6 April 2011

Saving money on meat - buying in bulk

It's moving slowly towards Winter here and soon the weather will call for hot soups and casseroles.  Hanno does a lot of our grocery shopping now but I was in the IGA supermarket the other day and nearly fell over when I saw a large leg of lamb priced at $40.  I thought it was a mistake, but looking at the other legs close by, I realised it wasn't - the smaller legs were $30 - $38.  I just checked online at Woolworths, they have a large leg of lamb, cut in two, for $13.00 a kilo or $36 for the leg. Lamb cutlets, that I grew up on, are now $36 a kilo!  That is just incredible to me.



This is how the meat arrived - in two large boxes, wrapped and labelled according to what cut it was.

After I was shocked by that IGA leg of lamb, I talked to Hanno about buying our next meat order in bulk.  We usually use a local family butcher, who is also a grazier with his farm in the mountains near us, so we know his meat is local, grass fed, excellent value, and he kills it himself.  Instead of buying our usual mix of beef, lamb, dry cured bacon and chicken (which usually averages out at about $12/kilo), we ordered a hind quarter of beef.  The girl on the phone, the butcher's daughter, told us the cattle would be slaughtered on a certain day, that dad would hang the meat for a week and it would be ready for pick up on Tuesday, yesterday.  It was two large boxes full and it cost us $308, or $7.80 a kilo.

When Hanno brought it home, we both washed our hands and started packing it away.  Hanno cleaned out the freezer and defrosted it yesterday, so it was ready to be filled.  I wasn't sure how much our freezer would hold so I got the small hind quarter, but when we packed the meat away, the freezer is only one third full. I was talking to Sarndra on the phone yesterday and told her about this and she was interested in sharing the next order. So the next time we do this, I'll order the entire side and share it with Sarndra and Sunny.  The meat will then be $6.80 a kilo.  We might also get a side of lamb then so we have a choice of meat.  I'll buy a few chickens to have on hand in the freezer too.  Sarndra recommended Aldi's free range chicken to me and when we had some at her place for lunch one day, I have to agree, it was very tasty.  And the next time we're down on the coast, we'll get some fish from the fish co-op.  That should give us a good selection of excellent quality meat to choose from, as well as the vegetarian meals we still eat.


It is much better to double wrap meat that will be frozen. With this mince (ground beef)  I divided the bag in two and instead of throwing the original plastic bag away, I use that for extra protection.  


The meat is rolled up in the original bag, then put in a clean bag.


The air is expelled and the bag is twisted, then doubled up on itself, to provide two layers of covering.


Then I expelled all the air, twist the bag again, and tie a knot.  It you don't have much space in your freezer, squash the meat down flat, so each bag can sit neatly on the others, taking up less space.

If you have a freezer and a good butcher nearby, I recommend this to you.  You have to be sure of the quality of the meat though, before you buy it.  Don't buy cheap meat just because it's cheap.  If it is good quality it is wise economy, if it is poor quality, it's a waste. If a new butcher is recommended to you, talk to him about the meat he sells, where it comes from, where it is slaughtered, how fresh it is and if it is grass fed or grain fed.  Grain fed beef is advertised as something special but grass fed beef is better.  Grass fed means the animal lived in a pasture and had natural feed.  Click here for more information on what that means.  Try a small selection of the new butcher's meat before you place your bulk order, just to make sure it's to your taste and is the quality you expect.

Any good butcher will ask you how you want the meat portioned and cut when you place your order.  We got rump - in thick slices and thiner slices, round - thinly sliced (I will stuff and roll it), eye fillet in one piece, three corned beefs, many T bone steaks - some large, some small, lots of minced steak (ground beef), many kilos of sausages, many kilos of diced beef and the bones.  The diced beef is the gravy beef and is one I'm particularly interested in.  When you see that gristle line through it, if you slow cook that, the gristle dissolves and releases natural gelatine - it's very good for you and the meat is delicious.  I'll use the bones for soup and stock, and Alice will also have a few. Make sure the butcher gives you the option of the bones.  Please take them and use them.


