10 Ways To Save Money On Meat!

Looking for simple ways to save money on meat without giving up hearty meals? This article shares practical tips to help you shop smarter, stretch your meat budget, and reduce waste—so you can lower your grocery bill while still making great meals for your family!

10 Ways To Save Money On Meat

Meat has always been one of the more expensive items on a grocery list—and with prices rising even more, it’s no surprise that many families are feeling the strain. If you’re wondering how to keep your grocery bill in check and still serve easy and delicious dinners, you’re not alone.

The good news is, you don’t have to give up meat to start saving. With a few smart strategies, you can stretch what you buy, waste less, and still keep your family full and happy.

How To Save On Meat At The Grocery Store (And get the best prices)

One of the best ways to save on meat is shopping sales and only buying meat when it’s marked down. The worst way to buy meat is to go to the store craving something like steak and pay whatever price it’s selling for that day. That’s how you end up paying the highest price possible.

Every time I mention how little I spend on meat, someone inevitably says, “Well, you must not live where I live—meat is so much more expensive here.” That is simply not true. I’ve found the same kinds of sales and prices all across the country. The real issue usually isn’t how much meat costs—it’s how you’re buying it.

The Secret To Spend Less At The Store

The secret? I only buy meat when it’s on sale. And once you learn to recognize sale prices in your area, you can do the same. Start by tracking meat prices at your store for a few weeks. You’ll quickly spot the pattern—one week the price is sky-high, the next it drops to a great deal. That’s when you buy extra and freeze it for later.

To make tracking these prices easier, you might be interested in our handy price book, designed to help you track prices so you always pay the lowest possible prices on the grocery items you buy most, including meat.

Once you know when your stores have the best deals on meat, and which stores have the best deal, you’ll know when to expect the sale prices. Then, when you find a great sale on meat, buy a lot of it at the sale price and freeze some for future meals. I even invested in a separate freezer years ago, so when I find a great deal, I can stock up and skip paying full price later. Doing this, I never pay full price for meat.

Once you’ve built up a little stockpile of meat in your freezer, it becomes much easier to wait for the next sale. On the weeks when prices are high, simply skip buying and cook from what you already have.

Now, if you’re picky about what kinds of meat you’ll eat—like only buying boneless skinless chicken breasts, 93% lean ground beef, or organic/free-range everything—you have to recognize that those preferences come at a price – you are choosing to pay more. It’s hard to save money if you’re locked into only the most expensive options.

The key is simple: learn your store’s sale cycles, stock up when prices are low, and be flexible where you can. And beyond just shopping smarter, there are even more ways to stretch your meat budget—like using less in recipes, choosing cheaper cuts, or cutting back on waste.

Here are 10 easy things you can do to stretch the meat you do buy so it lasts longer!

Stretch Meat with Casseroles, Soups, and Stews
Instead of serving meat as a main dish every night, use it in casseroles, soups, or stews. If you serve two casseroles and two soups each week, that’s four meals where meat goes a lot farther. You can still serve your classic meat-and-potatoes meals the other three nights, but you’ll save money on meat the other nights.

Add Fillers Like Beans, Rice, or Pasta
Beans are a great way to bulk up chili or tacos so you use less meat. You can also add rice, oats, or broken spaghetti noodles to stretch meat dishes. For burritos, try using refried beans instead of meat or use a combination of both so you don’t use as much meat.

Cut Meat Into Smaller Pieces
In soups or casseroles, you don’t need big chunks of meat. Try cutting the meat into smaller pieces—maybe half the usual size—and you’ll be surprised how much farther it goes. Once your family adjusts, you can even go smaller if needed.

Use Less Than the Recipe Calls For
Most people won’t notice if you use half a pound of meat instead of a full pound in lasagna, spaghetti, or casseroles. Try cutting back a little at a time—you might find your family doesn’t miss it at all.

Buy Cheaper Cuts of Meat and Cook Them Right
Cheaper cuts of meat can be tender and delicious if you marinate them or slow cook them. And consider serving meats like turkey or chicken much more often than you serve roast or steak—especially if your husband isn’t picky about what kind of meat he eats.

Buy Whole Chickens or Bone-in Chicken and Cut Them Yourself
Pre-cut chicken breasts are convenient but pricey. Buying whole chickens or bone-in chicken and cutting them up yourself can save money. But do the math! If you get a very good price, the boneless might end up just as cheap. You can also use chicken thighs or leg quarters instead of breasts—they’re usually cheaper and sometimes even more tasty.

Watch Portion Sizes
Many families serve larger portions than they really need. Make your meat portions smaller, especially for children. Try cutting chicken breasts in half for kids and encourage everyone to fill up on potatoes, veggies and other sides. You’ll save money and reduce waste.

Stop Letting Food Go to Waste
Use up what you buy, and make sure you use everything. Watch portions and adjust them to reduce the food left on plates. Be realistic about what your family will eat. If food is getting tossed after every meal, that’s money in the trash.

Cut Back on the Amount of Food You Cook.
If you always have too much food left over, try cutting recipes in half. Some people make double or triple batches but never actually use the leftovers. I knew a woman who was always bemoaning her high grocery bill but she always cooked two or three times the amount of food that her family could eat. Instead of freezing it or otherwise saving it, she would simply throw it away.

You may say, “I cook double and then freeze the rest or send it in lunches.” She said that, too, but never got around to sending it in lunches and rarely used most of the things in her freezer. Freezing it only to throw it away later is still wasting it.

Find Another Meal or Food Item That You Can Cut Back On.
If trying to cut back on meat at dinner isn’t as successful as you’d like, you might also see if your husband would be willing to give up something expensive he eats at breakfast like bacon in exchange for something less expensive like oatmeal. Small changes in other areas can free up money for the foods he loves most.

Look carefully at your food, eating habits and grocery shopping and see if there is anyplace where waste is happening. Every family is different, so pick the tips that work best for you. These small adjustments can add up to big savings over time.

Want even more money-saving ideas? Check out our How to Save Money on Groceries e-Course—it’s packed with practical tips just like these.

Happy saving!