Back to School savings: Commissaries help parents get more for less in August as children return to the classroom

Courtesy Photo | The commissary brings greater savings on healthy breakfasts, lunches, after school snacks and more during the month of August to help families with their back to school efforts.  

FORT LEE, VA, UNITED STATES

07.29.2021

Courtesy Story

Defense Commissary Agency

By Christopher Long, DeCA marketing and mass media specialist


FORT LEE, Va. – The commissary brings greater savings on healthy breakfasts, lunches, after school snacks and more during the month of August to help families with their back to school efforts.

“The commissary and industry are teaming up to provide greater savings for families as their children return to the classroom,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, the Defense Commissary Agency’s senior enlisted advisor to the agency director. “In August, our customers can expect to see special back to school promotions on meals, snacks and other school-related items.”

On https://www.commissaries.com, customers can download the latest sales flyer (https://www.commissaries.com/rewards-and-savings/savings-center/featured-items-sales-flyer). The flyer is filled with great savings and includes nutritious eating tips and preparing affordable meals using the commissary online recipe book (https://www.commissaries.com/recipes/all-recipes). They may also visit the savings center (https://commissaries.com/rewards-and-savings/savings-center) to take advantage of more savings, like the Your Everyday Savings (YES!) program, the Commissary Rewards Card’s digital coupons and current promotions.

Even greater savings come from purchasing any of our commissary store brands (https://www.commissaries.com/shopping/commissary-brands) – Freedom’s Choice, Homebase, TopCare, Tippy Toes, Full Circle, Flock’s Finest, Wide Awake Coffee, Crav’n and Pure Harmony.

As a reminder, OCONUS stores may have substitute events for certain promotional programs. Here are a number of sales specials to consider for August commissary savings:

• Come Home to Savings: Aug. 14, stateside commissaries will host a “Come Home to Savings Excitement Day,” offering product sampling and instant giveaways such as commissary gift cards and high-value coupons while supplies last.

• MyMilitarySavings.com “Back to School” Sweepstakes. Enter for a chance to win one of five $500 commissary gift cards. Shoppers can find code to enter by text in-store or can enter at MMSGiveaways.com. Additionally, a charitable donation will be given to the Chaplains Fund. No purchase necessary. This promotion runs from Aug. 1 - Sept. 26.

• Return to School Shopping Spree: Throughout August, authorized patrons worldwide will have the opportunity to enter to win a $500 shopping spree (http://www.militarycontests.com). The winners will be awarded their prize in commissary gift cards at the beginning of September.

• National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day: With Aug. 4 being National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and children going back to school, celebrate both with a package of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies from the in-store bakery department Aug. 1-5.

• Meat and cheese lovers: Aug. 26-31, save $1 per pound on Boar’s Head Maple Honey Turkey and American Cheese. While supplies last.

• Quick meal preparation: Aug. 2-15, save 40 percent on Old El Paso Taco dinner kits, 39 percent on Betty Crocker Pasta Salad, 37 percent on Kraft Mac-n-Cheese, 36 percent on Progresso soups, 35 percent on Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper and Pasta Fettuccine Alfredo, 33 percent on Old El Paso Mexican Refried Beans and Betty Crocker Helper Mac-n-Cheese. Aug. 16-29, save 36 percent on Progresso soups, 31 percent on Barilla Spaghetti, Pasta and Macaroni, and from 23 to 29 percent on assorted Bumblebee tuna. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save 37 percent on Kraft Mac-n-Cheese dinners, from 26 to 33 percent on assorted Annie’s Mac-n-Cheese and Pasta, 32 percent on assorted Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper meals.

• Snacking for all occasions: Aug. 2-15, save 46 percent on Betty Crocker and Motts fruit snacks, from 38 to 46 percent on Chex snack mix, 36 percent on Keebler crackers, 31 percent on Fiber One brownie bars, 28 percent on Snickers, Milky Way, and 3 Musketeers candy, 27 percent on Nature Valley and Annie’s granola bars. Aug. 16-29, save 32 percent on Kellogg’s fruit snacks, 31 percent on Chex snack mix, 28 percent on Quaker granola bars, and 16 percent on Planters nuts. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save 26 percent on Dole fruit cups and bowls and 24 percent on Pepperidge Farm cookies.

