When it comes to budgeting our money, one of the biggest areas for most people is their grocery budget. Managing to eat healthy and feed a lot of people can be a difficult task. One of the biggest hits to our grocery bill comes from the meats. Managing your meat costs and stretching your meat budget can be done with a few tips and tricks. Here are some tips I use.
How To Lower Your Meat Costs
* Slow Cook Cheaper Cuts – The slow cooker can do wonderful things for meats. I love putting in a pork or beef roast and slow cooking it all day. It comes out so tender and delicious.
* Marinate Cheaper Cuts of Meat – You can tenderize cheaper cuts by using liquids. Marinating meats adds moisture and tenderness to a tougher cut. Injecting liquids can sometimes work too, depending on the cut.
* Shop Sales and Buy in Bulk – I already shared with you my tip for shopping the restaurant supply stores. Shopping the sales and buying in bulk can save you a ton of cash.
* Beans and Legumes Help You Save – Beans and legumes are a great addition to any meal and if you are cutting back on meats, you can add these to help offset the protein needed. Some people add beans to soups and stews and sauces or as a side dish. You can get creative and save money.
* Use Ground, Chopped, Shredded Meat – Instead of slicing your meats, chop or shred them. A little goes a longer way and you can get more out of a roast or chicken. I use this method on salads, tacos, burritos, sandwiches and others too.
* Use Meat like a Condiment – The Asian culture uses meats more as a condiment and supplements with veggies. Stir fry, soups, salads, and stews are a perfect way to add bulk to a meal but use less meat.
Cutting the meat costs can be tough but hopefully some of these tips will help you. What tips do you have to share on managing your meat budget?
Looking for a new slow cooker? I have three of them and use them all of the time. The last two that I got…I purchased from Amazon and love them!
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Shopping the sales is the only way I buy meat. And even then, it’s chicken most of the time. Beef is only a treat these days. Ground turkey goes on sale fairly regularly, so that’s what I use for chili, meatloaf, tacos, and things like that.
These are all good tips. I try to implement most of,them and use more veggies in my dishes. I also will often grind my own meat for hamburgers
These are all good suggestions -some I’ve already implemented, and good to learn some new ideas!!!
Use Meat like a Condiment – best tip. I eat meat only a couple of times a week.
Very helpful tips for saving money. We are definitely trying to eat less meat and try to substitute with more vegetables when we make stews and soups. Also try to do 1-2 meatless meals a week. The transition has been easier than I thought it would be.
I’m a bean and legume lover and never really cared for meat. I was a vegetarian most of my teen years and found I can get my protein from other sources.
Great tips and I thank you so much for sharing this one as the prices of meat are SCARY these days. I like the idea of using meat as a condiment especially in this hot summer heat more veggies less meat.
These are great tips for lowering your meat costs. I think a great way to lower meat costs is to eat less meat. I suggest incorporating meatless days into your weekly meal plan.
Great tips! I could easily be a vegetarian but my husband loves meat.
Very useful and wonderful tips. Meat is expensive but a necessity at my house. My husband loves his meat. While we love the more expensive ribeye steak, for basic cooking and using in recipes, we buy a lot cheaper. Talk to your butcher or meat department and they can steer you towards cheaper cuts for your recipes. I keep hearing a lot about legumes; will have to try.