Mothers Day Sales

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We might not all associate Mother’s Day with great prices at the grocery store, but almost any holiday, including Mother’s Day, drives specific sales. Take advantage of the Mothers Day Sales even if you aren’t celebrating with your Mother. And if you are, do the same, give her a big hug & make her brunch.

Before we proceed: Long post alert! I promised years ago I would never write incomplete cutesy articles that only give you the breezy easy answers or make you click and click or go from site to site to get the information you need. So fair warning! And FYI: You’ll find links at the bottom of the page for other big food holidays.

Like many “Food” Holidays, Mother’s Day falls under my 12 Strategies. It’s strategy # 4: Take Advantage of Cyclic Changes in the Market. When shopping, the cyclic changes are regular and predictable cycles in the pricing of goods. That means we can predict (to the best of our ability) when some of the best sales will happen and take advantage of those sales.

This page specifically analyzes the grocery store sales before Mother’s Day. Flowers, candy, jewelry & gardening supplies are all on sale before Mother’s Day, but certain foods are on sale, too. If you follow ads closely, you’ll see a little twist; you’ll find sales on food items that producers and marketers feel appeal to women.

Many sales are geared toward breakfast and brunch items; next to Easter, the Mothers Day Sales are close behind, followed by New Year’s Day.
Produce items on sale usually include those that are a little “fancy” and springlike; it makes sense because the Mothers Day Sales are in the spring and we all know a special occasion means “fancy!”
Specialty food items not normally on sale are often priced to move. (Some of these items might be found on discount shelves or in bins after the holiday.)
Grilling has reached an all-time high. Sales before Mother’s Day will likely include food and supplies associated with cooking out although the big summer holidays, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day will probably have better sales.

Once clued into the sales driven by Mother’s Day (and the holidays beyond) it’s easier to make informed decisions on what to stock up on, how much to stock, and what to leave behind.

Leverage those sales to your advantage by picking up the best-priced items, not just for Mother’s Day, but also for weeks beyond. If there are products you will use and they are at a great price, stock up and stock up enough to last until the next great sale. It’s a bit like playing the stock market – always buy low!

win at the grocers mothers day sales

You’re going to find a variety of meats & seafood, both fresh and frozen (frozen will be covered in its own section) as well as already-prepared options ready to heat. Some of this might vary by region.

Many “Prepared Options” may be on sale but will likely be much more than if you make a similar item at home. Do whatcha have to, but know you will paying a premium price, even when it’s a sale price.

Pork Items:

Usually, pork is at its low during the fall and around any holiday where ham is often featured: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Summer sales are still very competitive. Watch for the following items.

Ham: While ham might be on sale, it’s kind of the last hurrah. The prices may not be stellar. After Mother’s Day, you’re unlikely to find great specials on ham until before Thanksgiving with rock-bottom prices before Christmas and Easter.
Pork loin & tenderloin: Watch for specials on pork tenderloin and probably pork loin, too. You can expect both to be on sale sporadically but until fall, pork tenderloin probably won’t reach a rock-bottom price again. Buy what you’re comfortable with. Personally, I’d pick up several tenderloins if they are at a stellar price.
Bacon and breakfast sausages: All will be on sale before any holiday. Watch for store specials and store coupons. Get in the habit of picking up several packages when you see them at a low, just enough to last to the next holiday. Both freeze well, although sausages have a more limited shelf life; plan on longer for bacon, but about 3 to 6 months for the sausage unless it’s in a deep freeze.
Ribs: will almost always be on sale before any holiday these days, although as the summer holidays approach, they may be at a better price. Not traditionally a Mother’s Day sale item it’s a reflection of the recent popularity of grilling. Know what the best sale price for your area is and pick up if appropriate. Cut into St. Louis style to save room in the freezer. See instructions on my post: “Competition Ribs.”

Where’s The Beef:

Primarily the “fancier” cuts will be on sale before Mother’s Day; any specials on ground beef are likely a reflection on the sales for Cinco de Mayo.

Tenderloin & filets: Specialty cuts, maybe tenderloin and filets might be on sale. If they are grab them up; the next great sale may be before Christmas and New Year’s, followed by Valentine’s Day. If you are a buyer’s club member check their prices on tenderloin.
Steaks: Usually, there will be a steak or two at a great price although the time of the year to stock up is between Christmas and New Year’s. The biggest exception to this “rule” is flank and skirt which might be at a great price. Another exception is sirloin or petite sirloin, which is often on sale throughout the year.
Chuck Roast: Chuck isn’t so much a Mothers Day Sale item as it is an end of season item. If you see it at a good price, pick up a couple. It’s very likely not to be on sale again until fall; during the summer months the demand for ground beef eclipses the demand for the cheaper, long cooking roasts; producers will meet the demand by grinding chuck and other cheaper roasts.
Brisket: If you happen to see a great price on brisket in the weeks leading up to Mother’s Day, don’t count on that being an annual “thing” for Mother’s Day. Brisket (which is kosher) is likely on sale in response to Passover. Some years Passover will be later in the season and will just happen to coincide with the earliest Mothers Day Sales. Look for brisket to be sold at a low before Passover and other Jewish holidays and before some of the Summer Holidays.

