At ShopRite: Spanish cider, organic pasta, grass-fed beef from Australia

SWEET DEAL: At the ShopRite in Englewood on Tuesday, I bought four 25.4-ounce bottles of Sparkling Cider from Spain at $1.88 each, the lowest sale price I've seen in the many years I've enjoyed this non-alcoholic beverage, which is made with 100% apple juice, but has no added sugar. There was a limit of four with store card.

PALE IMITATION: Not far away, but at a higher price, was Goya-brand Sparkling Cider, labeled as an authentic Spanish import, but a check of the label showed this non-alcoholic beverage contains only 35% apple juice. Other ingredients include sugar, apple vinegar, preservatives and caramel color.

ORGANIC IS BETTER: A 1-pound box of Gia Russa-brand 100% Whole Wheat Roman Rigatoni or Penne Rigate from Italy were reduced to $1.39 from $3.29, but at the same ShopRite you can buy Luigi Vitelli-brand Organic Whole Wheat Spaghetti and other shapes for $1.29 a pound.

SEAFOOD SHELLS: Whole Foods Market in Paramus also carries imported Organic Whole Wheat Shells and other shapes for $1.49 a pound. Here, I prepared the shells with anchovies and sardines in Victoria Marinara, adding red wine and seasonings to the sauce. Victoria Marinara and Vodka Sauce also were on sale at ShopRite ($3.49 for a 40-ounce jar).

FROM AUSTRALIA: At ShopRites in Rochelle Park and Englewood last Friday and Saturday, Nature's Reserve Grass Fed Beef from Australia was on sale for $2.99 a pound with a $10 additional purchase and a store card. A roast or strip steaks were available with a limit of two packages.

-- VICTOR E. SASSON

Cage-free eggs, organic strawberry spread and other big hits at Costco

Costco Wholesale in Teterboro now sells only cage-free whole eggs. On Thursday, Grade AA Cage-Free Large Eggs were $3.79 for two dozen, above, or $8.99 for five dozen, below.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

If you live in New Jersey's Bergen County, two Costco Wholesale warehouses are better than one.

About a year ago, Costco opened a new, larger warehouse in Teterboro, and closed the old warehouse in Hackensack after 21 years.

But Costco breathed new life into the old Hackensack store, which reopened as a Business Center catering to restaurants, caterers and other small businesses last March. 

Now, my membership card gets me into both, and if I run out of spring water, juice, organic spring mix, eggs or milk, I don't have to go to the far busier warehouse in Teterboro.

Hackensack carries about 30 percent of the items found in the bigger warehouse, in the Teterboro Landing Shopping Center off of Route 46.

Still, prices differ slightly and the Business Center on South River Street has its own instant coupons that are good at different dates than in Teterboro.

For example, a 1-pound package of Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix was $4.79 in Hackensack on Sept. 21, but only $4.59 in Teterboro on Thursday.

Another big difference is Hackensack's parking lot usually is only about one-third full, because small businesses can order online and have their purchases delivered by Costco.

The Teterboro warehouse also sells cage-free brown eggs, including Organic Large Grade AA Eggs (24 for $6.99).

Fresh Wild Atlantic Cod from Costco Wholesale with organic spinach, cherry tomatoes and grilled eggplant. I breaded the serving pieces in a mildly spicy mix from Pakistan called Lahori Fish, which includes red chili, onion, garlic, ginger, black cumin, green mango, clove, black pepper, cinnamon, carom seeds and tumeric.

Costco's skinless-and-boneless cod fillets are from Iceland ($7.99 a pound). See: 5 easy steps for preparing a Fish and Vegetable Medley

Fresh wild sockeye and coho salmon fillets apparently are no longer available at Costco, but I can still buy a 1-pound package of Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon, which is sliced and divided between two pouches ($14.89). 

Peeled cloves of Christopher Ranch Monviso Garlic from California are once again available at the Teterboro warehouse (3 pounds for $8.99). On previous trips, my wife bought a different brand of peeled garlic from Argentina or Spain. 

Kirkland Signature Roasted Seaweed Snack from South Korea is now available in an organic version for $8.79.

After a long absence, the 42-ounce jar of Kirkland Signature Organic Strawberry Spread is back on the shelf in Teterboro for $6.99, only $1 more than the same size of non-organic Strawberry Spread that was next to it.

Costco usually has the best price on 59-ounce containers of Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice, but starting on Sunday, ShopRite in Paramus has them on sale for $1.99 each. 

A 6-pack of Season Skinless and Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil are on sale in Teterboro through Oct. 23. These heart-healthy little fish from Morocco and marinara are two of the main components in one of my favorite dishes, organic whole wheat pasta with sardines.

Two 40-ounce jars of Victoria White Linen Marinara, which is free of added sugar, also is on sale through Oct. 23.