The DeCA Commissary is a staple on military installations. The grocery store is the go-to for stocking up on all the post-move essentials – it has the same brands no matter where you live around the world providing consistency in what to expect. It’s nice to have a little break in the cost too.

In addition to the goal of lower-cost items on offer in the Commissary every day, the Commissary Sidewalk sales are a great place to find deals on favorite items.  OCONUS stores may offer different promotional offers. CONUS commissaries will have items for sale throughout the store including snacks, beverages, and cleaning items.

What are the planned promotions for CONUS Commissaries?

August 30^th – September 12^th

• Commissary store brands of diapers
• Up to 46% off select cereal
• Up to 37% off select coffee
• Up to 27% off select lunch Meats
• Over 50% off select Kids Lunchbox Drinks
• UP to 26% off home care cleaning items (think post PCS clean)
• Over 50% off dairy snacks for breakfast

September 1 – September 6^th

• Labor Day Sales on Soda

September 2 – September 6^th

• The bakery will have a sweet item on sale

September 13^th – September 26^th

• Up to 28% home care cleaning items including paper towels and laundry items
• Over 30% off dairy snacks for adventures on the go
• Up to 29% off select cereal and breakfast bars
• Up to 31% select tea
• Up to 28% select juice boxes
• Up to 25% select sports drinks
• Over 35% off select light bulbs

September 22 – September 28

• The bakery will offer a sale on select fall cheeses

September 27^th – October 10^th

• Up to 28% select home care cleaning items
• Over 50% off select dairy snacks for school lunches and adventures on the go
• Up to 42% off select cereal and granola bars
• Up to 26% off select lunchmeat

On average, the commissary saves patrons 25% annually, and these sidewalk sales offer savings sometimes over 50% off the usual price, depending on the category.  Local commissaries will post their sales ad in the stores and on their websites.

Will you head to the Commissary for their Sidewalk sale?

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        61-21                                                                                                                        

Date:                              August 17, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

‘How are we doing?’

Customers can evaluate their benefit through

 annual Commissary Customer Service Survey starting Aug. 23

By DeCA Corporate Communications

Military customers worldwide will have the opportunity to evaluate their stores through the annual Commissary Customer Service Survey (CCSS) starting Aug 23. To read the story on the DeCA website,click here. To see it on DVIDS, click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – Military customers worldwide will have the opportunity to evaluate their stores through the annual Commissary Customer Service Survey (CCSS) starting Aug. 23.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) survey will be available for 10 consecutive shopping days ending on or before Sept. 8, depending on the commissary’s operating schedule. Customers will be able to take the survey at the commissary entrance area before they shop.

“This CCSS allows us to benchmark commissary performance during a fixed period of time,” said James Taylor, chief of DeCA’s store operations division. “We’re committed to delivering a premier customer experience in every store, and this survey platform continues to be a powerful tool to help us do that.”

            Customers will be asked at random to participate in the survey which evaluates areas such as customer service, pricing, savings, product availability and selection, cleanliness, store layout, and produce, meat, grocery deli and bakery quality.

            After agreeing to participate, customers will be presented with three options:

• Scan a QR code and take the survey on their own mobile device
• Have the store employee ask the questions and enter responses in the store’s iPad
• Or personally complete the survey on the store’s iPad

Commissary associates will use disinfectant wipes to sanitize the iPad between uses, and provide gloves to each customer electing to use the store device. The precautions are part of the safety measures used during the 2020 CCSS cycle to help prevent COVID-19 exposure.

“Care will be given to continuing social distancing measures,” Taylor said. “We are working with our associates at each location to ensure the proper safety protocols are in place.”  

Last year, more than 20,000 shoppers rated the commissaries an overall 4.46. The score is based on a 5-point scale, ranging from 1, “Poor,” to 5, “Excellent.” Customers gave commissaries high marks for helpful and courteous employees, store cleanliness and layout, and convenient hours.

In addition to the annual CCSS, DeCA also employs ForeSee, a robust survey platform that gives commissaries a real-time snapshot of patron feedback throughout the year, accessible at the link provided on the bottom of every purchase receipt. 

