Portland Grocery Deals (April 30–May 6): Cinco de Mayo Deals

We’ve got a Cinco de Mayo meal deal for under $4 per serving, and a big one-day sale on sustainability-caught seafood.

Author

Bryan M. Vance
May 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Hi, reader,

Time is running out! The Grand Opening Sale for the Stumptown Savers Club ends Wednesday, May 7, at 11:59 p.m.

If you find the weekly deals helpful, the Savers Club helps you shop even smarter with exclusive content like:

  • Seasonal Produce Guides: Know the best times to buy for freshness and value

  • Deeper Savings Strategies: Go beyond the weekly ads.

  • Upcoming Insider Store Guides: Get strategies for WinCo, New Seasons, Grocery Outlet, and more.

  • And more!

Lock in your first year for just $37.50 (that’s 25% off the annual price). Plus, your membership supports Stumptown Savings and ensures I can keep doing this work!

Programming Note: Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey about your shopping habits! Your feedback is invaluable and helps me tailor this newsletter to better meet your needs.

One key takeaway: many of you don’t shop at Whole Foods. To keep this newsletter concise, I’ve decided to remove the Whole Foods deals section. However, you might still see some Whole Foods offers in the Special Mentions from time to time.

Produce Steals

  • 🥑 Medium avocados — 79 cents each

  • 🧅🥔🥕 Yellow onions, russet potatoes or carrots — 50 cents/lb.

  • 🍎 O Organics 2-lb. bag or Signature Select 3-lb. bag of apples, select varieties — 2 for $5

  • 🥭 Red or yellow mangos or fresh ears of sweet corn — 49 cents each (2× the points)

  • 🥦 Fresh cut asparagus tips or broccolini, 10-oz. packs — 3 for $10

Fred Meyer/QFC through May 6 (deals with Fred Meyer Rewards)

  • 🥑 Medium avocados or honey mangos — 77 cents each (with digital coupon)

  • 🟢 Kroger limes, 2-lb. bags — $4.99

  • 🫐 Raspberries or blackberries, 6-oz. packs — 2 for $4

  • 🥔 Private Selection or Simple Truth organic gourmet potatoes, 1.5-lb. bags — 2 for $5

  • 🍎 Local Cosmic Crisp or Pink Lady apples — $1.99/lb.

  • 🥑 Organic Hass avocados — 5 for $5

  • 🥭 Organic Ataulfo mangos — 2 for $5

  • 🟢 Organic limes — $2.49/lb.

  • 🌿 Organic cilantro bunches — $1.49 each

Protein Picks

  • 🐖 Fresh pork shoulder roast (sold whole in the bag) — $1.99/lb. (limit 2 roasts)

  • 🐔 Fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (from the butcher counter) — $2.99/lb. (limit 5 lbs.)

  • 🧀 Local Tillamook cheese, select varieties of 32-oz. blocks — $8.99 each

  • 🐄 Signature Select ground beef, 93% lean — $3.99/lb. (with a digital coupon; 2× the points)

  • 🦐 Waterfront Bistro raw shrimp, 2-lb. bags — $5.99/lb.

Fred Meyer/QFC through May 6 (deals with Fred Meyer Rewards)

  • 🐖 Bone-in pork shoulder roasts — $2.29/lb.

  • 🥩 Boneless chuck roasts or steaks, value packs — Buy 1, get 1 free

  • 🐟 Fresh wild-caught Alaska halibut fillets — $18.99/lb.

  • 🐔 Fresh Foster Farms boneless chicken breasts — $2.99/lb.

  • 🐄 Kroger brand 80% lean ground beef, 3-lb. rolls — $3.77/lb. with digital coupon

  • 🥓 Kroger bacon, 3-lb. package — $4.99/lb.

  • 🐖 Beeler's Pure Pork boneless pork shoulder roast — $3.99/lb.

  • 🍗 Mary's whole chicken legs — $3.99/lb.

  • 🦐 Local Oregon bay shrimp — $8.99/lb.

