Pesach Shopping

Specialty foods selected, about $160 worth.  Not yet including dairy which has not yet been certified, eggs which Pesach recipes require in abundance, and produce which has a short shelf life.

For a few weeks I have been poring over recipes, some sorted by internet, others from my considerable cookbook collection.  Only two big menus to prepare, the Sedarim which have roughly the same dishes each night, and shabbos Pesach, the times when guests join us.  For all the effort, though, it is the availability of products and pricing that drive the final menu.  Matzoh boxes have become shrinkflation, sold in four pound instead of five pound boxes.  Still discounted, 50 cents for each one pound box after the coupon.  Five pound boxes still exist, but their discount plays out at 80 cents a pound.  I don't think I ever use more than four pounds during the Festival.  Oils are outrageous.  Even EVOO which does not require special certification no longer has discounted brands on the Shop-Rite shelves.  Dates were reduced in price, so I could make Sephardic charoset this year, or maybe both my apple and date varieties.  Turkey half breasts reduced so that becomes the Seder entrée.  Almonds and walnuts purchased.  Nut torte for desserts. Dried apricots too expensive and I did not see Sunsweet prunes so tzimmes for shabbos Pesach will need to be reconsidered.  Jarred gefilte fish unreasonable.  Frozen loaves are a better buy and taste better.  I got two loaves of different brands.  Did not get jarred horseradish.  I think I will grate my own this year, unless I have an unopened jar from last year.  Found a shank bone.  They used to give one to each customer.  Now $4.  I have a turkey neck in the freezer since Thanksgiving, but I really like to have the shank bone on my Seder Plate.   Overlooked chicken leg quarters which are on sale and I need for making soup.  Go back for those, but room in the freezer is currently a bit tight.  Matzoh meal in big package.  I use it all through the year, and it is discounted now.  One jar of fig jam, discounted.  And once a year I buy the evil soda, the bottles with the yellow cap indicating sweetened with cane sugar.  Dr. Brown's a better buy than Coke or Pepsi.  And seltzer, some plain, some flavored.  Mix the plain with wine.  There are many processed foods now, candies, and jellies.  This is the only time of the year when I can get kosher marshmallows, not just with a kosher gelling agent but kitniyot-free for Pesach.  Can't beat that.  And canned orange segments brighten the salads.  I make my own dressings.  Would not even consider Passover cereal, though my family got it as a kid.  And no advantage to matzoh ball or latkes mix.  So my only serious omission was overlooking the chicken parts for soup, which can be purchased later.

A friend plans to shop for her Pesach needs in a larger Jewish town, either at a kosher megamart in Baltimore or a smaller one in South Jersey.  I share her impression that the local offerings have waned a bit since the pandemic.  But I have enough for all meals I need to prepare during the eight restricted ingredient days.  Get chicken parts later.  Dairy gets its certification a few days before holiday.  Trader Joe's has the best price on eggs each year.   And they have premium beef.  And produce at Sprouts or Super G is usually of better quality than what Shop-Rite offers, though priced a bit higher.

A few days off from the markets now that I have most of what I need, then complete the project in the coming week.