“These surveys give our customers opportunities to determine how effective we are in delivering their commissary benefit,” said Brian Myrick, management and program analyst. “We use the data from their responses to help improve their shopping experience. In effect you can say they’re helping themselves by participating.” 

-DeCA-

The pandemic year brought lots of changes – chief among them how many people shop. The pick-up service has become a favorite of tired parents, those wanting to maintain social distance, and those who just want to shop from their comfort of their home and pick it up later. The commissary has answered the call for pick-up services with “Click2Go” order and curbside pick-up service. And now it is free!

A free service for busy service members and their families to pick up groceries while saving money – sounds like a win to me. Lisa, a USMC Spouse in North Carolina who has been shopping at the commissary for over a decade, shopped using Click2Go out of convenience this month and now prefers to shop this way. “I have honestly never seen produce and meat this fresh and beautiful. All the meat I ordered was packaged and time stamped 1-2 hours before I picked up my order. I’m really impressed!”

The Click2go service was first launched in 2013 as a pilot program at three bases. When the program was rolled out to more stores in 2019 there was a $4.95 service fee added. This fee is similar to other popular grocery services. While the initial plan for the implementation of the Click2go program was to stay regional, it is now being launched across the United States (and some overseas locations!)  by the end of August 2021!

Check out the schedule for currently serving and coming soon locations here. Waiting for your local commissary to get the program? Follow DECA on Facebook for updates on the launch.

How to order?

• First register for an account at shop.commissaries.com – you will need your DOD ID number for this
• Click on Commissary Click2Go shopping link to log into your current account
• Navigate the website for the groceries you want to purchase – you can shop using the savings flyers, or just navigate to what you are looking to purchase
• “Check out” and pay online via debit or credit card

What do I need to know?

• Orders must be submitted 6 hours in advance of the pick-up time
• You can cancel your order within 4.5 hours of pickup time
• There is NO minimum order amount
• Substitutions are allowed, but if they do occur the final price will be adjusted for the price of the substitution
• Curbside commissary workers will not accept tips
• You can use digital coupons

Flu season aside, curbside is just helpful if you have a napping child, are sick yourself and just need the basics, or just plain want a break from shopping or getting out of the car.

The East coast has had Click2Go services for several months now, and the program is moving west and around the world in August! Will you be checking out this service?

NEWS RELEASE

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        55-21                                                                                                                        

Date:                              July 22, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

‘The very best deals!’

Commissaries, industry suppliers partner to create more opportunities to save for the military community

By DeCA’s Marketing Directorate

Facebook-friendly version: “Come Home to Savings, Shop Your Local Commissary” is a joint DeCA and industry sales promotion coming to commissaries worldwide starting in August that will offer more opportunities to save for service members and their families.

To learn more,click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – More opportunities to save are on the horizon for commissary customers thanks to a new initiative created by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) and its industry suppliers.

Known as “Come Home to Savings, Shop Your Local Commissary,” this joint DeCA and industry promotion will be coming to commissaries worldwide starting in August, said DeCA Director and CEO Bill Moore.

            “We are partnering with our network of manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to offer our service members and their families even more savings,” he said. “We’re not only offering everyday savings and weekend and seasonal events, but we’re also putting special emphasis on health and wellness.” 

There are several ways customers can “Come Home to Savings.” In-store promotions, the Commissary CLICK2GO curbside service, and DeCA’s website, www.commissaries.com, especially with digital coupons, will all lead to these special savings.

 The following are some ways customers will access “Come Home to Savings” opportunities:

