The Smart & Final Answer

A quick word on Smart & Final, which recently, at least locally, retooled from an uninteresting bulk outlet best suited for buying massive supplies for office parties - think paper plates and aluminum containers - to a versatile general discount grocery store. Huge balloon displays welcomed shoppers, and fliers promising “2,000 new products!” heralded a switch to a massive supermarket theme, a grand opening for its total transformation, but still with a side order of bulk supply shopping, as well.

Sort of a cross between Costco and Vons, but with no free samples at all. But that’s okay, since day-to-day discount prices and sales can often be downright irresistible. Two packages of Jennie-O turkey burger for $4 and SeaPaks of shrimp scampi (relevant to our previous post) for $4.99 (as opposed to a $7.79 regular price). The portions were half the size of the Costco SeaPak shrimp – 8 oz. instead of 16 oz. - but still a good deal.

Anyway, the local S&F outlet is a few blocks from where we live, so it’s very convenient – and there’s no member card needed let alone an annual fee. If you have one close by, you might want to check it out for those quick errands when you just can’t make it to Costco. By the way, they have good deals on beer and alcohol, as well.

But again, it’s no Costco, nor should it try to be. No pizza, no hot dogs, no free samples.

Stay tuned for some spectacular new recipes for Easter. Oh yeah...