10 Reasons for Families to Get Excited About Fresh & Easy

We watched its metamorphosis from a rundown strip mall to a construction zone.  My kids chattered excitedly on the way to school when they spotted a big orange bulldozer in the parking lot.  I moaned and complained when getting one of the few remaining parking spots near Bank of America ATM seemed less likely than winning the lottery.

And then, one day, that bright green sign appeared and all was right with the world again. .

If you haven’t visited a Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market yet, then head on over to and see what you think. Here are 10 reasons my family loves Fresh & Easy.

1. Preferred parking for adults with children: Score! Need I say more?
2. 98-cent produce packs: Apples, pears, oranges and more packed in pocketbook-friendly, little baggies of fun. 
3. Free samples: I can pretty much convince my children to do anything for a free food sample, including sitting in the shopping cart and being quiet.  Yes, the quiet only lasts for five minutes, but those are five glorious minutes.
4. The “Today’s Special” section: This sweet spot is where Fresh & Easy puts its prepared meals a day or two before the expiration date.  Items are up to 50 percent off and taste just as good as the full-priced options. If you are looking for dinner tonight, look here first. 
5. Fresh and Easy’s "Eatwell" label helps families make healthier choices: Most prepared meals are loaded with fat, calories and who-knows-what else, but the Eatwell line offers healthy soups, salads, sandwiches and prepared meals with the nutrition info clearly labeled right on the front of the package. Besides being lower in fat and calories, the meals are free of artificial colors, flavors and added trans fats.
6. The coupons: I to the Fresh & Easy ad when it comes in the mail because there always seems to be a good coupon.  Whether it’s $5 off purchases of $20 or more, or $10 off purchases of $50 or more, the discount is always something my family can use.  Sign up for e-mails and you will have even more opportunities for coupontastic savings.
7. Hormone-free dairy and happier chickens: I love that the milk and butter at Fresh & Easy come from cows that have not been treated with the rBST hormone.  No extra hormones for the cows means no extra hormones for my kids. Anyone who has seen Food, Inc. can appreciate the importance of buying cage-free eggs. If you haven’t seen it, add it to your Netflix queue.
8. Healthier options on the snack aisle: Pita chips, multigrain crackers, baked cheese puffs and honey-wheat pretzels dominate the snack aisle, making it easier for my kids to pick out a snack that isn’t filled with trans fats and artificial everything.
9. Cheap bread: It's only $1.99 for Fresh & Easy brand whole-wheat bread and $2.99 for its sprouted wheat, multigrain, three-seed and honey-wheat varieties.  That’s much cheaper than most national, “healthy” bread brands.
10. It’s kind of fun to scan your own items in the checkout line. At least my kids think so. They take turns grabbing items out of the cart and swiping them across the scanner, and smile when they hear the beep.  It makes me smile as well.

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