Meat is the single biggest part of your grocery bill (see point #4 here). When you need to save on groceries, this is the place to start. It’s not hard once you use these 8 tips to save more on meat.
I’m a meat lover, but I gotta admit, when the budget gets tight, I’m glad I have these tips in my savings arsenal. Even if you just use the last one of these, I guarantee you WILL save money. I do it every week!
1) Know the regular meat prices
Only buy meat at a good sale price! How do you know if that sale is any good? Well, you gotta know the regular price for comparison.
But you don’t need to know the price for every kind or cut of meat…just the ones you use yourself. I never buy ribeye or T-bone steaks, so I don’t really need to know those prices. Make a list of your favorite cuts (or kinds) of beef, pork, chicken, and seafood.
2) List alternatives to your favorite cuts
Are there alternative cuts to the ones you like that might be on sale? Ask the butcher or do a google search on cuts you could substitute and add these to your list as well. For example, my London Broil could also be Round Steak, Top Blade, or Flank Steak. I buy whichever is on sale.
Are there larger, cheaper cuts that could be cut down? They go on the list, too. I like center-cut pork chops but usually buy the pork loin on sale and just get it sliced to order…it’s the exact same meat. If those chops are in the package already cut, they’re much more; but in most stores, the butcher will cut them down for free!
3) Is that bone-in chicken price really better?
You don’t eat the bone but you do pay for it in that price. See the link at the end for a super nerdy way to figure out the cost of the meat on that bone!
Even if the bone-in chicken is cheaper, isn’t it more work? It is…UNLESS you cook it in the crockpot on Low for several hours. Then it just falls off the bone! (Remember to remove all bones, cartilage, and skin before serving.)
4) Check your sales flyers
This seems obvious, but ALWAYS check the sales flyer before buying your meat. Does your store’s website sales flyer have a list view with filters by department? It’s a quick way to find all the meat sales prices together!
5) Build your “toolkit” for comparing prices
Start by recording your store’s regular price per pound of the cuts you use. Do just one meat family (like beef or seafood) per week until you’ve got them all as this is a little tedious. Keep your notes in favorite pics or notes on your phone or somewhere they’re always handy for comparison.
If you’re serious about savings, check the same prices at a second store. If you HAD to buy at regular price, you want the best one available!
Here’s why I write down the regular price of my favorite cuts of meat. I buy my favorite shrimp at $6.99 or $7.99 per pound, but the regular price is $14.99 per pound…almost double! It makes me feel good to save this much on a meat we love!
6) Build up your freezer reserve
Finally found a good meat sale? Buy more than you need! Pack the extra in freezer bags (by the pound) and mark with what it is and the date. Then freeze it flat. Once it’s solid, you can stand it on end, and the packages take less space.
Keep an inventory of your frozen meat so you can “shop” the freezer before going to the store. I keep a full freezer inventory so I can find things faster! It doesn’t have to be this big…just do what works for you!
7) Find that “rock bottom” sales price
Check the sales prices of your favorite meats weekly. It’s a great way to figure out the “rock bottom” lowest sale price and how often it happens (some are 6 weeks apart, some are less). Then you’re ready to stock up with what you need until that price comes again!
8) And the easiest tip to save money on meat…
Buy less! You don’t have to go vegetarian or vegan. Just make at least one meal each week meatless…my favorites are salads and bean dishes (when I’m not on the Whole30 of course). Lentils are the bomb and cook so quickly!
Start your meat-savings plan today
Like I said, even if you only do that last tip, you will save some money. But if you go all out and try the whole shebang, you may be surprised the savings you’ll find. I’d love to hear about how this works for you. Tell me your savings story in the comments below!
Find out the “cost of meat vs. bone” on chicken here…