  • 🧀 Local Don Froylan queso fresco, 12-oz. blocks — $7.99 each

  • 🧀 Local Tillamook shredded cheese, select varieties — $5.99 each

  • 🥩 Pre-sliced bottom round carne asada — $4.48/lb.

  • 🌮 Del Real Foods birria taco kits, shredded chicken, pork carnitas, or beef barbacoa, 15-oz. packs — $6.98 each

Pantry Stock-Ups

  • 🥔 Local Tim's, Zapp's, Boulder Canyon, or On The Border chips, select varieties — 2 for $5

  • 🍞 Local Franz and Seattle International breads, select varieties — Buy 1, get 1 free

  • 🥣 Post and General Mills cereals, or Nature Valley bars, Kellogg's Pop-Tarts, or Nutri Grain Bars, select varieties — $1.99 each

  • 🌽 Juantonios tortilla chips, Old El Paso taco shells or enchilada sauce — 2 for $5

  • 🌽 Mission tortilla chips, select varieties — 2 for $4

Fred Meyer/QFC through May 6 (deals with Fred Meyer Rewards)

  • 🥔 Lay's potato chips — 4 for $10

  • 🍅 Pace salsa, 16-oz. jars or Mission tortilla chips — $1.49 each (with digital coupon)

  • 🫙 Classico pasta sauce, select varieties — $1.49 each (with digital coupon)

  • 💧 Topo Chico mineral water, 12-packs — $11.99 each, plus bottle deposits (with digital coupon)

  • 🌽 Local Juantonios tortilla chips — 2 for $5

  • 🌾 50% off gluten-free products, some exclusions apply

  • 🌽 Local New Seasons brand tortilla chips — 2 for $5

  • 🥖 Local New Seasons organic seeded honey bread — $5.99 each

  • 🍝 Local New Seasons brand pasta, 16-oz. boxes — $2.99 each

  • 🍅 Local De Casa Fine Foods dips and salsas, 14-oz. tubs — $3.99 each

  • 🍅 Del Real Foods salsas, 16-oz. jars — $2.28 each

  • 🧀 WinCo queso blanco and con queso dips, 15-oz. — $1.88 each

  • 🌽 Mission tortilla chips bags — $1.48 each

  • 🌮 Mission soft taco tortillas, 10-count bags — $1.48 each

Special Mentions

Meal Deal

Each week, I share a simple meal idea based on the deal items. Feel free to adapt as you see fit. It's meant to serve as inspiration to help you see the possibilities of having delicious, high-quality meals that don't break the bank. This week, we're leaning into Cinco de Mayo with budget-friendly, flavor-packed pork carnitas tacos, taking advantage of the great deal on pork shoulder at Albertsons/Safeway.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos

Yields: 4 servings | Cost: About $15.31 total (About $3.83 per serving) | Time: About 15 minutes to prep, 4-8 hours to cook (slow cooker)

Featuring deals from Albertsons/Safeway through May 6.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast

  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered

  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 orange, juiced

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • 1/2 cup water or broth (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (like vegetable or canola)

  • 1 package corn tortillas (12-20 count)

  • 2 medium avocados

  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

  • 1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)

  • 1 bag Mission tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder, if desired, and cut it into large 3-4 inch chunks. Pat the pork dry with paper towels.

  2. In a small bowl, combine cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork pieces.

  3. Place the quartered onion and smashed garlic cloves in the bottom of your slow cooker. Arrange the seasoned pork chunks on top. Pour the orange juice, lime juice and optional water/broth over the pork.

  4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for six to eight hours or on high for four to five hours, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.

  5. Carefully remove the pork chunks from the slow cooker and place them on a large cutting board or bowl. Shred the pork using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid remaining in the slow cooker, if desired. You can moisten the shredded pork with a few tablespoons of this liquid.

  6. Optional Crisping Step: For crispier carnitas, heat the tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded pork in batches (don't overcrowd the pan) and cook for a few minutes per side, until browned and slightly crispy.