As soon as you get the meat home it must be frozen.  We use freezer bags and I use the large ones so I can put the meat in the botton of the bag, twist it around, and double the bag up on itself again - giving us a double wrapped package.  This protects the meat from freezer burn.  This giant order of meat is an investment for Hanno and I and it is my responsibility to look after it and not waste one ounce of it.  Make sure you label every bag.  We used halved stickers because the marker pen usually rubs off.

When you place your order, make sure you can eat the meat in the time recommended in these guidelines.  Frozen meat will deteriorate if left too long, so it's better to share the order with a friend or neighbour if it's too much for you to eat in that time period.  If you can find a good butcher with local, good quality meat, buying meat in bulk like this will help you put good food on the table for less.  It might take a while to find a butcher you trust, but when you do, there will be no going back.

ADDITION: I've had a couple of emails asking where our butcher is - here is his website.

SHARE:

56 comments

  1. I just discovered your blog and am enjoying your posts about simple living! When I was growing up, we had a small farm and raised a few steer but had them sent to a local butcher for slaughter. I still remember the way one steer would fill up the freezer!

    ReplyDelete
  2. only way to go!
    We home kill lamb & friends home kill beef which we buy - worked out to be $8.00NZ per kilo.
    Plus we know our meat has been fed - a wonderful thing. They have a good life & we sure give thanks.

    Love Leanne

    ReplyDelete
  3. Excellent savings! When I was at New Mexico State University we would share a side of beef or half a hog with a friend and pack our freezer full. I don't have the opportunity to do that anymore, since there are few local butchers here but we do watch the sales very carefully and stock the freezer when we find a bargain. Thank you for all of your wonderful tips!! Karin

    ReplyDelete
  4. I sometimes wonder if there is an invisable connection between like minded people. I just explored bulk meat buying over the weekend for the very same reasons. Karen Jensen

    ReplyDelete
  5. We used to do the same thing at home when I was a child. Thanks for the reminder, this is definitely worth looking into. What I am always having trouble with is freezer burn, no matter how well I package things. Also, I would like to find a way how to freeze things without using plastic.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just started doing this last year. I actually found a message board where local folks co-op: we group together to make a bulk purchase then split it up. This way we get the bulk pricing without any of us getting more meat than we have freezer room or family to handle.
    I've purchased lamb, beef, and chicken this way. Our chicken purchase was for 100 birds and therefore a great price, even though I only took 7 myself.
    And the local, pastured meat is so much better tasting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. we do all our own sheep meat and we recently done our 1st beef the meat is amazing we let him feed off his mother right up til he was slaughtered...but our chicken we buy exactly like you have described it comes in large boxes we buy a 3 month supply at a time .the butcher delivers it to our door and we pack it up into the portion sizes and cuts we like we are a family of 8 and we couls not afford meat if we ourchased from the supermarket..we use the liver(my children love liver and onions for brekky)hearts ,kidneys for the steak n kidney pie,chicken livers for homemade pate all delish and loved by all.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I bought a bulk order of meat at around Christmas time.
    We're still slowly making our way through it. I love having my little "butcher's shop" in the freezer!

    ReplyDelete
  9. We have been thinking about buying our meat this way, our neighbor is going to let us know when he is going to send his off to the butcher and we may buy half.

    ReplyDelete
  10. A timely post for me Rhonda. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bulk meat buying can give you good quality meat at bargain meat prices. Rhonda what you intend to do with your family - bulk buy and share it out- can give you a really good mix of meat with $'s saved.
    We have 3 grown children with young families and when all were living close we would get 1/2 a beast a whole lamb and a pig 1/2 fresh 1/2 cured. That would do the family for more than 6 months.

    Mostly we just split the cost but sometimes that was our gift at Xmas or Easter to them as it was a good usable present. It also saved us running around looking for useless gifts.

