So you’re not Irish? It doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the sales St. Patrick’s Day is going to generate at the grocery store. And if you want to celebrate it like the real Irish, enjoy the parade, and go home to a marvelous dinner and an evening with your loved ones. Leave the heavy partying to the 20-somethings…well, maybe one beer!

 

St. Patrick’s Day falls every year on March 17th, although parades and parties usually happen during whichever weekend is closer to the holiday. And while some people might think about celebrating, others might just give it a passing nod, but I guess that most of us don’t think of it as being a time to stock up on the many specialty items that might be on sale at the grocery.

These days, it’s no longer just corned beef & green beer when we’re talking about St. Paddy’s Day, although there will be plenty of that! We’ve gotten a little more sophisticated, and the grocers have as well. While you may not find some of the cutthroat bargains of the biggest food holidays, you’re going to find some interesting items on sale along with the expected ones.

The next great of the six major “Food Holidays” will be Easter, and the sales begin with the start of Lent, the 40 to 46 days (about six weeks) leading up to Easter (hint: the best time to buy fish & seafood), and those sales almost always overlap with the St. Paddy’s day sales. (The earliest day Lent can begin is February 4th, and the latest is March 19th.)

You’re also going to see grocery stores being more responsive to March Madness, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Men’s Basketball Tournaments. March Madness starts off with Selection Sunday in mid-March and usually runs into the first week of April.

And what that means for you, Gentle Reader, is more items to look for at great prices!

 

 

Why should you care? If you’re interested in buying your groceries at a low price, knowing the cycles that drive sales will help you out, and one of the biggest drivers of grocery store sales is just about any holiday.

• Knowing those dates and cycles will help you identify what’s going to be on sale.
• Knowing why an item is on sale will help you figure out how long an item might be on sale.
• Knowing when the next big holidays are, with their own particular items that might be on sale, will help you figure out when an item might be on sale again.

This knowledge is going to help you cherry-pick those sales. let you leverage those sales to your best advantage, and stock up at a low price. The competition is high before any holiday.

Those clever grocers want to lure you in with a few rock-bottom sale prices in the weeks prior to any holiday and hope you’ll buy everything else you need there, whether it’s on sale or not. They hope that since you are already spending extra $$ on groceries for whatever party or event might be planned for the holiday, that you won’t be stocking up.

Back in the day, the best grocery pricing was always AFTER an event, so stores could get rid of the surplus. That’s usually not so these days, with only a few exceptions, although you are bound to find some after St. Patrick’s Day sales. More on that, below.

Here’s what to look for on sale before St. Paddy’s Day! Keep in mind that some stores (most ads come out on Sundays or Wednesdays) will pull out a “Hail Mary” and toss out a last-minute ad. Playing the “grocery market” is like playing the stock market; these are my picks and best advice; your good judgment should prevail.

 

 

Beef:

Corned Beef:

• Corned Beef Brisket rules, and the holiday means groceries will have competitive pricing to lure you into the store. In some areas, around St. Pat’s may be the only time corned beef can be found. Sales can run from the last week of February up to St. Patrick’s Day.
• If you love corned beef and the pricing is great, don’t be afraid to pick up extra. It usually keeps for weeks in the fridge (check the dates, but don’t be absolutely ruled by them) and freezes well, thanks to the cryovac packaging. After the holiday sales are far and few between, generally, it bumps right back to the regular price. Don’t wait it out.
• There will be some quality differences in brands, but the biggest quality difference is usually the cut. Briskets have a “flat” (the larger rectangular cut), and sitting on top of the flat, with a layer of fat between, is the much fattier “point’ a smaller, triangular cut. These are separated during processing, and the best quality is the flat.

Chuck Roasts:

• Irish Stew (usually made with lamb in Ireland, but in the States, often made with chuck) is popular. Grocers often respond with specials. As we move into summer, the sales on chuck dwindle; it’s often repurposed to meet the higher demand for ground beef, and better pricing usually isn’t till fall.
• If the price is great, chuck (couldn’t help myself) a couple in the freezer for pot roasts, stews, and more. Your buyers’ club might have specials, although the pricing is usually higher than a grocery store special, the quality is usually great.

Stew Meat:

• Be wary of “stew meat.” It’s often a mix of the cheapest roasts; the pieces may be irregular, scrappy, and sometimes sinewy.
• The prices might look good compared to chuck roasts, but don’t be conned…if the price isn’t less than the cheapest roasts, you might not be getting the best value.