  7. Warm the corn tortillas according to package directions (usually wrapping in damp paper towels and microwaving briefly, or warming on a dry skillet).

  8. While tortillas warm, prepare the toppings: Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and dice the flesh or mash lightly with a fork. Chop the cilantro. Cut the remaining lime into wedges.

  9. Assemble the tacos: Fill warmed tortillas with shredded carnitas. Top generously with diced onion (from the slow cooker, finely chopped, or fresh chopped white onion), chopped cilantro and avocado. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the tacos and Mission tortilla chips on the side.

Tips

  • Spice it up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the spice rub or include a sliced jalapeño in the slow cooker with the onion. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.

  • More Toppings: Crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, pickled red onions, or a simple pico de gallo would also be delicious additions if your budget allows.

  • Use Leftovers: Leftover carnitas are great in quesadillas, burrito bowls or nachos.

  • No Slow Cooker? You can adapt this for a Dutch oven. Brown the pork in oil first, add the other ingredients, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in a 325°F oven for three to four hours, until tender.

Cost Breakdown (Based on Albertsons/Safeway deals where applicable):

  • 2.5 lbs pork shoulder roast: $4.98 (On sale $1.99/lb.)

  • 1 large yellow onion (Less than 1 lb): 50 cents (On sale 50 cents/lb.)

  • Garlic: 50 cents (Estimate)

  • Spices (cumin, oregano, salt, pepper): $1 (Estimate)

  • 1 orange, 1 lime (for juice): $1 (Estimate)

  • Oil: 25 cents (Estimate)

  • Corn tortillas (12-20): $2 (Estimate for store brand/Mission)

  • 2 medium avocados: $1.58 (On sale 79 cents each)

  • 1 bunch cilantro: $1 (Estimate)

  • 1 lime (for serving): 50 cents (Estimate)

  • 1 bag Mission tortilla chips: $2 (On sale 2 for $4)

  • Total: $15.31

  • Per serving: $3.83

If you make these Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos, show it off! Your fellow Stumptown Savers want to see how it turned out!

  1. Take a picture of your finished dish

  2. Share it on Instagram and tag @StumptownSavings, and use the hashtag #StumptownSavingsMeals

I love seeing your creations and might feature them on the Stumptown Savings profile! Can't wait to see your delicious results.

P.S. Cooked something else great with this week's deals? Tag me in that too!

Reader Corner

I’m planning our first community event — a potluck — for Saturday, May 24. I’ll have more details about it next week, but for now, let me know if you have ideas for how to get the word out! 

Last week, I asked y’all what type of strategy you employ when grocery shopping. Personally, I adhere to a meal plan and grocery list strategy, with some flexibility baked in. It turns out that most Stumptown Savings readers do the same!

Which Shopping Strategy Do You Use Most? 

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Strict meal planning and list (4)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 General list with flexibility (6)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Shop sales and plan meals after (1)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Impulse shopping based on what looks good (1)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Same staples every time with few variations (1)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Online ordering to avoid temptation (2)
15 total votes

This week, I want to know your thoughts on shopping local!

How Important Is "Local" When You Shop?

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Look out for the results next week! Don't forget to jot down egg prices for the Portland Egg Price Tracker. Thanks to the many contributions we've received, we now have a fantastic snapshot of how egg prices are changing across the city.

Level Up Your Portland Grocery Game

Become a Stumptown Savers Club member and gain exclusive access to insider store guides, seasonal produce tips, and in-depth strategies that help you shop smarter and eat better — all while supporting local. Right now, you can lock in our Grand Opening Special at just $37.50 for a full year of premium Stumptown Savings content. But hurry, the deal runs out next week!

Think of it as your secret recipe for outsmarting high prices at every market run. Hungry for more deals and local insights? Join the Savers Club today and start transforming the way you shop in Portland.

Happy saving!

Bryan M. Vance,
Founder/Publisher,
Stumptown Savings

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