    But you are right make sure it is a good butcher with best quality meat. We go to the Tiaro butcher on the Bruce highway at Tiaro- if anyone is going passed it is worth a stop - very good meat and their own smokehouse. No I am not a relative or friend just a customer.

    Strange as it sounds bulk meat buying also seems to bring the family together in a way that supermarket purchases don't. Talk about how you want your cuts, making sure everyone gets their favourite bits. We pick the meat up so that involves the men as it is heavy work. We also get some of the tougher cuts put through the cuber so we can crumb it before we freeze it. Once you get the hang of it it can be a good family day, socially and financially.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Rhonda - I also get a shock when I go into a supermarket here in NZ and see lamb for about $40 a leg!! It has priced itself off our table. A few years ago when there was a drought where we lived we went to the local stock sale and brought 10 sheep, ready to kill, for $40!!!!!!!!!
    I too grew up eating quite a lot of mutton and I prefer the older sheep to the lamb.
    Any type of roast over here now is expensive and I am gently talking to hubby about getting a couple of weaner pigs to raise for meat.
    We get beef with our farm job and are permitted to raise an extra one of our own each year and this takes between 18 months and 2 years to get from birth into he frezer.
    You said in your post you don't like to waste 1 ounce of the meat.
    A size 22 chicken at the supermarket this week was $10.99 and we can get 3 - 4 meals for the 4 of us out of it.
    Do you have any ideas for using the oxtail?
    Sincerely
    Karen - NZ

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Karen, when we were with Sunny and Kerry last week, Kerry asked us to find some ox tails for Sunny. Sunny's mum wanted to make the traditional post-birth broth for Sunny. We found some and they were made into a very nutritious broth with seaweed. Sunny will have it this week after the birth to regain her strength. I wish we had those traditions here. I'm sure we did in the past but they've been lost, it's such a shame.

    Anyhow, I would probably use the ox tails for stock but if they have a bit of meat on them I'd slow cook them with vegetables for a stew, and serve them with herb dumplings.

    ReplyDelete
  14. We have local lamb from a farmer who rents our field, so we get paid for grazing in lamb. We get a whole lamb (sometimes two) at a time, cleaned and ready to cut into joints, which we do ourselves with a big meat saw (hand powered!) Some folks would think urgh, but we have done this for many years now and are dab hands. The lamb (usually hogget) is SO tasty, almost gamey, and the size of some of the joints is amazing. Lots of leftovers.

    We need to try and source pork and beef in a similar manner (though perhaps an entire steer might be WAY beyond coping with!!!!)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I also posted about Buying Meat a week ago and have some additional advice http://suburbanjubilee.blogspot.com/2011/03/buying-meat.html
    I can't believe the price of meat at the moment. Sometimes Craig goes to the sale yards and picks out a whether to kill but even they have been too dear to buy and farmers have been holding on to a lot of their stock. (I adore mutton, it's my favourite)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yes lamb is expensive now isn't it? In the saleyards it is selling for $290(each) upwards. I think it will get even more expensive too. It has become a luxury in a country that used to have lamb on the table most nights. When I buy a leg I try to get as many meals out of it as possible. I always buy my meat in bulk and we are also lucky that our butcher grows his own.
    Regarding the freezer burn- we use a food sealer and it stops anything from deteriorating. They come in two sizes and the bags are readily available. They are well worth it. Maa

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love the idea of buying my meat from a local butcher...I have recently been offered Pure Angus Beef at 9 months old...Grass fed too..and I could even pick the beast if I want to.. All in cuts the way I want...for $6.50 a kilo......Only problem is, I have to order the WHOLE beast....and they are about 200kg of dresses meat....$1300 is way to much for me at any one time....I would need to go shares with a few people....but I am working on emptying my freezer in case I find those people.