Ground Beef:

• You’ll likely find ground beef on sale; this is usually a response to March Madness, and not necessarily driven by St. Patrick’s Day. Either way, if the price is great, pick up (maybe for Shepherd’s (or Cottage if you insist saying that) Pie.
• Likely the best pricing will be in the summer months, so stock up cautiously, and only if the price is better than you might anticipate in the months ahead, and you “need” it.

Bundles:

• Now and then, depending on your store, you may see sales “bundles.” These usually give a discount on potatoes, carrots, onions, and sometimes cabbage (sometimes in a netted bag).
• Sometimes the price is discounted if you buy a roast or corned beef. Do the math carefully on these.

Fish & Seafood:

• Usually, every holiday will have at least some frozen and/or fresh Fish and/or Seafood, and when St. Pat’s laps the Lenten season (with some of the best pricing of the year for fish and seafood, fresh, frozen, or canned).
• Look especially for great prices on Salmon in the week or two before St. Patrick’s.
• Crab legs and shrimp are often at a low price, depending on your location, before holidays.
• Fish typically associated with Ireland and the British Isles, especially fish that make good fish & chips, as well as frozen, boxed battered fish, will almost likely be at rock bottom.
• Watch all the sales closely. Know your pricing, the highs, and the lows, and what quality is important to you. Lent, btw, is the time to stock up in quantities to last until the pre-Christmas sales on many fish and seafood.

Lamb:

• Lamb is becoming more available in many areas and is also becoming a more popular choice for St. Patrick’s Day; Easter, usually a few weeks away, will also be a prime time to buy lamb. Much of our lamb comes from Australia and New Zealand, and peaks from February through April. (And again, when the Spring lambs are ready, from September through November.)
• Watch for various cuts; generally, in my area, the smaller cuts and ground lamb are on sale around St. Patrick’s.
• Better pricing and better availability (larger or premium cuts like shoulder and roasts) will likely happen right before Easter.
• Buy if you’d like, but unless you find rock bottom stock up prices, wait it out until Easter.
• Buyers’ clubs are generally a great place to pick up lamb, often with better availability than the grocery stores.

Pork Items:

• With the coinciding sales that come about as March Madness starts, you may find pork shoulder & bacon on sale, although Pork, in general, isn’t a huge St. Paddy’s Day item.
• You will see pork sausages of all kinds, fresh and smoked, imported, local, and all the usual brands likely to be on sale. I’ve made great “Bangers and Mash” with Bratwurst, definitely a budget meal.

 

 

Condiments aren’t usually at their lowest during the winter, even though you’ll find some good sales around the Super Bowl. I’ve been seeing more sales around the weeks preceding March Madness, and more (especially salad dressings, mustards, vinegar) around Easter.

• You never know when a great sale will pop up; if you aren’t stocked up by summer, keep your eyes open.
• You will always find the best pricing on these items during the summer, usually around the Holiday Sales. You will probably want to stock up for the year, then, so buy enough to get you through, now.

 

 

Specialty Cheeses:

• You are probably going to see an assortment of Irish Cheeses on sale if your grocery carries them, and possibly a special selection of them if your store has a good deli. Some may not be available at other times of the year.
• If it’s your jam, pick up what you love; there will be great sales on many specialty cheeses as Easter approaches, so if you just love good cheese, keep that in mind.

Sauerkraut:

• You’ll likely see refrigerated bagged sauerkraut on sale; if not in the deli, check the meat section.
• It’s a worthwhile pick up if you enjoy it, but America’s Test Kitchen has rated the canned sauerkraut better, according to their taste testings, and it might be less expensive.
• It’s a great purchase if you use it for any dishes, and it’s on sale, and of course, Reuben Sandwiches make a great spin-off meal if making corned beef.

Dairy Items:

• Look for Kerrygold butter at a discounted price. Buy it if you use it. Stock up. Likely, you’ll rarely see a better price.
• Cream is likely to be on sale before any holiday.
• Check for items like cream cheese and/or sour cream before almost any holiday.

 

It never hurts to check your store’s bakery as well as the bread aisle. Often, your bakery will beat out the larger producers in price.

Soda Bread:

• You’ll likely find Soda Bread sales starting early; it was in my store in February.
• Buy last-minute; of all the bread, soda bread goes stale the fastest and just isn’t as good the next day. Try toasting it. Soda bread is drop-dead simple. and fast and pennies to make, and you’ll be a lot better off making your own. And of course, I have a recipe.