Chicken & Poultry:

In my area, I don’t see chicken on sale so much triggered by Mothers Day sales or the Summer Holidays. I do see chicken, especially whole chicken, on sale after Easter, which can roughly overlap the Mothers Day Sales when Easter is late in the year. Otherwise, watch for chicken to go on sale at a rock-bottom price about once a quarter.

Wings: An exception to the rule is chicken wings. Keep an eye out for wings at a great price before almost any holiday. Wings can be pricey per pound compared to other chicken parts so grab them if you see them at a low. You might want to check out my article on Comparing Wing Prices.
Tenders: Items like chicken tenders and nuggets (see frozen, too) are big sellers before any holiday. Know your prices, highs and lows, and stock up if it’s a great sale, especially if you serve them regularly. These are items that are usually much cheaper if made at home rather than bought frozen.

Fish & Seafood:

The best pricing on most fish and seafood is during Lent and again prior to Christmas and New Years Eve, but Mother’s Day is special so watch for the items, below.

Fish: Generally, you’ll find several different types of fish on sale; Salmon is almost always at a great price.
Seafood: Before Mother’s Day is a great time to check the pricing on Shrimp, Lobster Tail, and possibly Crab Legs to see what kind of pricing there is. If it’s great, you may want to pick up extra.
Extra: There may be “surprise” sales on unexpected items. Keep your eyes open, and know that sales like this can vary by location, especially in coastal areas.

Several Fruits & Veggies are almost always on sale around any holiday and some are pretty much always going to be on sale specifically before Mothers Day. Keep seasonality in mind; some won’t be local and some may not even be from the US and this can affect quality.

Watch for artichokes and asparagus at the some of the best pricing of the year right before Mother’s Day and through the Memorial Day sales.
Fancier lettuce blends and salad accompaniments (croutons, dressings, and so on) will probably be at a great price. Even on sale the prebagged salads are generally not a great deal but it’s getting harder to find fresh alternatives. The prices are generally 4 to 10 times more than buying them loose or by the head.
Riced cauliflower and zoodles will be at a low, both fresh and frozen.
Do check out pineapple and watermelon to see if they are advertised at decent price.
While almost every holiday has berries on sale, the Mothers Day sales are usually good and with spring in the air, the berries may be of a better quality.
If you like the little sponge cakes sold in produce, you might want to pick them up if they are on sale. (Homemade is always less expensive!)
Cute baby and tiny potatoes might be reasonably priced; they do go on sale before other holidays, too, but Mother’s Day in particular seems to generate great sales on these.
.Almost every Holiday will have great prices on green onions and mushrooms. For green onions, remove any rubber bands and any damaged greens. Wrap a damp paper towel around the root area and store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Don’t forget to stick the ends of the green onions in water or dirt and regrow. Turn the mushroom package upside down and poke several holes in the bottom; store upside down in the fridge. This ensures the mushrooms are not sitting in the condensation on the bottom of the package and it will make them last longer.

There will be deals galore on all kinds of frozen food as well as junk food around any holiday. If you’re into it, stock your freezer. Hold off on fish and seafood for the better sales during Lent and before Christmas and New Year’s and only stock up on chicken products like nuggets and tenders if they’re rock bottom.

Cherry-pick the sales for items you like; so many are on sale, too many to list, and it’s best to buy at a low rather than pay through the nose later! Don’t pass on the pizza, meatballs, and chicken wings if you use these items!

Check out the frozen aisles for savory foods; seafood and fish will be likely to rotate in and out of sale in the weeks before Mother’s Day.
Many frozen breakfast items, such as hashbrowns, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, pancakes and so on may be at a great price.
Check to see if frozen rolls, biscuits, and breads are on sale.
Any holiday usually has a couple of good sales on ice creams, bars, popsicles, and so on.
Before Mother’s Day, look for frozen desserts, frozen dessert topping, and specialty items like pie shells, pie pastry, puff pastry, and Phyllo.
Take a look at the frozen fruits; there may low prices on several and you may find rhubarb as well.

It never hurts to check your store’s bakery as well as the bread aisle. Often your bakery will beat out the larger producer’s items you’ll find in the bread aisle.

