#2 - Let's talk about ways to be frugal when it comes to purchasing meat

**Pemberleyan** · 05-23-2009, 05:22 PM

As others have said, I buy when it's on sale or marked for quick sale or in bulk. I also accept any free venison. I sometimes use less expensive ground turkey in place of ground beef. Also, say if I'm making tacos or chili, I'll puree some black beans and add it to stretch the meat.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-23-2009, 07:33 PM

well this won't do anyone else any good but we live in Florida and all our meat comes from Michigan.My MIL is snow bird and she buys the whole cow or pig and splits it with us bringing our half with her when she comes to Florida. Buying the entire thing is so much cheaper and when you have someone to split it with that great. It also tastes so much better

**ladykemma2** · 05-23-2009, 09:10 PM

on sunday early morning i peruse the quick sale area. i buy ground meat in large and repackage in smaller quantities.

i stretch the ground meat with oats.

**cejhome** · 05-23-2009, 10:36 PM

I buy all my beef/poultry/pork at Publix - they have the best quality in the area. For the beef and chicken, I only buy the Greenwise or Springer Farms (non-hormone/antibiotic/humane treatment/veg diet, etc.). They do not have Greenwise pork, but what they do have is very good quality. None of it is "enhanced".

I do not buy any meat if it is not on sale (with the exception of ground beef - I get grass fed, which is only in stock a few times a month). When they have something I use on sale, I stock up. Last time they had boneless pork loin on sale, I bought 3 large ones and cut them in thirds. They have the greenwise steaks on sale quite a bit now, so I stock up on those, too. We have a large stand-alone freezer in the basement (upright). I have one shelf for each type of meat,so I can see what I have/don't have. I can easily inventory my stock, to see what is needed.

I plan our meals on what meat items I have in the freezer. Only other option in our area for good quality meat is Whole Foods - way too $$ and not convenient. We have a Kroger's close by, but I do not like their meat quality at all. All their pork is "enhanced", to. (How did they come up w/calling it "enhanced". That makes it sound like it is better. Ha!)

I drive by our Publix every day on the way home, so I stop in about 3 times a week during the week (not weekends), to buy my produce, or hit their BOGO deals on Thursday pm. I always check the meat section to see if there are any mgr's specials. (Scored on greenwise ribeye steaks a while back 5.99/lb - bought all they had left - 4 packages).

Since there are only 2 humans in our household, we can afford this, I know if I had more mouths to feed, I would have to be more value conscious. We don't eat out much - 1/per month for dinner (and only if we have a coupon).

Now if I could only to that for our cat! She eats mainly rabbit (raw/homemade), and I have to mail order it. I do order in bulk, to get the maximum value (order 45 lbs at a time). Puddin had her "own" freezer - we inherited a small upright from my husband's oldest brother when he passed away (he left it to us!). I know it sounds silly, but I get a kick out of it - I can imagine him teasing us about having a freezer for cat food - I can hear him laughing.... (Her mail ordered rabbit meat is raised on a natural diet, and they are treated humanely and butchered humanely.) It may be more $ than commercial cat food, but her health is so great, it is a good trade off for the cost - and we can afford it. Rather go w/out cable tv, eating out, than feed her cheap. (She's 13, and our vet says she is the most muscular cat she has seen!)

**mamamia** · 05-24-2009, 04:37 AM

When it comes to beef, I wait for the round roasts to go on sale. Last week was bottom rounds at $1.99 lb. For this sale, I called ahead of time and asked the meat cutter to give me 15-16 lbs. Then I told him how I wanted it cut up and portioned. I got a 4lb. roast, 2lbs. stew meat, 4lbs. very thin cut steaks (stir fry, philly steaks, and bracciole for my sauce). The rest I got ground. This same week, ground round was on "sale" for $2.99lb.

I'm very particular about my chop meat, and always get it ground from a roast. I like knowing what I'm eating

So for $1.99lb, I got cuts of meat that I would've easily paid alot more for. Stir fry beef is usually about $3.99lb. alone. So that's how I do it.

Have also had them ground pork roasts and boneless/skinless chicken for certain recipes. This is when it's really cheap though. Thinking of starting to add a little ground chicken to my ground beef to cut back some on red meat.

BTW, I get this done at Publix. I trust their meat.

HTHs

Theresa

**Sassyclass** · 05-24-2009, 09:54 AM

I have one store that has the Pick 5 items for $19.99 and I buy from there when they run a special to get the 6th item free. But meat is one thing I will pay extra for to make sure it is good, so I'm looking into buying fresh from our local farmers. I just got the pamphlet from our Extention office. It has a list of beef, pork, poultry, and fruit/vegetable farmers in our area. I'd much rather pay a little more and keep the money in my community, than drive 35 miles and waste it on meat that has been sitting in the meat case for who knows how long. Nothing beats fresh Black Angus beef.

Cat

**pollypurebred39** · 05-25-2009, 02:55 AM

This is how I do it. Nothing more than a dollar a pound. This weeks flyers are big because of the holiday, I took advantage and stocked up, spending almost the entire budget just on meat.

This week;

Acme- split chicken breast .99 cents a pound

Genuardis- pork ribs $1 a lb. and fresh hot and sweet sausage $1 a lb.

Last week was pork chops $1 a lb and the week before that was chicken fryers for .89 cents a pound. I buy as much as I possible can and fill the freezer because 1) I want variety and 2) there are weeks when no meats are on sale and I have to hit the salvage store for $1 oscar myer hot dogs and $1 chubs of chicken and I want to eat more than hot dogs and ground chicken.

On the off sale meat weeks I stock up on what is on sale like frozen vegetables $1 a bag (that's the way our sales run) cans of tomatoes, and pasta sauces, boxes of cereal, sour cream, cheese, whole grains like brown rice, laundry soap, toilet paper, shampoos, etc.

It all balances out as the weeks progress. My pantry stays balanced because of my buying rotation. Stick with sale items, over stock items expecting to carrying those products for weeks until they go on sale again. This goes double for meat.

**Momtwo** · 06-17-2009, 02:37 PM

I buy at rock bottom prices in bulk with coupons (when I have them) from supermarkets. I also buy whole chickens cook them and divide the meat up into freezer bags for use in casseroles, stir frys, etc. There are only two of us so we only 1/2 lb. of meat whenther it be chicken or ground chuck in recipes such as this type. I buy larger peices of meat.....for example chuck roasts when they are on sale and have the butcher grind them for me. This method makes for rock bottom prices on gorund chuck, ground turkey, gorund chicken and pork.

**MelissaV** · 06-19-2009, 07:07 AM

I slice chicken breasts in half. This way one piece of chicken serves two of us. I also only buy it when it's buy one/get one free. I just buy enough that I can wait until the next time it's on major sale.

**ladykemma2** · 06-19-2009, 08:23 AM

have a co-worker who like to deer hunt. my freezer is full.

**pat in east texas** · 06-19-2009, 10:40 AM

I buy quality meat. We don't eat much meat anyway. I will NOT buy meat from wally-world. Their meat is "Enhanced with a 12% solution". If it needs that much help, it isn't good to start with. Chicken I buy whole and cut it up myself, my way. Backs, necks, wingtips go to make broth. I'd have more fish, but DH only likes the more expensive salmon, halibut, swordfish, etc.