    ReplyDelete
  18. We've just done this, sharing with a friend. She has a vacuum sealer thingy which draws all of the air out, we go halves in the cost of the meat, I pay for the bags and we bag the meat together. Absolutely brilliant! Tastiest meat ever, local, as well so you know it's just so darn good
    Cheers
    Judy

    ReplyDelete
  19. This a very good way to save money. I've been meaning to try meat bulk buying for awhile. I was shocked to learn of your lamb costs where you are. We are still paying less than $20 for a leg, but it looks like this will not last for long. It is very scary how prices of everything are just shooting up. I do most things from scratch and have a big vegie garden, and with a family of 5, groceries costs me almost $300 per week now. I think I will have to concentrate on getting a saving on each item. I must look into this bulk meat buying. Thanks Rhonda, for reminding me.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I agree, Rhonda. We buy a side of beef (we have a large family and many guests) and split it with my parents. It is so good this way and less expensive. Plus we get cuts of meat we would not ordinarily buy at the store due to costs.

    We know the man who raises the beef, what he feeds it, and who butchers it. It is a very good feeling to know where your food is coming from.

    Deanna

    ReplyDelete
  21. I've been buying bulk biodynamic beef and lamb direct from farmers for a few years now. For anyone in the Canberra/Goulburn/Sydney areas, I highly recommend them:

    www.greenhillorganicmeat.com.au
    www.moorlandslamb.com.au

    Cath

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for a great post Rhonda.

    Cheers, Candice

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi Rhonda :) Great post!
    We flat pack our bulk buys just so that it thaws out more evenly. Just wanted to share that :)
    Blessings,
    Lusi x
    Ps: Hope little Jamie is doing well!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Rhonda,

    We live up in the Darling Downs - definitely cattle country. We just placed an order with our local butcher on the weekend for a 1/4 of a beast - he is letting us have some from the front and the hind quarter. Again, ours has worked out about $7 a kilo - though our butcher recommended staying away from sausages and mince as those don't represent as good a value as steak and roast cuts. We are picking it up on Saturday; we had to give a weeks notice. We are eating out the freezer this week so we can fit it in!

    It is the first time we have done this, so I am excited to see how it goes.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Rhonda, I read your blog daily. An inspiration truly! I have 3 under 3 and often return to your blog for wisdom and advice, which i use and also pass onto my sisters who also have littlies. I have been meaning to write to about bulk meat buying. We only eat kosher meat and buy it in bulk (we order a whole forequarter, incl bones) it works out many thousands of dollars cheaper for us. I believe it is also environmentally responsible to use the whole animal. The cheaper cuts of meat are highly valued in our household. For years we bought meat without knowing bulk orders were available. It always pays to ask, and if not then dont be afraid to try to bargain. We are on a very limited income and yet my husband makes do with what we have, be confident, and remember you are not being rude, it is business! with thanks, Julia

    ReplyDelete
  26. I buy in bulk too, from a fantastic butcher who supplies some of our favourite chefs, as well as a big part of the italian community here- and they (we) are difficult to please! The quality is fantastic, and I know where the meat comes from in South Gippsland. I usually fax through an order that works out to be around $300, and I get between 40-50 meals for that. I even use the fax I sent through to do some vague meal planning. Love it. Haven't bought supermarket meat for years.

    ReplyDelete
  27. We love to buy meat in bulk. We usually head to a bulk butchers in the city (a bit over an hour away) every 3-4 months and spend about $400-$500 there. We get all sorts. Snags, mince, steak, chicken, fritz, goat, lamb, whatevers cheap at the time. They advertise in the Sunday Mail so we keep an eye out for few weeks and go in when what we want is at a good price.
    I went to another bulk butchers this last time and got porterhouse/sirloin for $5/kg is I bought a boxfull (which was about 6 whole pieces). Some of it has been a little tough but not hugely and for the price who cares.
    Some was very thin, so I sliced that up thinly and have used it in casseroles, stir fries and stroganoff.
    We need to do another one now but monies tight so just aking the most of what we have.
    Oh we also go porks shoulders for $4/kg as long as you brough the whole shoulder and they'd either cut into roast for you or slice into steaks. We brought 6 shoulders (3 double) had 3 into roast and 3 into chops. That's all gone now though :(((