• Commissary Rewards Cards. Customers without rewards cards can ask any employee at their commissary for one and register it on the MyCommissary portal to set up a customer account. Once registered, they can download digital coupons instantly and enter to win special events and giveaways.
• In-Store Coupons. Customers may find a multitude of in-store high-value coupons located on the shelves, as well as when they walk in the door and find military-affiliated free magazines that include commissary/military-only coupons.
• Commissary Store Brands. Commissaries have their own private label brands offering quality comparable to national brands with even deeper savings. Look for DeCA’s own store brands, Freedom’s Choice and HomeBase, as well as other private label brands such as Full Circle organics, Tippy Toes baby products, Wide Awake ready-to-drink coffee products, Crav’n comfort food products, Pure Harmony pet food; TopCare health and beauty and Flock’s Finest wild bird food.
• Your Health and Wellness Programs. The Dietitian-Approved Thumb (DAT) makes it easier for shoppers to find high-performance, nutrient-dense foods; look for the DAT label on shelves. Dietitian-approved Fueling Stations offer nutritious on-the-go meals and snacks. Posters in the center store highlight affordable and nutritious dietitian-approved quick and easy-to-make meals. There is a “dietitian alongside you” at your commissary. 
• YES! Program. The Your Everyday Savings (YES!) Program offers everyday great savings on many of the items that customers buy frequently. The items are marked by bright orange and blue YES! labels.
• Deal of the Week. On select Thursdays in commissaries located in the U.S., customers will find seasonal products with slashed sales prices. These deals last three to four days while quantities last. Look for Deal of the Week signage and the Sales Flyer for super discount pricing.
• Saving the Best for Last!  Throughout the entire month of August commissary customers worldwide will have the opportunity to win a $500 shopping spree. The winners will be awarded their prizes in Commissary Gift Cards. On 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.

‘“Come home to the savings you deserve’ is the message we’re communicating to our customers,” Moore said. “We are here to help them find the very best deals in grocery shopping every day on the installation – that’s what this campaign is all about.”

-DeCA-

By Kathy Milley, DeCA Corporate Communications

July 13, 2021

FORT LEE, Va. – The average grocery store shopper spends 41 minutes per shopping trip, not including travel time, and makes 1.5 trips per week according to the Time Use Institute. That equates to 53 hours per year spent grocery shopping.

The Defense Commissary Agency offers ideas to help shorten your shopping trip, allowing you to divert some of this time back to family and leisure activities.

“When your schedule is tight, our tips can help you shave precious time from your commissary shopping trip, where you can save about 25 cents on the dollar,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, DeCA’s senior enlisted advisor to the agency director. “But when your schedule permits, take some time exploring your commissary and talking to department managers. There are always new products to discover, great promotions throughout the store and department managers willing to share helpful shopping tips.”

Tips to shave time from your shopping trip:

1.  Use Commissary CLICK2GO

         The best way to save valuable shopping time is to use Commissary CLICK2GO, the online shopping and curbside pickup service, available at select locations. Shop from the comfort of your own home and schedule a pickup time. The commissary staff will do all your shopping and have it ready to load in your car when you drive up to the pickup location. And it just got better.  The Commissary Click2Go service fees have been waived for a limited time. Currently Commissary CLICK2GO is available at 52 locations with more locations coming online each month. Keep checking for the new locations coming online on commissaries.com.

2.  Create a master plan

         Planning is the most effective way to cut time from your in store shopping trip and to minimize the number of visits per week. Choose what meals you plan to make during the week and jot down needed ingredients. Commissaries.com offers many recipes that will help with your weekly meal plan. Then check your pantry, refrigerator and cabinets, crossing out the items you already have on hand. Sort the remaining items on a shopping list by category. When you get to the store, you’ll know exactly what to buy and where everything is located. Use this helpful Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet to make it even easier. Save your meal plans and corresponding shopping lists to use again saving even more time on future shops.

         As you are shopping, you might see an item that sparks an idea for an additional dinner that may need several ingredients. Once the inspiration hits, place the item in the child’s seat of the cart as a reminder that you need to pick up the other ingredients or, if you have a pen, jot them down on your list under the appropriate department.

3.  Look up Sales and Recipes Ahead of Time

           Before going to the commissary, look at the sales flyer on commissaries.com to find savings on the items on your list. If a specific brand is on sale, make sure to jot that down beside the item on your shopping list. It will save you time in the store if you know exactly what brand is on sale.

4.  Organize Coupons Before you Get There

         Visit the Savings Center on commissaries.com before your commissary trip, to find resources with lots of printable coupons. Download digital coupons right to your Commissary Rewards Card. Print coupons for the items on your list and organize by category. You may also find industry coupons in the store displayed near the items you purchase.

5.  Avoid Shopping at Peak Hours

         Choosing off-peak hours is a great way to avoid crowds and long lines at the commissary.  If unsure of the peak hours for your store, ask your store director.