Specialty Breads:

• Now is when you’ll find great deals on pumpernickel, rye, and marbled bread. The little packaged squares of rye bread might be on sale, and all of these make a great choice as a base for appetizers or dipping.
• You may be able to pick up a loaf or two on sale, wrap well, and freeze, but this isn’t a stock-up item. Do look for a good sale on whatever bread you like to make your Reuben sandwiches on if that’s a thing at your house.

Brownies, Bars, Baked Items:

• They will be on sale, but many rotate in and out of sale regularly. Most of the. Patrick’s Day items will have lots of fun decorations.
• There is no doubt that people buy these. My recommendation, budget-wise? Even on sale, they are never cheap; make your own.

 

 

While Condiments & Snack Food are listed elsewhere, here are some of the things to watch for and stock up on if the price is great.

Sauerkraut:

• St. Paddy’s is one of the best times to buy sauerkraut!
• You’ll likely see some sales in the fall, but prices are typically rock bottom now.

Canned Corned Beef Hash:

• Yep, I’m gonna go there!
• Cans of Corned Beef Hash are very likely to be at a low, often unadvertised.

 

 

St. Patrick’s Day sales on fish will often coincide with the Easter/Lent sales, as mentioned above. While the Easter/Lent sales go on for weeks, the weeks leading up to St. Paddy’s may have particularly good deals on frozen Salmon and all kinds of boxed and bagged beaded fish & seafood items.

Frozen Fish & Seafood:

• Bags and boxes of all kinds of breaded fish and seafood will likely be on sale.
• Know your pricing and buy appropriately if at a low. Figure out how many of these items you use and fill your freezer in appropriate amounts.

Ice Cream (and related products):

• If you love ice cream and related products, toppings, and so on, they are usually at great prices before any holiday.
• If it’s a regular item at your house, it might be worth buying a little extra; it will be on sale prior to almost any holiday and regularly throughout the year.

 

 

While all your usual veggies will go on sale, as usual, St. Paddy’s Day is a great time to pick up cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. It’s also one of the few times of the year when you may see them on sale, and maybe celery and onions, as well.

• Sometimes you’ll find these vegetables bagged and ready to go, either “on sale” by themselves or tied into the sale price of corned beef. Crunch those numbers and compare them to what you’ll pay if you buy the veggies individually.
• It’s an easy option to toss in the cart, and people buy them, knowing that their initial outlay for their corned beef dinner or stew is less than if they buy bags of sale-priced vegetables.
• We are conditioned to want to spend “less” not to “buy low.” These very same vegetables are the ones you should be stocking up on right now, not buying in a very limited quantity by the mixed bag.

Cabbage:

• Cabbage these days has been getting pricier.
• Stock up if you can. It’s going to be dirt cheap somewhere, sometime, around the holiday. The challenge is how to store such a bulky vegetable, and you may want to create alternative storage.

Carrots:

• Carrots are definitely going to be at a low, too.
• If you pick up larger quantities than normal (and you should), just like cabbage, think about alternative storage. Use them liberally in the next few weeks for sides, late winter soups, stews, and maybe an Easter carrot cake.

Potatoes:

• Red potatoes rule, and you’ll likely find big bags of the larger ones as well as smaller bags of the babies, and sometimes you’ll see Yukon Golds or other specialty potatoes on sale.
• Stock up in appropriate amounts for the next few weeks. Store in a dark, cool place. Serve them more, use them in more recipes, and if the small baby reds or Yukons are on sale, think about setting some aside for Easter dinner.

 

Snacks:

• Ok, Junk Food sounds a little judgmental! But if you indulge, there’s never a better time than around any holiday, although some holidays will have better sales than others!
• Stock up if you wish or simply plan your indulgences (or your party) around the best sale prices.

 

 

Most canned and bottled items, pop/soda, and so on, will be at a fabulous price before any holiday. Stock up in quantities to last until the next holiday.

If you drink any Irish beer, or Irish liquor and liqueurs, this is when you should be buying them, enough to last for the holiday and beyond.

Beer, Ciders, Etc.

• Now is the time to stock up on anything that’s considered “Irish” whether it’s actually Irish or not! Pick a couple of your favorite stores and sign up for their sales emails.
• Sales prices will be from 1/3 to 1/2 off, and it’s likely that your favorite brand will be on sale at some point, somewhere, but not being brand loyal will give you more opportunities for saving. Stock up. Learn how to store and for how long on this excellent article by Eat by Date.

Hard Liquor & Liqueurs:

• You’ll find many opportunities to buy your favorite Irish products on sale, usually at rock bottom prices, both at the grocery and at liquor stores.
• Sign up for email alerts, watch the sales, and know your pricing. There is really never any reason to pay full price on almost anything.
• Most liquor stores have a big sale once a year, usually, late February to March so the opportunities for saving are multiplied with the St. Patrick’s Day sales. This is the time of year to stock a cabinet, as you’ll probably find a wider variety on sale and rock bottom pricing.