    ReplyDelete
  28. P.S When you freeze your meat it is quicker to defrost if flattened in the bag prior to freezing. Julia

    ReplyDelete
  29. Good morning Rhonda, I appreciate this post as I've been concerned about the increasing price of meat. I have a butcher like yours -- except he isn't a grazier -- who I'll talk to about doing this sort of thing. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love this! We always buy meat in bulk. Some of our local butchers offer meat bundles that come with different varieties and cuts. For example, I can get 5lbs. ground beef, a 2.5 lb. roast, 2.5 lbs steaks, 5 lbs. chicken, 5 lbs. pork, 2.5 lbs of sausage for $80 US. One meat bundle will last my family of 5 for about a month and a half-two months. I don't know how that works out in the conversion rates, but I know it saves us a TON of money as opposed to grocery shopping by the week. Also, for those who want to package meat without plastic, You can buy freezer paper. It's usually in the same area of the store as storage bags, tin foil, etc. It's a HUGE roll of butcher's paper that is waxed on one side. We always wrap our meat in this and secure with masking tape. I've never had a problem with freezer burn!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Your post makes me think of when I was a child. I would go with my parents to a butcher shop called "Quickies" and we would get home and my mother would separate all the meat out and make hamburgers and wrap them separately, section off for different meals. You always stir good memories from my childhood!

    ReplyDelete
  32. We also buy our beef by the side. Something else I've learned to ask for are the organ meats. Often, the person getting the other side does not want them and I'm then given the whole lot of them. I don't care to eat them but will feed them to our pets.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I've done this a few times, and enjoyed the convenience and quality of the meat very much. However, I haven't done it for a while because I haven't had enough room in the freezer part of my fridge. To do it regularly and effectively, you really need a separate freezer and whenever I look into purchasing one I am discouraged by both the initial and ongoing financial and energy costs. But you are always so wise, Rhonda - so I think I will look into it again. Thank you for keeping me on my toes!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hello Rhonda
    Had to laugh about all the meals from one chicken. In the eighties drought, the local ladies here had a competition to see how long a chicken could feed a family of four. Amazing what you can do if you have to. "Baked Dinner" (mostly veg and stuffing!), soup, chicken pie, croquettes, chicken salad and then chicken sandwiches. The soup even lasted two meals! In the end it was just the chicken passed over the pot/pan for a second or two but we had fun and survived. And, the dog got the bones!
    Lovely posts. Read them every day.
    Lots of love to you all.

    ReplyDelete
  35. i grew up on a farm, where we would have a steer killed to provide us with meat every few months (we had a large family)... it was the best meat ever... my parents still do this and i'm super keen to start doing it again... we would kill the lambs ourselves and the chickens and turkeys... it was my job to pluck/gut them...and also to pack away the meat...
    now buying meat hurts me! i hate spending lots of money on inferior meat!
    it is so much nicer to eat better quality meat that has had a higher quality of life- you know exactly what you are eating, as opposed to supermarket meat which is usually some old cow that is at the end of her life :(
    amy

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Rhonda Jean,
    I saw in the comments that someone was asking about oxtail recipes. My Nana used to make Oxtail casserole for us - it is sooo yummy, but unless you get homekill meat it's very expensive to buy oxtail for some reason. But here is the recipe.
    Oxtail
    1 large onion
    4 or 5 cloves of garlic
    1/2 packet of Maggi Oxtail soup (I hope you can still buy that).
    Brown onion and garlic. Coat meat in flour and brown. Add to casserole dish with onion and garlic. In a separate bowl mix the maggi soup with the water to blend. Pour a good ucp of water to juices left in pan, bring to bil and slowly add Maggi mixture (may need extra water). Add to casserole. Cook in moderate oven 1 1/2 - 2 hours with lid on.