Look for English muffins, bagels, and Hawaiian bread/rolls on sale as well as the more premium breads from the bread aisle. Hawaiian items are usually in the deli area of most stores.
You might likely find Angel Food Cake, shortcakes, coffee cakes, and muffins at a low price, as well as pies, cakes, and cupcakes. If you follow me, you probably already know that I’m not down with the pricing of these items, even on sale. But hey, if you use them buy at a low.
In the baking aisles, you might find baking goods on sale as well as mixes for items like pancakes, cakes, muffins, waffles, and so on. See if spices and extracts are at a low. If so, this might be the last great sale until the fall baking sales that start before Thanksgiving.
Nuts & Dried Fruit: check the nut sections of the grocery – which may be in several places (near snacks, baking, dried foods, and bulk food.) Mother’s Day will usually be the last great sale on these items until fall.
Check the price of cooking oil and specialty vinegar, as many stores drop the prices during a Holiday.
Of course, you might expect Syrup to be on sale during “brunchy” holiday.

Not all sales are advertised. Sometimes you will need to walk down the aisles and see what’s on sale.

Check the vegetable aisles for specialty canned items. You might find items like asparagus hearts, pickled beets, and other “fancier” vegetables on sale.
Don’t leave out the condiment aisle; look for olives, specialty pickled items, and sauces. It could be very well that the standard condiments (mustard, ketchup, mayo) are on sale; usually those items will be priced better during the summer holidays.
Salad dressings are often on sale. If you use them, you might as well buy them when they are at a low; there might be better sales on some as the summer progresses.
Any holiday will usually have canned soups, cream of soups, and broths and stocks on sale. You might find better prices for broths and stocks at your buyers club.

You may see great prices and coupons available on cheese and dairy. Coupons for Dairy seldom are out in any force unless there is a holiday. Check your coupon matching sites and producer sites for brand-name products.

Watch for Cheese on sale and keep an eye out for any specialty cheese from the deli area. Cream cheese might be at a great price but is for any holiday. Buy enough to last until Memorial Day or the 4th.
Sour cream, yogurt, and cottage cheese will often be on sale. Sour cream is usually on sale before any major holiday. Storing these guys upside down after opening will keep them fresher longer.
Whipping cream, heavy cream and half & half might be at a stock-up price; all of these, due to the high fat content will keep for several weeks in the fridge. Coffee Creamer might be at a great price.
As far as butter goes, if you’re not already stocked up, if butter is at a low, buy enough to last until the Thanksgiving sales. It is unlikely butter will reach a lower price until then. Butter freezes well.
Eggs may be on sale, often a loss leader – a grocery store strategy for almost any Holiday.
Juices: Orange juice and others, refrigerated, shelf-stable, and frozen might be on sale.

You’re going to find all kinds of “junk food” whether it’s cookies, snack items, or chips on sale in the weeks before any holiday.
Snack Crackers, almost always Ritz, Wheat Thins, Sun Chips, and Triscuits are going to be on sale. If at rock bottom, or if you need them, stock up.
Look for pop as well as many of the sparkling waters and water enhancers to be on sale. Stock up on a low if you use but keep in mind that the summer holidays are almost here with (usually) better sales.

No Holiday is complete without a great price on beer and the annual Mothers Day Sales at the grocer usually mean there will be some great prices on wine.
Often on sale, soda or pop might be low. Do your math and determine if the price is as good as the summer holiday lows. If it is, or if you ‘need’ it, stock up to last until Memorial Day. There may be a quantity limited notation so it may require more than one trip.
There may be fancier bottled waters, seltzer, or soda as well as water enhancers on sale.
There will be several good coffee sales leading up to almost any holiday. The best are prior to Christmas and New Years, but stock up enough to last to the next holiday.
Do check your favorite liquor store website for more Mothers Day Sales, and especially look for great prices on any “girly” liquours.

While Mother’s Day might have some great pricing on barbecue/grilling items, Memorial Day will usually have better pricing, followed by Father’s Day, and the remainder of the summer holidays. Buy if you need and use these items but save any serious stocking up for the Summer Holiday sales.

Charcoal, lighter fluid.
Paper plates, napkins, cups.
Paper towels.
Possibly garbage bags and storage bags, plastic wrap, ziplocs, foil, etc.
Dish Detergent and dishwasher packs may be on sale.

I hope you’ve found something worthwhile in this post; it’s definitely food for thought! I hear bad advice on how to budget for food almost on the daily. One piece of advice is to decide on a $$ amount to spend on groceries each week and never go over it.

This is a mistake – food doesn’t cost the same amount every week. Leverage sales (and the best sales are before holidays) to your advantage. Spend the most amount of money on food items that are at their rock bottom or at least at a great price. Stock up so you won’t run out before the next great sale. Always remember, “Buy Low!”

I hope I haven’t missed anything, here, and if I have, please leave a comment! I appreciate it if you are still here and still reading! Happy Mothers Day!

Mollie