Advertisement
The Frugal Carnivore

Blog | March 5th, 2012

            Everywhere you look you can see the popularity of meatless diets. Garden burgers are taking up more real estate on the backyard grill. Tofu tacos are making appearances on Mexican night. Yes, now is the time of vegan and vegetarian diets. However, if you still enjoy a good steak, some pork chops or a turkey sandwich, this article is for you. Learn how you can save money and maintain your carnivorous habits.

 

Freeze!

            The best way to save money on meat is to make room in your freezer. If you don’t have a large freezer, it may be worth your while to look into purchasing one. Buying meat in bulk can save you a ton of money. By buying large pieces of meat and cutting it yourself, you can freeze what you won’t immediately use. Also it’s a good idea to stock up when a product has a good sale. You can find some great “Buy one, get one free!” promotions or a valuable coupon on the paper.

            Also, be aware that meat is seasonal, just like produce. In the summer months steaks and ground beef cost more, while pork chops and roasts will be more expensive in the winter. Try buying out of season and freezing your food until you want to use it.

Stretch Your Meat, Stretch Your Dollar

            For certain meals, it’s okay to cheat. You can stretch your meat by mixing it with oatmeal, breadcrumbs or TVP to make it yield more with the meat you have. TVP is Textured Vegetable Protein, a meat substitute that can be purchased for far cheaper than actual meat. Mixing these products into your meat will result in a higher volume of food for less money. The best part? You’ll never be able to taste the difference. It’s perfect for ground beef or meatloaf.

Your Local Butcher

            Check to see if there is a local butcher you can buy from. Often you’ll be able to get much cheaper prices than in grocery stores. You can also buy larger portions. Depending on freezer space, you might even want to consider buying a whole cow (that’s a lot of beef!), maybe splitting with three other families. This will give you great discounts!

A Cheaper Cut

            You don’t always need to buy the best cut of beef available. Depending on how you cook it and what you’re using it for, the cheaper cuts will work just as well. If you make a delicious marinade and spend some time tenderizing, your cheaper cuts will make for a delicious meal!

Cut it out

            The more work the meat has gone through by purchase, the more expensive it will be. Cut down on production costs by learning how to cut your own meat, such as grinding, mincing and larger cuts. Instead of paying for chicken tenderloins, buy a whole chicken! Learn to cut it up yourself and you’ll love the savings.

Go Lean

            When comparing meat prices, say for ground beef, don’t be tricked by high prices for lean beef. While leaner beef is more expensive, you’ll actually usually get a better price per pound once the fat of the less lean beef has burned away.

A Steak Dinner

            Feel like getting fancy and going out for a steak dinner? Hold up! That can be very, very expensive! You can save lots of money by making your own steak dinner! Learn how to cook it perfect and you’ll be happier with it than what any steakhouse could offer. You’ll also save a ton of money!

            Are you a “meat-eater”? How do you stay thrifty while keeping burgers, chicken, steaks and all of your other favorites on your menu?