6.  Don’t Shop Hungry

         This is a fundamental rule to help you save money when grocery shopping, but it is just as effective when trying to save time. Hunger can be a distraction when you are trying to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible.

7.  Have a Backup Plan for Essential Items

         Know your essential items or brands when you do your shopping and have a backup plan in your mind. On the off chance that a product is not available, having a backup prepared will not derail your quick shopping trip.

8.  Talk to your commissary department managers

         During a shopping trip when time is not a factor, talk to the commissary department managers. They have a wealth of information that can help you decide the best times to plan a quick shopping trip. Ask them about their delivery days, when certain products will be at their freshest or anticipated mark-down times.

9.  Use science to choose your checkout line

         Choosing a line with one person with a loaded cart may actually be faster than a line with several people with fewer items. Little’s Law, the science behind selecting a queue, takes into account the idle time and interaction between each customer and adds that time to the length of each interaction. With all those “between customer” time additions, it may be quicker to choose the line with the fuller cart.

“We have lots of things competing for our time, so any free time we have has never been more valuable,” said Saucedo. “Use Commissary CLICK2GO, these simple tips and the downloadable Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet, to make your next grocery shopping experience the most time-efficient one yet.”

-DeCA-

NOTE: Graphic by Kathy Milley, DeCA Corporate Communications

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.

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        44-21                                                                                                                        

Date:                              June 21, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

‘Exceptional quality’

Fisher House awards 500 scholarships to military children from pool of over 3,600 applicants

By Mike Perron,

DeCA public affairs specialist

The Scholarships for Military Children program once again came through for 500 students from military families who were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship grant for the upcoming 2021 – 2022 school year. The program, created in 2001, recognizes the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and celebrates the commissaries’ role in enhancing the military’s quality of life. To learn more,click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – Even as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on college and university academic schedules nationwide this year, the Scholarships for Military Children program once again came through for 500 students from military families who were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship grant for the upcoming 2021 – 2022 school year.

The program, created in 2001, recognizes the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and celebrates the commissaries’ role in enhancing the military’s quality of life. It’s administered by the Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps service members and their families.

It was Fisher House’s efforts in recent years to modernize the entry process and bring it fully online which left it well prepared for a year complicated by a global pandemic, according to Marshall Banks, Fisher House Foundation’s director of community relations.

“We were very happy with the application process for the 2021-2022 scholarship programs,” he said. “The quality of applications received this year was exceptional. We received a total of 3,657 applications from 220 commissaries.”

While the application process went off without a hitch, the usual celebratory ceremonies held at commissaries for local scholarship winners had to be cancelled due to COVID.

“While we would normally hold a ceremony at the commissary, during these uncertain times with social distancing, ceremonies could not be held this year,” said Marye Dobson, the Defense Commissary Agency’s scholarships program liaison. Instead, scholarship winners were notified by mail and will receive an official certificate mailed to them by the commissary where they were selected as the recipient.

Scholarship applicants submit their official transcript indicating a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for high school applicants, or indicating a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale for students already enrolled in college; and an essay of 500 words or less, no longer than two pages.

Eligibility is determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database. Applicants must ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are enrolled in the DEERS database and have a current military dependent ID card. The applicant must also be planning to attend or already be attending an accredited college or university, full time, in the fall of 2021 or be enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.

Applicants who are awarded a full scholarship to attend a college or university or receive an appointment to one of the military academies or affiliated preparatory schools are not eligible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usually defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees and other expenses.

All rules and requirements for the program, as well as links to frequently asked questions are available at the Scholarships for Military Children website, as is the full list of this year’s winners.

“The window to apply for the 2022-2023 Fisher House Scholarships for Military Children should open in December and close in February, but the exact dates have not been determined yet,” said Dobson. “Be sure to check the scholarship page in mid-December for the opening of the program.”

Fisher House also recently added a custom scholarship search engine to the site, tailored to military families, called “Scholarships for Service.” It’s free, easy to use, and available on mobile devices or computers at militaryscholar.org.

“Fisher House Foundation is proud of our partnership with the Defense Commissary Agency that provides scholarships to well-deserving military children,” said Banks. “Over the last 21 years, we have provided $21,126,000 in scholarships.”

