Meat Prices- I'm totally LOST!!

[Spanelli8706]

I am not a cook... and have no idea what I am doing when buying meat. Is there a list of good prices for meat somewhere? Or can anyone give me ideas of good prices for meat... either decent buying prices or stock up prices. I need help in every area- from chicken to beef to pork to seafood (ground beef, steaks, roasts, bacon, sausage, chicken breasts & thighs & wholes, etc.) I try to pay attention to sales but I am always doubting myself when I purchase it. DH is an excellent cook (his hobby) but he doesn't pay attention to the prices/sales...that's what he has me for. :) Thanks for any help and direction!!

[CSchunk]

Per Pound I aim for:
1.69-1.89 for 80/20 ground beef
1.69 chicken breasts
2.00 for bacon, but lately its getting down to 2.50 at best
.49-.69 for a full turkey
.99 turkey breast

[shelleyf]

Well I don't buy a lot of meat because my husband doesn't like it. I used to love meat but got so used to not buying it much and it is expensive that now I don't even like chicken. He only now eats chicken and ground beef (chuck or better per Dr. orders). He hates hot dogs, ham, roast, steak, you name it. He likes bacon but can't eat it anymore anytime soon because of cholesterol. He does LOVE seafood though because we are originally from New Orleans!
I used to be good at prices but with the economy the way it is, it is hard to say what a good price is.
Ground beef used to be .99 a long time ago and 1.49 was a good stock up price a couple of years ago. Now it around 2.49 a lb on sale! Ground chuck is over 3.00 a lb and boneless chicken is 4.99 a lb! when it is not on sale where I live. Of course when it goes on sale for 1.69 a lb I get whatever I can afford. I hardly ever buy seafood because it is too expensive in TN. In LA it is cheap, well it used to be about 14 years ago, LOL Hot dogs used to be cheap but I saw Ballpark the other day for 4.49 a pack! Bacon was 5.99 and 4.99. It used to be 2.49 or so for a lb. now alot of the packages have shrunk to 12 oz for the 4.99 and 5.99 price! I hope you can find someone that has some good advice to get some deals. I am starting to think of being vegetarian but I am not a huge vegetable fan, LOL

[shelleyf]

Per Pound I aim for:
1.69-1.89 for 80/20 ground beef
1.69 chicken breasts
2.00 for bacon, but lately its getting down to 2.50 at best
.49-.69 for a full turkey
.99 turkey breast

I need to move where you live. Those prices are awesome. It is highway robbery here.

[3timesoccermom]

Different areas will have different prices. I would think LA would be cheaper because the area has been so depressed the past few years but maybe it's the opposite! So what's a good price where I am, in TX, might be ridiculously high somewhere else and vice versa. Small example, someone mentioned getting bananas on clearance for .33/lb today. You can always get them for .33/lb where I am.

Can't help on seafood as I buy so little and when I do it's usually a big pack from Sam's Club.

I never have coupons or any type of special deals for meat and these are all assuming they are not marked down for being close to or past the "sell by" date.

I buy beef roasts when they are $1.99/lb - usually chuck as I think it's more flavorful anyway.

Hamburger, I like a 90/10 ratio, about $2.49/lb.

I buy pork roasts (not often though) when they are .99/lb or less.

... boneless, skinless chicken breasts $1.99/pound or less (which is rare).

Haven't bought a whole chicken in ages but have seen them for .77 pound in this week's ad. Probably not a great price though.

Boneless, skinless thighs would be a little less than breasts.

Chicken thigh and leg quarters sell at HEB for $1/lb all the time but you can find them cheaper.

Individually I have seen thighs or legs go for .49/lb but it's been a while.

I had been buying pork chops when they are about $1.50/pound but they end up being so thin that they dry out too much so in the future I will be paying more for thicker ones. Our favorite way to cook them is to grill them on the gas grill.

When t-bones are $3.99/lb we buy some - same for rib eyes.

Things like round steak or tenderized, cubed steak should be $2 or less per pound for me to buy.

For sausage, hubs is super picky about it, he will not eat Eckrich or the usual types but the brands we do buy are usually $2.49/pound.

To help you get a better idea what's a good price check out other grocery store ads online. For example, Kroger, you can put in a zip for any area and see that area's ad online.

If you have a meat market close that you trust you can often get good deals on some of their quantity and/or variety packs of meats.

You will become more familiar with a good price, etc., over time but more importantly, where to get the consistently-best meats.

[Spanelli8706]

I guess I should add that I rarely have coupons for meat. No store around me double. And we generally do not get rebates for meat purchases (much less any other rebates). We haven't found a meat market near-by without having to drive across the lake. Our stores include: Winn Dixie, Albertsons, a very small family owned store that's generally ok for meat but high for everything else, Target, Walmart (RARELY shop at) and Rouses (generally EXTREMELY high).

Albertsons has Boneless/skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.49 this week - sounds like this may be good.

A local grocery store has chicken quarters on sale for $0.49/lb- Good?

We got Ribeye's recently for $4.49lb.

Ground beef has been on sale for $1.99 for 80/20... which seems high to me, but maybe I am wrong.

Seafood- Prices have gone up quite a bit since the oil spill.

One more thing, we recently started buying a lot more fresh veggies & fruits... again, I have no idea on prices for these things. My grandparents always had a farm & gave my family this stuff or else it was canned. DH's parents don't look at prices.

Thanks for all of the help and responses. Reps to all who chime in!!

[abond0017]

Wish I could help, but the prices in my neck of the country would make many here cringe. I remember 33 cents/lb bananas when I lived in TX...here they are usually 67 cents/lb.

I think the last time I went shopping for meat here(which I don't buy often because it is so expensive), 80% ground beef was $4.99/lb, top sirloin was $7.99/lb, and bacon was $5.99/package. Ridiculous!

[3timesoccermom]

I would definitely go for these - good prices, especially the chicken breasts.

"Albertsons has Boneless/skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.49 this week - sounds like this may be good.

A local grocery store has chicken quarters on sale for $0.49/lb- Good?

Ground beef has been on sale for $1.99 for 80/20."

[3timesoccermom]

abond - I am cringing!

[CSchunk]

Yes it definitely varies by region which is why it's so important to keep track of sales and prices. Some meats like turkey only really get great deals once per year so of course I bought 12 turkeys then. When ground beef gets down to 1.69 (it has only happened twice in the last few months, before that it was 1.89 as the low) then I buy 30+ pounds. For bacon if I can get it at $2 per pound I will get a bunch, think 12+ pounds.

We go through a LOT of meat and eggs between atkins and gluten intolerance. I am always shocked at how much meat costs in other areas, I guess thats the one benefit of living near all the animals : )