Ways to Save Money on Meat
Meat can be one of the most expensive ingredients in a recipe or meal. So today I’m sharing different ways to save money on meat.
Eat Less Meat
The first way to save money on meat is to cut back on it. Most adults and kids need about 5 ounces of meat per serving. So a family of four only need  a 1 1/4 pounds for a whole meal. Or better yet go meatless occasionally. If your family agrees you might try a meatless meal once a week.Â
Know Your Buy Price
Another way to really save on meat is to purchase the meat when it hits a low price. Meat prices can vary from place to place so watch the sales and see how low the prices go. Then stock up when it hits that low price.
My Buy Prices
I have a buy price of $2.49 per pound for ground beef and ground turkey. For beef roast my price is $2.99 per pound.
Chicken varies depending on the cut. I usually purchase boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.99 or less and bone in chicken breasts at $.99/lb but that price is becoming harder to find. I will buy whole chickens at $.79 per pound.
Cut Your Own Meat
When I purchase pork I purchase a whole tenderloin. Then I cut it up myself into pork chops and roasts. This is the only pork products I usually purchase except for bacon on occasion.
I will purchase beef roasts on sale and cut them up for dishes I make before I freeze it. I like to cut roasts into chunks for stew and slices for stir fry and other dishes. Sometimes I can save over $2 a pound by doing the cutting myself.
Buy Less Expensive Cuts
I have found that I can purchase the less expensive meats if I cook them in a slow cooker. The meat turns out tender and I can save more. I also look for less expensive steaks for our family. If I tenderize them a little and then marinate them they turn out really good.
Look for Clearance Meat
I also cruise by the meat section when I am shopping to see if there are any good deals on meat in the clearance. You never know what you will find. I sometimes see meat past it’s prime and I always skip those packages.
But I have found grass feed organic beef for only $1.99 per pound. So do be sure to take a peek at the clearance meat you might find a great deal.
Use Your Freezer
When I take advantage of a good sale either at the store or through Zaycon Foods, I freeze it. By stocking up at a low price and not having to purchase meat at a full price you can really save a bunch. So be sure to clear out some room in your freezer for the next sale you find.
Buy Half a Cow or Pig
My mom very rarely shopped for meat when I was growing up. Our family would purchase half a pig and quarter to a half a cow each year at our local meat market. Then our huge chest freezer was stocked with meat for a long time. If you can’t handle that much meat at once, check with your meat market to see if they have smaller meat packages. Most of them do.
What your best way to save money when purchasing meat?
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These are great tips. I usually stock up on meat when its on sale, use some and freezethe rest. The case in our butchers dept has chicken breast at $1.99 per pound all the time so unless I get it for less than that, I get chicken from the butchers case. I think our store will cut up the meat free of charge but I haven’t asked. I am trying to do more meatless and breakfast for dinner meals because cost of meat (and even veggies) is so high. I am realizing that veggies are just about as expensive per pound as the meat!
Yes, vegetables can be expensive too. I’m so ready for spring so we can get our garden going. 🙂 We love breakfast for dinner here too.
I’m always hesitant to buy a big piece of meat like a tenderloin and cut it myself because the initial cost is so much, but it does make sense. Maybe I should give it a try!
We have been buying large meats & cutting our self. This is after we finish w/ the beef (or 1/2 beef) that we buy yearly. Great tips
Where are you finding chicken breasts for $1.99/lb? I’ve lived here in Oregon (Portland) for a year and a half and havent ever seen it go below $2.99/lb.
Hi Jamie,
This week Albertsons has their boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.79/lb. I live over on the east side of town (Portland) and usually go to either the Troutdale or the Sunnyside Albertsons. That price is good through Tuesday March 4th. Do you live close to either of those stores?
I’ve never even seen an Albertsons up here! Haha. I live in close-in SE Portland but there is one somewhat near my work in NE, off Prescott. Thank you for the heads up.
Your Welcome!
We are buying a half cow this year. I am quite interested to see how long the meat lasts our family of four. Hopefully, we will be saving a lot of money this way!