Fisher House Foundation is ranked a Four Star Charity by Charity Navigator. No government funds are used to support the Scholarships for Military Children Program. Commissary vendors, manufacturers, brokers, suppliers and the general public donate money to fund the program.

-DeCA-

You can request items from your commissary!

Did you know you can request items at your local Commissary? One of the annoying things of moving frequently is that we have to start over with the familiarity of the grocery store. We know where our favorite items are in the store, and we develop preferences of brand or types of items. When we move, the next Commissary may not have those favorite items. It’s a simple thing, a comfort snack for the kiddos or favorite salad dressing, but those creature comforts bring a sense of familiarity from the previous base and provide consistency in a family where there isn’t a lot of that. Your local commissary can take requests for your favorite items!

How do I request items?

First step to requesting an item at the commissary is knowing the contact information. If you want to call the store look up the contact information here and request to talk to the manager. Next step is making sure you have all the updated and correct information for the item you want to request. When making a request, make sure to know as much detail about the item as possible – full name of the item and UPC code if possible. The management team at your local commissary takes your request to the Sales Directorate for their area.

What about unit events or large orders?

Looking to place a large special order for a unit event? Or perhaps you want to order a case of your favorite drink or canned item? There is a form for that! Check out the link here for the form and rules and regulations. In general, the form is used for ordering case quantities, but no more than 3 cases of 36 units for personal orders and these restrictions are not in place for units.

Considerations for Overseas locations

If you are living overseas, there are additional challenges in getting a requested item. There may be more rules and regulations in place for importing an item. In addition, there are longer shipping times for overseas locations so items with a limited shelf life may not be able to be requested and transported in a timely manner.

Will you request an item from your local commissary? Tell us your success stories!

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        37-21                                                                                      

Date:                              June 1, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

Agency-wide expansion

Enhanced online ordering/curbside delivery service moving to all stores

By Rick Brink,

DeCA public affairs specialist

Facebook-friendly version: It’s not an overstatement to say that the new and improved Commissary CLICK2GO™ is, well, very much new and improved. Now featuring online payment and more product information than ever before, the online ordering/curbside delivery service is being expanded to all stateside commissaries by the end of the year, and to overseas stores soon thereafter. To learn more,click here.

To see a listing of future locations, click here. To see a DeCA video about CLICK2GO’s enhanced online features, click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – It’s not an overstatement to say that the new and improved Commissary CLICK2GO™ is, well, very much new and improved.

Now featuring online payment and more product information than ever before, the online ordering/curbside delivery service is being expanded to all stateside commissaries by the end of the year, and to overseas stores soon thereafter.

“We’ve learned a lot about what our customers want during our initial 11-store rollout the past two years, and thanks to recent innovations to our e-commerce platform we’ve made tremendous service and user-interface improvements that customers expect in today’s retail environment,” said Bill Moore, director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency. “We’re going to deliver this great service to all commissaries as quickly as possible.”

Because of grocery shopping trends, DeCA has been galvanized to bring online ordering, payment and pick-up options to all commissary-eligible patrons.

The Food Marketing Institute recently reported that online grocery shopping has escalated to previously unpredictable rates since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. FMI had estimated that 20 percent of all U.S. grocery shopping would be done online by 2025. However, the rates of e-grocery sales expected to occur over a 10-year timeframe actually occurred in just six months.

Here’s a brief rundown of Commissary CLICK2GO’s new features:

• Improved navigation and search functions to help customers plan healthy meals and take care of their family’s needs
• Enhanced product information
• Robust recipe features
• Featured sales and promotions
• Upgraded mobile-friendly experience, to include seeing order history for ease in re-ordering desired products
• Online payment

            “Perhaps the most significant enhancement is online payment,” Moore added. “You place your order and pay online, and then it’s simply a matter of driving up to the curbside delivery area of your commissary to have your groceries loaded into your vehicle – that’s a streamlined process our customers expect in this information age.”

Information on how the service works and the rollout status is found on commissaries.com with dedicated sections such as “How CLICK2GO Works.” First-time customers will need to create an account.

Moore said the agency-wide expansion of online ordering/curbside delivery service aligns with DeCA’s strategic goals to make the commissary benefit accessible to as much of the patron base as possible.

