How to save money on meat...tips!

The way I save on meats is to buy it when it goes on sale so generally I'll head to the market in the morning after dropping my son off at school. The meat is near its expiration date so plan on using this meat that same day or freeze. Just ask your butcher about their mark down schedule.

Buy less expensive cuts of meat by tenderizing, marinating and consider slow roasting or throw it into a crock pot recipe. Don't buy the already formed and frozen ground beef for burgers, instead buy fresh ground beef and make them yourself.

When shopping for chicken, fish or a side of beef- buy it whole. De-bone the chicken yourself, slice the beef as you prefer and fillet your own fish. You-Tube has a lot of great instructional videos to help you. Butterflying your chicken breasts helps stretch a dish.

Also think about the store you shop at. Sometimes going to an ethnic store can save you money. Try checking out the Asian, Indian or Hispanic local stores. I know that ethnic stores are inexpensive with their meat and produce.

Try adding tofu or ground turkey to ground beef for making meatloaf, chili, spaghetti sauce, meatballs, sloppy joes as well as regular hamburgers helps stretch it out without affecting its flavor. (adding some cooked beans, oats, cooked rice or bread crumbs and other diced veggies like carrot, celery and onion works too - be sure to add a bit of water, egg or milk so it won't be dry).

If you buy meat from the deli counter, instead of asking them to slice it for you - ask for it to be shaved instead. You'll use less meat when making sandwiches.

Keep a look out before and after a major holiday  - you can score on inexpensive meats. Like turkey or ham after T-Giving & Christmas and before Memorial Day, 4th of July and even the Super Bowl you can score on hot dogs, sausages, ribs and chicken.

If you happen to see roasts go on sale, ask the butcher to slice it up for you (to make cheese steaks for example) or ground it up to use as hamburger meat or you can just keep it as is and do what you please.

Try buying online like on Omaha Steaks as well as Amazon. Just calculate the final cost, divide it by the amount of pounds to make sure you're getting a good deal.

Then we already know about buying it in bulk and freezing it - I dont have a membership to those warehouse stores but my mom does so it helps if you know someone with a membership, if you dont have one.

Hunt for it! OK the closest I'll come to hunting is just fishing. But its fun!

To save all together on meat...become a Vegetarian! Or just eat meatless a couple nights a week and substitute other proteins.