    Hope it's ok to post a recipe here. :o)
    Rachel from NZ

    ReplyDelete
  37. We get our meat in bulk like this from a local butcher. They wrap it for the long-term freezer storage and put it in their freezer and when it's frozen you come pick it up. Everything is packaged how I order it, and labelled, and the cost per pound is very reasonable.

    Butchers in other places might offer the wrapping & pre-freezing, just ask them.

    ReplyDelete
  38. the whole article was great, but what stuck in my head was...you have aldis and iga? i haven't seen an IGA in awhile here in MO but we have aldis still.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi there, I am also new to your blog - all the way in South Africa. I tried your soap tutorial a few days ago and have a nice little tray of soaps curing in my bathroom cupboard.

    On the subject of meat... We are on a small farm and when we have had our sheep slaughtered in the past, it arrives in a big box, but not packaged at all - just a whole lot of meat in a box. But I quite like it that way - I save all my bread bags, fruit and veg packets etc through the year, so have a great opportunity to re-use them. Very satisfying way to spend the morning sorting out all the cuts and labeling - if you use a permanent marker it does not rub off the plastic.

    Thanks for the lovely blog!!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hi there Rhonda
    I read your post and just couldn't help but commenting.
    My DH works at an abattoir and for a little while I cleaned there (yes the slaughter room) to earn some extra $$. He is quite high in the company and therefore has a meat allowance. Each month he is able to purchase meat - in other words we get all our meat for free. It comes in large boxes of rump, t- bone, cube roll, rack of lamb etc. We are very lucky!!!I can tell you that if I had to pay for meat these days I wouldnt buy half of what we get in a year!
    I have learnt so much about the meat industry in the last 4 years. And happy to say that I am impressed with it.The meat industry works fairly well together and work under strict guidelines. My biggest concern is how much meat is eaten in Australia. The numbers that are killed each day are....large.( The number of chickens killed are huge)Even though we get so much meat I think it important to add vegetarian meals throughout the week, it gives us balance and really how much meat should we eat?? Meat prices will go up when the weather is good because after so much drought in Australia farmers want to hold onto there stock, therefore driving the price up.
    There is so much more that I could say but...
    I will tell you that now that we have meat in bulk we have bought a thing called a food saver. It is fantastic for storing meat. You just pop your meat into the bag then the machine sucks all the air out and heat seals the bag shut. This prevents the meat getting any freezer burn and keeps it at great quality longer. You can also wash the bags after and use them again. They cost around $50 at kmart. They are a great investment if you are buying in bulk.

    ReplyDelete
  41. A friend offered us both sheep and beef that he will kill and butcher himself in exchange for some electrical work done by hubby just the other day. We jumped at the chance. Even better he has offered me a couple of lambs to raise (lots of grass on our block) that we can kill and butcher ourselves (another friend will help us) so lovely fresh lamb chops here we come. Aldi free range chickens are fabulous. I cook two at a time in the crock pot, strip off all the meat and bag it up in 2 cupful amounts and freeze it. Brilliant for sandwiches or a meal that needs precooked chicken.

    Ohh and I agree with you - the price of meat in the shops is outrageous.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Someone (anonymous) commented about an invisible thread binding like minded people together and I had to smile. The "butchers" in our freezer is getting low. We had a lamb and a half hogget in there and I think I need to restock. I love the fact that because I buy the whole animal I can get cuts that otherwise are almost impossible to find (breast of lamb and beef shin - both family favourites). Also I think it's better that my children understand that they should value the provenance of their food, chosing it carefully and the importance of eating everything but the oink - not wasting any of it.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Thanks so much for this post, I'll be putting a link to it on my blog! I've recently written about ordering bulk grains, flour, seeds, nuts, etc, through co-ops, and have had lots of people asking questions and wanting to start saving money this way too. We are blessed to have a wonderful local butcher like yours, and grass fed meat. The prices are great, and the meat is delicious!
    Jo :)

    ReplyDelete
  44. Great blog post again Rhonda. We live in the Middle East at the moment but in a few months will be home in Australia again and can start to plant out vegies buy our meat in bulk and start out simple life. Thanks for the address of the local butcher. We live in Beerwah you and I are nearly neighbours.

