What food stretches your dollar?

Staple food items store well and stretch meals, so keep plenty of them on hand. This includes foods such as canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, canned green beans and corn, raisins, canned fruit, and dry beans .

How do I stretch my meat budget?

Stretch Your Proteins with Creative Additions. If you are trying to stretch your portions before your next grocery trip or delivery, include fresh produce, fruit, other frozen bulk goods, or dry ingredients into your meat recipes . Make meatballs and add extra ingredients like oatmeal to the beef so you use less meat.

What is the cheapest meat to meal prep?

Most affordable beef cuts to meal prep on a budget: Shank/ ossobuco, Shin, Leg, Rump, Blade . Pork: Center loin chops (see pork chop recipe), pork butt. Lamb: Shank, shoulder, neck.

Is chuck roast cheaper than ground beef?

Price. Ground chuck typically costs slightly more than regular ground beef . This is because ground chuck is made exclusively from the chuck roast, a cut of beef from the shoulder and neck area of the cow. This particular cut has more marbling and flavor, making it the premium choice compared to ground beef.

How can I make meat more affordable?

Buy chickens whole and break them down into parts yourself . Buy the tougher, less expensive cuts of beef and marinate, then slow cook them to tenderize. Only buy meats on sale. If there is a really good deal, buy some to freeze for later use.

How can meat be so cheap?

The answer is the low cost of feed . 60% of crops and 30% of fish catches end up as animal feed. Because crops are heavily subsidized, livestock farmers can buy animal feed at extremely low prices which in turn lowers the cost of meat production.

What is the most popular meat substitute?

Tofu . Tofu is the classic meat alternative and has been one of the basic sources of nutrition in Asia for centuries. It is appreciated in particular as a low-calorie source of protein.

Is beef or pork cheaper?

Pork is cheaper than beef and there is a plentiful supply. Retailers can offer pork with low pricing to the consumer and maintain profit margins.

Is chicken or beef cheaper?

Key Background. Chicken overtook beef in per-person consumption in 1993, according to the USDA. Supermarket prices for meat show that chicken has historically been—and continues to be—the cheapest meat , according to a USDA National Retail Report.

Stretch Your Food Dollar with Inexpensive Cuts of Meat (2024)

Ever heard the phrase “eating high on the hog”? It’s a saying often used to describe the wealthy and comes from the fact that the choicest and most expensive cuts of pork come from areas higher up on the animal.

Many of us Midwesterners are meat lovers, which can lead to hefty grocery bills if we’re not careful. Thankfully, we can eat high while keeping costs low. With a little cooking know-how, a sirloin steak can be just as delicious as filet mignon. By choosing the more inexpensive cuts of meat and preparing them properly, you can enjoy your meat-based meals for less.

How to Save Money on Meat

Why the cost discrepancy? Convenience is one of the main reasons some cuts of meat are more expensive than others. You pay for someone else to do the trimming, which is why buying a whole chicken is more economical than loading your cart with boneless, skinless breasts. It’s not hard tocut a chickenor turkey into pieces — give it a try and start saving!

Less expensive cuts of meat can be a bit tougher, but that’s nothing a little advance planning can’t fix. The key is to take it “slow and low” when it comes to preparation. Good things come to those who wait, so put your slow cooker or roasting pan to use and give the meat plenty of time to cook so it stays tender and juicy. These cuts are also great for grilling and smoking, especially with the help of a brine or marinade.

10 Budget-Friendly Cuts of Meat

The next time you’re shopping at the meat case or placing an order with the butcher, consider one of these cuts:

Ribs (pork or beef)
Flat steak (flank, hanger or skirt)
Ground beef or ground turkey
Beef brisket
Pork shoulder
Chuck eye steak
Whole chicken
Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on) or drumsticks
Pork chops
Whole turkey

Ready to get started? We’ve gathered a few recipes that prove you can save without sacrificing flavor.

Meat Lover Recipes

Zesty BBQ Cheeseburgers

Ground beef is available at different price points, and you don’t have to buy the expensive stuff to make a good burger. In fact, blends that are lower in cost are usually higher in fat, which often makes for a tastier, juicier patty.

Stretch Your Food Dollar with Inexpensive Cuts of Meat (2)

Zesty Barbecue Cheeseburgers

Chili Rub Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is always a hit; it just takes a little patience! Try this flavorful pork shoulder recipe from our friends at the Kansas Pork Association.

Pulled Pork Recipe

Slow Cooker Root Beer Ribs

Savory-sweet and hard to beat, these ribs are the perfect addition to your low-cost recipe file.

Stretch Your Food Dollar with Inexpensive Cuts of Meat (3)

Slow Cooker Root Beer Ribs

Cranberry Balsamic Chicken Thighs

Chicken is one of the more inexpensive meat options in general, but you can take it a step further by purchasing bone-in, skin-on thighs. Bonus: Some say the darker meat of the thighs makes them the most flavorful part of the chicken.

Cranberry Balsamic Chicken Thigh Recipe

Try some DIY prep or look to your slow cooker for an assist to save some money on meat and stretch your grocery budget!