When you think of winter, do you think of snow and staying indoors and cuddling by a roaring fire? Perhaps images of sipping hot cocoa with a book come to mind? While wintertime is a time of cooler weather temperatures, it is also a time of increased coughs and colds. The time to stock up for cold season is before it is cold season. This is especially important for those who have children in the house and a deployment for the military member may be upcoming – you do not want to be heading to the grocery store or even grocery pick up if you have sick kids. Here are the x things to stock up on at the commissary before cold season.

1. Canned soup – this may go without saying, but getting canned soup means you can prepare a simple meal that will provide nourishment and relief without much work.
2. Broth – Like soup, the prepared broth is soothing for the throat, congestion, and belly. It is full of nutrients too. Just watch the salt content as some of the canned varieties pack a ton, and you don’t want a lot of sodium-filled foods when you are already dehydrated from sneezing or nasal congestion.
3. Mac and Cheese – this is key for kiddos who may like this creature comfort when sick.
4. Orange Juice – vitamin C in this beverage is a healing antioxidant that your body needs during a respiratory virus.
5. Tea – Whether you enjoy the loose-leaf or boxed variety, tea provides a hot beverage that provides relief from nasal congestion and pressure as well as post-nasal drop that coughs and colds bring with them. There are many caffeine-free varieties.
6. Honey – A soothing accompaniment to tea, honey is comforting and helps with allergies. Honey should not be given to children under 12 months of age per the American Academy of Pediatrics.
7. Menthol Chest Rub – This rub may assist with congestion and allow for easier sleeping, which will help with restoration and recovery from a cold. There are both children’s and adult versions. If you have young children, check out the patches that go on their clothing – this prevents them from potentially eating the rub.
8. Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen – These medications reduce fever and pain when you have a cold. Remember that ibuprofen is not recommended for children 6 months and under. And never give aspirin to a child unless instructed by your medical provider.
9. Guafenesin or cold syrup – If you know that there is a certain medication you love that alleviates your congestion or cough, get one to have on hand so it is ready before you get sick. This also prevents it from being out of stock when it is cold and flu season.
10. Thermometer – while you may not think of the commissary as a place to pick this up, they do have them in the medicine aisle. If you have limited time to pick up supplies, grab it while you can.
11. Cough drops – As an adult, talking is necessary for function. When you have a cold or flu, talking hurts – cough drops can help soothe a sore throat. If you have children, they make fantastic cough drop lollipops so they can be soothed without the choking risks that cough drops present.
12. Soap – Make sure to have an extra soap pump or two before cold season hits. When you or a family member are dealing with a cold is not the time you want to be picking up hand soap. And with a cold there will be an increase in handwashing at home.
13. Soft tissues – do not get the cheapest – these are the ones with cushions on them – you want the comfort to cover your nose if you are sneezing and have rhinorrhea.
14. Disinfecting Wipes – While you need these year-round, always keep an extra on hand to wipe down surfaces to disinfect when cold/flu season hits your home.
15. A moisturizing lotion – with all the handwashing, you will need a moisturizing lotion to lock in the moisture and keep your hands soft. Check if water is the first ingredient – if is, move on and look for another lotion.

The Commissary is a grocery store staple for many who live overseas or live on base. Since it is a not-for-profit grocery store it has been known for its competitive prices and options. When you think about meal planning and healthy eating, do you consider the Commissary? Do you know everything your commissary has to offer?

1. Meat and Cheese Platters – Talk about a shortcut for gameday, gatherings, or just plain desire for a charcuterie board for lunch or dinner. The deli in the commissary offers meat and cheese platters! Each deli has different rules on how far in advance you have to order, so ask at your deli counter. Pricing also depends on the meat and cheese types and brands chosen. Take the work out of making one yourself by ordering them. This is perfect for gatherings for sports events or hosting.
2. Veggie and Fruit Platters – Just like the deli, the produce department offers fruit and vegetable platters. These also require advance notice, usually about 72 hours per personal use. You can also specifically request certain vegetables or fruit but what is available varies by commissary stock. The pricing is usually reflected in the weight or size of the tray. These are also great for gatherings, but also just to have the shortcut of having pre-cut healthy snacks on hand.
3. Alternative Flours – If you are cooking with nut flours or gluten-free flour to avoid allergens or to add protein to your diet, these flours are on offer usually in the baking aisle but also in the health food aisle.
4. Alternative Mixes. No more having to go to various stores looking for a favorite gluten-free mix. There are bread and pizza dough mixes ready to go in many varieties – almond and gluten-free – for easy making and baking. There are even muffin mixes as well for an easy shortcut if needed.
5. Power Buy Boxes – If you are a meal planner, or have this goal in the new year, the meat boxes are a way to go to plan and prep as well as save money.  There are 4 power buy boxes currently – economy, healthy alternative, crockpot, and tailgate. Each box has varied meat from ground beef, pork chops, top sirloin, ribs, and ribeyes depending on the box type. The savings range from 33 – 39% depending on the type. You can even ask the butcher for the ribs to be cut into smaller portions – for free!
6. Health Food – Did you know there was an entire aisle of health food? There are snacks like Z-Bars and Larabars with fewer additives or additional ingredients beyond fruit or grains are available in the health food aisle.
7. Alternative Milk – In the dairy section and the health food aisle, Almond and Coconut milk are available – both refrigerated and non-refrigerated. This is perfect for those traveling, especially if you are going to an area without wide availability.

Healthy eating and meal planning are common goals in the new year. Eating healthy foods on a budget isn’t always easy, save time and money with these gems from your local Commissary.

By Rick Brink, DeCA public affairs specialist

Facebook-friendly version: Commissary CLICK2GO, the Defense Commissary Agency’s online shopping and curbside pickup service, extended its services Oct. 25 to commissary customers in all 50 states who participate in the Electronic Benefits Transfer/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or EBT/SNAP. Click here to read the full story online.

FORT LEE, Va. – Commissary CLICK2GO, the Defense Commissary Agency’s online shopping and curbside pickup service, extended its services Oct. 25 to commissary customers in all 50 states who participate in the Electronic Benefits Transfer/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or EBT/SNAP.

            “We’re pleased with the ongoing evolution of our online shopping program to be able to offer its convenience to our customers,” said DeCA Director and CEO Bill Moore, “There’s a catch, though, that for now, and until some electronic payment issues are resolved, EBT/SNAP customers can shop online, but will have to go inside the store to pay for their purchases.”

            EBT/SNAP is only available in the U.S., not at overseas locations. Customers use a card that’s similar to a credit or debit card to access their benefits. The EBT/SNAP account of a participant is debited to reimburse the store for food they purchase. The Commissary CLICK2GO payment processor currently only accepts Mastercard, VISA, Discover and American Express for online and curbside payments, which is why EBT/SNAP participants have to go inside the store to complete their purchases.

            “I can assure you we are working to resolve the issues as quickly as possible, but we don’t have a timeframe, yet, of when that will be,” Moore said. “This year we finished an all-out press to expand Commissary CLICK2GO worldwide, and we are continuing to make it better as we strive to be the grocery store of choice for our patrons worldwide.”

-DeCA-

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-

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-