“Our CLICK2GO rollout has been long desired by our patrons and we fully grasp that they expect us to deliver this convenient method of grocery shopping as soon as possible – they want to know when they will see it at their commissary,” Moore said. “I can assure you that we’re working as hard as we can to make this happen as quickly as possible.

“We’ll have the schedule on our website to keep people updated as best we can,” he added. “Our promise is to get it to all U.S. stores this calendar year – maybe sooner – and we are committed to getting it to our overseas stores soon thereafter, as we work through international challenges like COVID restrictions.

“Commissary CLICK2GO builds on the vital benefit we deliver exclusively for our military community and their families – we deliver the savings but we have to improve on convenience and CLICK2GO does just that,” Moore said. “With it, patrons near and far can plan, order and pay for their purchases on-line and simply swing by the store to get them. It makes the commissary worth the trip and I envision it will enable us to eventually offer delivery – where our patrons can enjoy their hard-earned benefit from the comfort of their homes or barracks.” -DeCA-

The weather is brighter, the days are longer, and the warmer temperatures are beckoning those of us who have been inside for what seems like eternity outside. The outside weather is enticing the all-so awesome looked forward to – grilling season! It’s time to give the crockpot a break, okay, maybe just a couple of days off, and use the grill to make dinner and dessert. The reality is, we still need shortcuts to spend less time in the kitchen and more time cooking, eating, and having time with friends and family.

The commissary has prepared shortcuts to make the grilling season easy and enjoyable. Just add a grill.

Check out the grill pack meat power box! The boxes provide multiple meat options, all while saving money! The grill pack meat power boxes have varying meat included from premade patties, rib racks, or sausages. Gather up your neighbors or a few friends and pitch in for a meat pack, and cover dinner for an evening all while enjoying the outdoors.

The produce aisle has a secret weapon – the pre-cut/prepacked section. When preparing for grilling, grab a pack or two of prepackaged veggies. Especially in preparing for warmer weather, cut mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes are found in plastic containers ready to go. Want a vegetable you don’t to cut – grab corn in the husks, artichokes, or asparagus, toss in some seasoning, and they are ready to go– yum! Grab precut celery to snack on while you are grilling, and heck, it is a nice treat not to have to do the cutting of veggies for skewers.  

Check out the pre-cut stone fruits, watermelon, and pineapple in the produce aisle. Grilled pineapple and stone fruits like peaches are delicious on the grill! And if they are already cut for you – even better! Pre-sliced watermelon is ready to go. That’s less time cutting the core and peel off the pineapple, and more time spent grilling and eating!

The all-included pre-made marinade bags will spice up your dinner. The spice aisle boasts ready-made spice mixes and marinades that come in a bag and ready for any protein or vegetable you want to toss in. The beauty of the marinade bags is that they are ready to go. Add any meat from the meat power box or cut up mushrooms and peppers from the produce aisle, and all you need is to toss it on the grill! Lunch or dinner ready to go!

The bakery has you covered with bread and buns! Hit up the bakery for a variety of bread or buns. Rye, sesame, wheat, and French sandwich buns, or bread that can be made into buns.

Don’t forget the seafood. If you are looking for fish or shrimp to grill, check out the seafood counter at your local commissary to see what they have on offer. Oftentimes they also have shrimp or fish that has been marinated already and ready to cook!

Snack on popcorn. Not necessarily a shortcut, but with a couple of ingredients, you can grill up a yummy snack. If you have oil, popcorn kernels, and aluminum foil, foil packets of popcorn are ready to go for snack time! Pick up popcorn seasonings while at the commissary, and you are ready for multiple flavors of snacks.

What do you grill during grilling season?

The commissary is a constant fixture among military families. It is the grocery store military families depend on with each move to have their staples and favorites. Beyond being the store that military families turn to for convenience and affordable products, there is a lot to love about the commissary.

Meat Power Boxes

Have you seen the meat power boxes in the meat section of your local commissary? Sometimes also available at the commissary entrances, these boxes provide a collection of meat options with additional savings. Four meat power boxes rotate availability per local commissary: Health Alternatives, Economy, Tailgate, and Fix it and Forget It. Each one offers up to 25% in savings on top of the Commissary’s lower prices. Each box includes 15-19 pounds with a variety of meat, depending on the box. This is perfect for families doing monthly or bi-monthly shopping trips to grab what they need and keep moving. It is also perfect for units or groups that are grilling or cooking together to save money.

