If you are not already stocking up on different types of meat, now is a good time to start. Stocking up on meat helps you save hundreds of dollars each year. If you want to have a freezer full of essential food options, learn how to create a stockpile without going over the budget. You will quickly see the difference it makes when following the tips below.
The Price of Meat Fluctuates
You may already know that the price of meat fluctuates. The cost will depend on several factors. Local grocery stores often run sales and have manager specials at certain times during the week. The manager specials often occur when the meat is approaching its sell-by date.
Although the store needs to sell it by the date, you can buy it and save it in the freezer for several months. Because meat prices fluctuate, it is better to buy as much as you can while the price is low to save money.
Create a List of the Meat You Like to Eat
If you want to stock up on meat, start by creating a list of the meats you and your family eat. Consider making a meal plan.
Your list may look something like this:
- Ground Beef
- Chicken Breast (often frozen chicken is less expensive than fresh)
- Chicken Thighs
- Pork Chops
- Ground Turkey
These are a handful of different meats that you might want to purchase, save, and eventually cook. You can add all kinds of meats to the list to get an idea of what you want and need. It helps to think about the types of recipes you plan to make.
If you know what you will cook, you can easily figure out what types of meat to get for your stockpile.
After you make the list, start looking around at grocery store prices. Take the time to compare the cost of the meat between different stores to see which one offers the best deal. Use your rewards card at the store to get the deals and discounts to make the price of the meat as cheap as possible.
Buy in Bulk to Save Money
The best way to save money on the meat is to buy it in bulk. However, you do not want to just rush out to the store and buy it in bulk right away. You need to make sure you are getting it in bulk when it is on sale.
You should make comparisons between traditional grocery stores and big box stores, such as Sam’s Club or Costco. Just because the big box stores claim to offer great deals does not mean it is necessarily true. It may be possible for you to get meat at a cheaper rate on a specific day of the week at your local grocery store.
Be Sure to Check Out: Best Foods to Buy in Bulk
If you know when your local grocery store tends to have good sales on meat, that is the best time to head over and start buying. You may notice that you will often get better deals when buying larger packages of meat compared to the smaller packages.
Even if you think you do not need that much meat, you can separate it into sections and store it to ensure that it does not go bad.
Get Your Meat When You Find It on Sale
Always look for sales on meat. Different stores will have sales at different times. Try to get meat when the demand for it is a bit lower. If there is less of a demand for meat, the price will start to drop. When the demand is much higher, you can expect prices to rise.
For example, you may have noticed the cost of meat increased at the height of the global pandemic. It became more expensive to purchase meat essentials because people were rushing to the stores and buying as much of it as they could.
If you have a stockpile of meat, this is something you do not need to stress over.
It is a good time to purchase meat in January after the major holidays have passed. If you attempt to buy meat before a holiday, the price may be a bit higher than anticipated. The price is higher during these times because people are going to stores to buy meat for holiday gatherings.
Use a Detailed Freezing Process to Keep Your Meat Fresh
After you purchase meat in bulk while on sale, you should use a detailed freezing process to keep it fresh. Start by putting on a pair of gloves and gathering multiple large freezer storage bags. You will open the packages of meat one at a time, separate them into sections, and place them in the individual freezer bags.
For example, you may have a five-pound package of ground beef. You can separate it into freezer bags consisting of one pound of ground beef each. After you add ground beef to your freezer bags, you can remove the air and press down on the bags to flatten them out.
You can follow the same process with ground chicken and ground turkey. When storing other types of meat, you might not be able to flatten the meat out. However, you can still store it in the freezer bags and remove the extra air from these bags.
You can use a vacuum-sealing device to get rid of the extra air from each bag before you put it in the freezer. By getting rid of the excess air, you will keep your meat fresh even longer.
Pro Tip: How to Freeze Meat
Save Money While Having Plenty of Meat to Make Different Recipes
You should stock up on meat to start saving money while getting what you need. If you like to make different recipes with meat, buy it in bulk, freeze it, and have it when you need it.
There are ways to get great deals and discounts on the meat you use and serve to your family. If you take time to catch the sales and buy in bulk, you will never pay too much for what you want.
Stock Up on Meat
Now that you know the benefits of stocking up on meat, it is a good time to get started. Start making that list and determining what you would like to get to build your meat stockpile.
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