitake mushrooms (fresh, 4 oz.)
• Portobello mushrooms 4 oz.
• Baby bella mushrooms 4 oz.
• White button mushrooms 4 oz.
• Green beans (fresh, 1 lb.)
• Cauliflower
• Yellow squash
• Grape tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Romaine and butter lettuce
• Medjool dates $1.99
• Blackberries 5 oz. for $0.99 (double size container is $1.99)
• Raspberries 5 oz $1.99
• Avocados - bag of about a half dozen small ones for $1.99
• Butternut squash- the entire squash, whereas other markets charge the same price or more per pound
• Kabocha squash
• Spaghetti squash
• Sugar cones (12 per box)
• Clabber Girl baking powder
• Clabber Girl cornstarch
• Chocolate cookies made in Germany (not vegan)
• Crushed red pepper- two options, made in China or India
• Himalayan pink salt
• Frank's red hot sauce
• Tapatio flavor hummus, plus a couple other hummus flavors 
• Dried parsley, whole black peppercorns, French seasoning, dried basil, lemon pepper, ground pepper
• Carey brand salsa (mild and hot)
• 24 oz. pastas (rotini, penne, rigatoni); 16 oz. whole wheat pastas (spaghetti, rotini); 12 oz. tricolore rotini
• 1 lb. or more brown and Jasmine rice
• Garbanzo beans
• Split peas
• Pink beans, kidney beans, and several other types of beans for $1.99 each (> 1 lb. each)
• Pillsbury refrigerated biscuit dough- they had the tiny canisters this time.  A couple months ago they had the 8 oz. crescent roll double packs for $0.99!
• Lemon or lime bags $1.99 each 
• Diced butternut squash 8 oz. bag
• Diced yams
• Boxed soy milk
• Tomato paste 50 cents per small can
• Green olives
• Olive oil spray

They also had, but I didn't note the prices for: shallots, onions, potatoes, jalapeno peppers, strawberries, baby spinach, salad mixes, yams, fresh coconut, jicama, large cans of pizza sauce, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, French rolls (not sure if they're vegan), sandwich bread

If you buy French rolls, vegan cheese, and portobello mushrooms, you're well on your way to making a super affordable vegan Philly cheesesteak!  

Rest in Peace Oakland 99 Cent Store

Sadly, the West Oakland 99 cent store closed.

The only 99 cent only chain store is in Berkeley, walkable from the North Berkeley BART station.

At my most recent visit there, I was able to get:
- portobello caps and crimini mushrooms, now in a smaller package than before (4 or 5 oz.)
- 5 lb. bag of red potatoes
- 16 oz. bags of dried garbanzo beans
- Ocean spray dried cranberries
- large heads of cauliflower
- canned cherries made in USA
- black peppercorns
I also saw guava paste and pink Himalayan salt.

Coconut Cream Pie & More Thanks to Dollar Store

I made a coconut cream pie with ingredients found at the 99 cent store (mostly from my most recent trip in November unless otherwise noted):

Besides the pie ingredients, I found other veg*n goodies, too:

• Coconut flakes (made in USA or Vietnam)
• Graham cracker crust (from previous trip here)
• Coconut milk
• Silk brand boxed non-dairy milk (in refrigerator section but refrigeration not required since it's a tetra pak that is shelf stable)
• Veggie burger patties (made in India)
• Veggie samosas (made in India)
• Blueberries, fresh (~5 oz.)
• Blueberries, frozen (from North America)
• Portobello caps (2-3 per pack)
• Lemons (4+ per bag)
• Cremini mushrooms
• Crushed tomatoes (32 oz. can)
• Rice vinegar
• Lentils
• Dried garbanzo beans
• Lasagna noodles