Buying Meat on a Broke Foodie Budget

Even if the nation is in a recession, you don't need to eat like it. Finding the best deal on food, especially meat, can be tough.

With many people seeing smaller paychecks, there is less money to go to groceries. You don't have to eliminate meat to save a few bucks, though. Rachel Kolar, a student at WSU, shops for a deal on meat.

"I like it to be fresh, and cheaper, so I look for how much it weights, and pretty much the cheapest one I can find, that's the one I usually buy," Kolar says.

People don't need to stick to hamburger to say on their budgets. Certain cuts of beef, pork, and chicken can be quite economical. Gary Goettelman, a meat cutter at Buster's Country Meats in Ostrander, MN, gives us some advice on getting to know the meat counter.

"People don't need to be intimidated about buying groceries at all," Goettelman says. "The best thing they can do is go to a full-service market. Don't be scared to ask for help. That's what those guys are back there for."

Although steak sounds expensive, you don't need to completely cut it out of your diet. Goettelman says first-cut chuck steak is very similar to ribeye because they come from right next to each other on the muscle. Chuck steak is just 1/3 the price. I use chuck steak for pot roast and beef stew, but it's good just as a steak on the grill.

For pork, shoulder roast can be a great way to get a lot for your money. After roasting it, shred it and put some barbecue sauce on it. Bingo, you have barbecue sandwiches. You can easily feed a family of four with one of these roasts, and you aren't breaking the bank.

When using chicken, don't limit yourself to boneless, skinless chicken breast. Not only is it expensive, but it doesn't always have the best flavor. Sure, you're saving on fat, but come on, you deserve to taste something awesome.

I have a favorite recipe for chicken and dumplings, and I have made it with both chicken breast and thigh, and by far, the thigh version was better. It tasted more like chicken, and it gave off more fat that can be used in the sauce. If you are making a hot dish, try using dark meat instead of breast meat.

Going to the meat counter doesn't have to be intimidating. If you are, or even want to be, a good cook, you're going to need to know what meat you are using. There is a difference between ham and bacon, and T-bone and sirloin are different too. Get to know your meat, as well as your meat cutter.

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