Coffee:

• All the different coffee you can want will usually be on sale before any holiday.
• Some holiday pricing is better than others, especially around Christmas and New Year (you should stock up then – check your buyers’ clubs), but any holiday, even St. Paddy’s, will generate some sales.
• There are so many myths around coffee! The best article I’ve found to reference is this one from John Beans. If you use pods, check your Buyer’s club for the best pricing (and again, stock up during those winter sales.)

Miscellaneous Beverages:

• Items like Water, Energy Drinks, and juices: Most of these items will be on sale at some point leading up to any holiday.
• If you use, stock up at a low.

 

 

Almost all of these items are almost always on sale during every holiday, although many have better sales pricing popping up throughout the year, and savvy shoppers might want to shop around for most of these items. Batteries and grilling items are only rock bottom prices during some holidays.

Use these sales to your advantage. Plan ahead, know how much you need & use of items, which is a great price in your area, and what a good deal is.

St. Patrick’s Day-themed items are one thing that is usually best bought during after-holiday sales, although many of those items may not be the best deal at your regular grocery.

Batteries:

• Batteries are at a great price around Back to School Sales & Christmas, but are often on sale in the weeks prior to the Time Change. Start looking for great sales prices now.
• Rechargeable batteries are really where it’s at. Watch for specials on those, though the best prices won’t be at the grocery. Check online or at your big box store.

Paper Goods & Plastic Plates, Cups, Silverware:

• Toilet Paper, Tissues, Paper Plates, Cups, Napkins, and Paper Towels all fall into this category and will all be on sale during most holidays.
• Know your pricing on these items and keep in mind that of the above, the TP is probably the only necessity. Generally, the grocery store is not your best bet for TP unless it’s a sale with buy so many items, you get $ back, combined with coupons. If you see sales like that in your grocery ad, it’s probably a campaign, and this time of year, a P&G one. Check your CVS, Walgreens & Rite-Aids to see if the deals and pricing are better.

Storage & Basics:

• You’ll likey Aluminum Foil, Plastic Wrap, Ziplocs, Plastic Storage Containers on sale, along with Garbage Bags.
• If you need it and the price is right, pick up enough to last until the next great sale, which will be around Easter, and this coincides with the Spring campaigns.

Detergents:

• Dish Soap, Dishwasher & Laundry Detergents will be at a discount.
• Buy if needed, but keep in mind that in the Spring, there will likely be campaigns, especially from PG, with lots of coupons and money-back deals.  Buy enough to get by, for now, knowing they’ll be on sale for a better price shortly, as well as around every holiday.

Room Fresheners:

• If you’re into things like air fresheners and sprays, they’re often on sale, too.
• Better pricing is likely better during spring sales. They’re not really a frugal item and have been proven not to be good for your health. Enough said.

 

 

If your answer to all of this is, “I’m on a budget & I can’t afford to buy extra during a holiday!” First of all, you’re going to “cherry-pick” these sales, buying what makes sense for you, so it’s not likely to cost you a fortune.

Keep in mind that when you are used to spending a set amount of money every week (a great way to keep in budget, not a great way to buy your food – because food doesn’t cost the same every week), it can be difficult to stock up, especially if money is tight. Start small.

The best way to save at your Supermarket is the best way to buy stocks. “BUY LOW.” And the best prices are usually around holidays. Know your prices and learn how to buy, store, and keep stocked up until the next great sale.

If you have a well-stocked pantry, even if it’s makeshift and a freezer (and you should have a stand-alone deep freeze if you are interested in saving money on your groceries), you’ll never have to pay full price, or even just a good sales price. You’ll always pay a great price!

 

If you have Corned Beef and Cabbage, don’t forget to set a bit aside for another meal or recipe. Stretching the leftovers on a big protein item like Corned Beef allows you to average the cost over more than one meal.

I might not hesitate to stab a greedy family member in the hand with the serving fork if they were attempting to eat the last bit of Corned Beef, depriving me of any leftovers to work with! J/k. You’re going to find a few great ideas for your St. Patrick’s day party or meal, and more than a few leftover ideas on my post below. Just click on the photo!

 

If you made it this far, what am I missing, guys? What bargains do you look for when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around? Do you find bargains in your area that you love to stock up on?

I would like to thank Starline for the shamrock graphics used in my pin and menu.

 

check out what might be on sale at your store during a specific holiday