Saving Money on Meat!



When asked what is the most expensive item on their grocery lists, most people will say meat. And it's true, in some cases meat prices have gone up over 30% then they were last year.

I am going to tell you about a little trick I learned a long time that helps me save a TON on meat.  I call it The Old Man Meat Bin :)

Most stores have a small section in the meat coolers where they will put items that are close to their "sell by" dates, and this is where I find my best deals!  Like yesterday, I was at my favorite Safeway and found family pack Chicken Thighs in the Old Man Meat Bin for 50% off!  The Thighs were already reasonably priced at $1.29/lb. anyway, but with the extra 50% off, I was able to pick up a little over 18 pounds for just $0.65 cents per pound!  This purchase will provide meat for at least 6 different meals for my family of 5, working out to just under $2.00 per meal!

If your feeling a bit anxious about buying meat from the reduced bin, don't be.  By law, all fresh meat products must have a "sell by" date on them.  Those are:

4 days from the date of packaging on Beef.
6 days from the date of packaging on Pork and Chicken.
3 days from the date of packaging on Fish and Seafood.

Once that date comes around stores have to throw out the product or freeze it. Most Meat departments don't have a lot of extra Freezer space and prefer to get something out of the product as opposed to nothing, so as the date nears they will reduce the price hoping to recoup some of the cost of carrying that product. 

The Chicken I purchased had a "sell by" date of 10/21/11, they were packaged for sale on 10/15/11.  I bought them on 10/20/11, giving me plenty of time to safely repackage them in the portions I want and place in the freezer for future meals.   

When purchasing meat (any meat!), make sure to check the "sell by" date.  Remember that it is people who stock and rotate those items and sometimes packages will get missed.

Check the packaging for any holes.  Holes in the wrapping allow air in and air = exposure to bacteria. 

Smell the package.  Properly wrapped fresh meat should have NO SMELL AT ALL. Meat that is spoiling, no matter how well wrapped, will smell. 

Check out the USDA website for a complete guide on meat safety!