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

[homesteadmamma]

Okay for those who eat meat, how do you keep frugal.

[FrugalMomof3]

Buy in bulk and freeze it. I have a friend who buys meat at wholesale price, I always tell him to pick me up some.

~Tracy~

[inneedofhope]

I use venison, free from my hunter friends. When I do see a really great deal on a meat that I like, I will break in down and freeze it. I keep my portions to the size of a deck of cards per person, and stick to lean cuts for health reasons. I can often find a small package marked down or on sale. I try to do fish once a week, also for health. Sometimes I can get a good deal on a whole chicken or turkey, and I will stretch it out for several meals.
I haven't bought from a farmer yet, but I think if you are cooking for a family it can be very cost effective to buy half a cow, or pig, and stock the freezer. The meat tastes soo much better than the stuff I get from the market, too.

[Mamaw]

We buy a half side or whole side of beef from the farmers. Also buy half or whole pigs this way. DH is friends with a meat cutter who has his own shop in his home. So they butcher and process the meat together. This is very cost effective for me since DH buddy does not charge him for cutting since DH helps him cut for customers as well as for his own use. But even if you had to pay the cutting fee this can be very cost effective. Plus you can specify how lean you want the burger and what cuts you prefer.
I paid 600 for a whole side of beef and ended up paying 60 for a half a pig. I have enough beef and pork to last a year.

[Pepper]

We get alot of our meat from the butcher himself. He sells it in different packages and we find that for $100, we can have enough meat for almost 6 mths. We get stew meat, steaks, pork, sausage, bacon etc. There are times we buy from the grocery store and not the local butcher but we spend more than twice what we do with him.

[marym]

I buy my beef from my DIL who raises Black Angus. DIL and her parents and I split a 1/2 side of beef. It's cheaper and better than the grocery stores. I know she dose not use antibiotics or growth hormones. The cattle graze outdoors in a meadow all summer and are fed grain in the winter.

[willow]

We only have the freezer above the frig so I don't have much room to store meat purchases. I only buy sale meat and buy the value packages of meat when they go on sale then rewrap into meal size portions.

We generally eat cheaper cuts of meat and I buy chickens whole or if they are on sale boneless chicken breasts.

I've been learning to stretch our meat by trying some skillet meals. This way I end up with leftovers for our lunches.

[mrschris]

We raise our own chicken and eggs. Used to do beef, too, but haven't in a couple of years. I have asked the grocery store meat departments what time of day they mark down their meat. Any ground meat bulk in a case, rather than wrapped, has to be sold within 24 hours. It's a federal law. So I go when they're marking it down and pick up what I can then.

Some grocery stores will let you take an on-sale cut of meat and have them grind it for the same price, too.

We don't eat many roasts and no steaks. It's just too expensive.

I'm looking forward to putting in more pasture and getting another steer. I hate grocery store meat!

mrschris

[dndylfe]

I usually try to aim to buy meat that is 99 cents a pound or less, and it's surprising how many times you can find meat that cheap. Usually alot of chicken though...

Also, buy lots of whole chickens---just this week I roasted one and then used leftovers to make both chicken burritoes (1 1/2 meals) and chicken tortilla soup (2 1/2 meals) so one $4 chicken got me five meals for 3 people. Not bad.

Also, I sometimes check the Quick Sale selection and they have things I want to buy but don't usually because of price, like lamb chops. Then I freeze it and cook later. Never noticed a difference.

Also, if a recipe calls for a 1 lb. of meat, I ALWAYS use less than that. You can never tell.

[mom2matty]

We also buy our meat from a local butcher.....family owned in our town for more years than I have been alive! They sell quality meat and I can get it for cheaper than I buy in the grocery store. We set aside $100 and buy a "package" deal and it can last 4 to 6 months depending on which package we buy.

[Julia Kimber]

I 'buy it when it on 'Special' and try to get big packs. Then divide up into packs enough for a meal and freeze. Also use a lot of mince (Hamburger) There are so many ways to use it! Buy diced 'bacon type bits' as they call them, when on 'Special,' which I can use in place of ordinary bacon in recipes, no fat so no wastage!
Julia

[HOOAH2003]

I wish we could save on meat but we only have one place to shop so its whatever they have.

[frugalfarmwife]

We're fortunate in that we raise our own beef and have for several years, very cost effective and we KNOW what we're eating, no chemicals or hormones.

kj

[Dedlered]

I look for the big sales and stock up. Like this week, Starting Thursday, Dominick's will have whole fryers for 67 cents a pound and London Broil for 1.99 a pound.
Jewel has boneless pork chops 10 for 10 ~ So I stock up my freezer and will have meat for most of the Spring and SUmmer

[Emerald_Mommy]

We buy mostly chicken, when it's on sale. I buy whole chickens, leg quarters and boneless skinless breasts for different meals. I keep a price guide to know when those cuts are really on sale.

We buy pork loin on sale about once a month and we cut it into roasts or chops ourselves. We rarely buy a roast (usually for a special dinner).

We just don't eat very much meat anymore, though we like it.