• Cereal, pastry and coffee: Aug. 2-15, save from 31 to 42 percent on General Mills cereals and breakfast bars and 25 percent on Kellogg’s pastry pop tarts. Aug. 16-29, save 48 percent on Kellogg’s cereals and 29 percent on Nutri Grain breakfast bars and pastry pop tarts, 26 percent on Community coffee, and Aunt Jemima pancake mixes. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save from 39 to 46 percent on General Mills cereals, 37 percent on Folgers ground coffee classic and 28 percent on assorted K-cup, 28 percent on Bustelo coffee and 26 percent on Back to Nature granola cereals.

• Pets are not forgotten: Aug. 2-15, save 30 percent on Hills Science dog food, 25 percent on Cardinal Pet dog treats and 24 percent on Tidy Cats cat litter. Aug. 16-29, save 33 percent on Purina dog food – beef stew and roasted chicken. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save 29 percent on a Yesterdays clump classic scented or unscented cat litter.

• Everyday oral and body hygiene: Aug. 2-15, save 29 percent on Colgate Minions children’s toothpaste. Aug. 16-29, save 50 percent on select Dial body wash, up to 32 percent on select Pantene shampoo and conditioner, 31 percent on Crest whitening therapy toothpaste and 21 percent on Listerine mouthwash. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save up to 21 percent on Softsoap hand soap.

• Getting hydrated: Aug. 2-15, save 20 percent on Sunny D Orange Juices and Punch. Aug. 16-29, save 32 percent on Caprisun juices and 21 percent on V8 juices and drinks. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save 58 percent on Santa Cruz Mango and Strawberry lemonade, 22 percent on V8 juices and 13 percent on Yoo-hoo children’s drinks.

• Daily nutrition: Aug. 2-15, save 25 percent on select One A Day and Flintstone vitamins.

• Home care essentials: Aug. 2-15, save 18 percent on Palmolive dish liquid. Aug. 16-29, save 26 percent on Pine-Sol cleaner. Aug. 30 - Sept. 12, save 26 percent on Pine-Sol Cleaner Original Scent and 17 percent of Clorox disinfecting wipes.

• Feeding Reading Program: Kellogg’s is teaming up with Penguin Random House to get more books in more hands – one box equals one free book that you can keep or donate to a school of your choice. Kellogg’s will donate a small amount per package, up to $80,000 total, for participating products scanned July 16 - Aug. 31.

• AXE “Back to School” sweepstakes: Unilever and Advantage Sales are partnering in a sweepstakes Aug. 16-31 for customers worldwide to enter for a chance to win prizes including DeCA Gift Cards, Apple MacBooks, iPads, iPods and Apple Gift Cards.

• Purina Pro Plan Military Pet Club: Starting in August, Purina wants to give back to authorized military shoppers who own a dog or cat. Members receive a welcome gift, high-value commissary coupons and offers sweepstakes throughout the year. Visit , http://www.militarypetclub.com/, www.MyMilitarySavings.com and www.MilitaryWivesSaving.com websites.

• Unilever Degree “Tears of Joy Cares” Program: Through Aug. 15, authorized commissary and exchange customers can participate to win one of 200 DeCA Gift Cards through the Degree “Tears of Joy DeCA/Exchange Cares” Program sweepstakes. To enter, customers can go to http://www.operationintouch.com. Unilever will donate $10,000 to Adopt-A-Soldier Platoon.

• Kraft Heinz Art of the Burger auction: Aug. 1-29, Heinz is encouraging shoppers to unleash their “inner burger artist” by treating every burger as a work of art. Shoppers can build their burger masterpieces, submit their recipe to the virtual auction house at http://www.heinzartoftheburger.com. At the end of the auction, the top burger recipe will be “purchased” by Heinz for a real cash prize.

“I cannot stress enough how much you save – about 25 percent annually – by using your commissary benefit,” Saucedo said. “For our patrons who have not shopped their commissary, we welcome you to come experience a great shopping atmosphere and to take advantage of savings that you’ve earned.”
-DeCA-


About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

• Date Taken: 07.29.2021
• Date Posted: 07.29.2021 11:22
• Story ID: 402019
• Location: FORT LEE, VA, US