    ReplyDelete
  45. when I broke up my last bulk purchase of mince freezing I used wax paper for wrapping instead of plastic and it worked just fine. That way the wrapping can just go in the compost bin.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I do this too i bought beef , lamb and pork(inc sausages) from a local friend who rears meat i paid £200GBP for almost all my years meat

    ReplyDelete
  47. All I can say is...my goodness, I thought meat prices in the US had gotten crazy. They have, but $13 a kilo for leg of lamb is a crime!

    Living just outside of Boston, I don't think I could save money by buying in bulk from a local source--few people raises meat around here and those who do are charging premium prices for grass-fed meats. I'm considering ordering a quarter cow or something in the rural area where my mom lives and borrowing LOTS of coolers to get it home.

    ReplyDelete
  48. we have a freezer full of chicken and just got a great deal on a local farms beef csa that will start later this month, can't wait!
    we have a great local butcher who does whole lamb and 1/4-whole beef. even though it's an upscale shop and a lot is out of our price range he takes the time to go over our order with us and help us get the best range of cuts for thrifty meals for the family. he even throws the bones and bits in too for stocks! you wont find that kind of service in the big stores.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I like to freeze both uncooked and precooked ground beef [your "mince"]. I can pull out a bag of pre-cooked on rushed days and even one of my teenagers can throw together something decent with it. I also do this with bbq-grill stuff--cook extra [charchol is expensive!] and freeze it--reheat on the stove with a little water (steam) for best texture and flavor]. With no huge freezer, I can't really buy big enough "bulk" to save much $

    ReplyDelete
  50. I have to echo the sentiment of "great minds think alike"... only about a week ago, I mentioned to my partner about the fact we spend so much on groceries - and a lot of it is meat. We agreed to start looking at buying another separate freezer to help us buy bulk meat, and to find where we can get half a cow (or even maybe a whole cow!).

    Also with our shopping, we buy A LOT of processed snacks, sauces etc and have been dealing with health problems - my chronic pain and depression, and my partner has been in and out of hospital with severe abdominal pain. We decided only two days ago while he was in hospital that I would research on a more healthy way of eating because we aren't able to 'snap back' the way we did in our early twenties (I am 27 and he is 30). From my personal research, I believe that meat is something we need - not only because it can be very tasty - but because we feel it is important for our health.

    We are also a big family at the moment (Me, my partner, one of my younger sisters, one of my younger brothers, and three children who are 7 years and younger), so in order to eat what we believe to be healthy, we have to be able to afford it, lol.

    I guess I have said all of that, to say - thank you for reminding me to stay focused on our food/health goals, for pointing out the benefits of buying meat in bulk, and for sharing your knowledge (yet again). Even though my family will not eat any organ meats or anything like that, I liked the suggestion of letting the butcher know so that he can offer it to anyone else who may be buying the other half of our (one day) cow.

    Warmest regards,
    Angela @ www.purposefulwomanhood.net

    ReplyDelete
  51. I always try and buy things in bulk so save money each month. I only recently started to buy frozen meat in larger quantities and the trick is not to get more then you will eat. If you buy to much and it goes bad the money that went into savings is now wasted. It takes time to find a system that works best for you. I usually find that buying enough for a two week or month supply works out good for my family.

    ReplyDelete
  52. You talk about a fish co-op, can I get a contact for them? Thanks so much for your post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, it doesn't exist now. It closed down a few years ago. This post is ten years old.

      Delete
    2. Ohhh sorry to hear!! Have you ever shopped at the seafood wearhouse in Capalaba ? Would love an opinion before travelling the 2h there 😁.
      Thanks for the info in beef, I contacted them, see what the prices are now a days 😁!
      Thanks so much

      Delete
    3. No, I've never shopped at Capalaba.

      Delete

Blogger Template by pipdig