Savings

Congress has mandated that the Defense Commissaries (DeCA) provided a consistent savings level for military families. This means that there are guaranteed savings at your local military commissary. These savings are calculated regionally so that prices better match that region’s cost-of-living. Per DeCA, the regional savings are as follows:

• New England: 21.8%
• South Atlantic: 18.7%
• South Central: 18.9%
• Pacific: 22.6%
• Mountain: 20%
• North Central: 21.4%
• Alaska/Hawaii: 33.2%

Rewards Card

In addition to the Congress-mandated savings, the Commissary has a Rewards program. The Rewards Program is an application with coupons for additional savings, no clipping necessary. Download the app, enter the number of your Commissary Rewards card, and “clip” from the store’s coupons. The card is associated with your phone number and can be used at checkout if you forget your card.

Use Your Military Star Card

Shopping for groceries and have a Military Star Card? Earn rewards on your grocery purchases! Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at the Military Commissary. Every 2,000 points earn a $20 rewards card. Historically, there have also been double points offerings on certain days, earning 4 points per $1, meaning you earn the reward even faster. Check your local Military Commissary social media for any offerings of this type.

Grab-N-Go

While living the hotel-style life or just moving into a new home, the grab-n-go section is a, pardon the pun, go-to. The packaged sushi, salads, and sandwiches are perfect for families without dishes, often including silverware or chopsticks that are readily available at the pick-up area. Perfect for those deployment days when you don’t want to cook, but you still have to eat and feed the kids – grab a rotisserie chicken from the Grab-N-Go and grab some deli sides for a complete meal.

Amazing International Aisle

The International aisle spans a variety of ethnic foods, especially areas that military service members and their families were stationed overseas. Looking for mustard from Germany, or a biscuit from the U.K.? Or perhaps that canned coffee you got from Dydo while living in Asia? It’s in the International aisle at the commissary! It’s a trip down memory lane and a chance to share those memories with other family members. Haven’t been to any of these countries? Enjoy the food from the country from the comfort of your home without the requirement of your passport, all at affordable prices.

Click2Go Curbside service

Online shopping and curbside pickup service have become a staple in the last year. It is perfect for busy individuals, parents with sick children or families with a deployed spouse, or just plain don’t want to go into the store. Click2Go is the curbside service of the Commissary. Orders can be placed here. Upon pickup, you will be required to show military ID, the confirmation email and bring a preferred form of electronic payment. There is no minimum order size or minimum dollar amount.

The Click2Go service is available at Charleston AFB, Fort Belvoir, Fort Eustis, Fort Lee, Fort Polk, Jacksonville NAS, Oceana NAS, Offutt AFB, Quantico, and McGuire. There are hours of operation for Click2Go which can be checked here.  This service is still in the testing phase, and if it is popular, there are plans to expand to more commissaries.

Overseas Perks

Moving to a foreign country is an amazing opportunity that some military families enjoy. Living overseas means a new culture, housing, and food. There are also differing food prices in the local economy that are not always affordable. While military families living overseas do receive a COLA, the on-base commissary provides a place with familiar food with labels that are easily read, which is an amazing resource for families with food allergies. Also, some food pricing at the local commissaries is aligned with U.S. pricing and is much more affordable on base than off.  Bonus -when living overseas, coupons to be accepted up to 6 months after their expiration date!

Packaged Meals Ready to Cook

Beyond the Grab-N-Go are prepackaged meals near the meat section. Want to make a stew but don’t have all the ingredients? Grab the prepackaged stew packages, and everything is there – oftentimes including the seasoning packets. All you have to do is cut the container open, pour and cook per the instructions. A homecooked meal is not far away with the prepared ready to cook meals. These are useful when living in temporary living facilities with a limited kitchen as some of these can be prepared easily on the stovetop that on-base hotel facilities have.

Sense of Camaraderie

The commissary isn’t just a grocery store. It’s part of the community. It is where new families run into friends they knew at the previous duty station. It’s where you run into the family down the street and catch up on neighborhood gatherings. The commissary is a community resource for the families that serve.