Tips Can Save Shoppers Cash At The Checkout Stand

One sure way to save money at the supermarket is to pay more attention to where we spend the most week after week. For many people, the meat department is one area that takes a big bite out of a food budget.

Cheryl Robertson, manager of consumer affairs for the Chicago supermarket chain Dominick’s and a registered dietitian, offers this advice:

Plan meals around weekly specials. If, for example, chicken breasts are on sale, stock up and use them in a variety of ways. Be sure to pack them properly for freezing.

Buy larger packages. Supermarkets usually sell larger packs at reduced prices.

Look for chuck or round cuts. “These cuts are usually a lot less expensive, but are less tender as well,” Robertson says. She suggests marinating them and using slower cooking methods, such as stewing.

Try ground turkey instead of ground beef. Aside from its health benefits, turkey can be $1 a pound cheaper.

The dark meat of chicken is generally a better value than the white meat. However, remember that buying the entire bird instead of parts will save you approximately 20 cents a pound.

Don’t forget to account for yield and waste. Remember that when you are buying a whole bird or cut of meat you will have a higher degree of waste, and you need to calculate that in your final cost.

For example, according to the Pork Producers Council, boneless pork chops are a much better buy than bone-in. According to its national price-scan average, 1 pound of boneless chops (at $3.99 per pound) yields four 3-ounce servings; 1 pound of bone-in (at $2.59 per pound) yields only two servings.

Beef cuts vary, but boneless cuts usually offer a better buy. A general guideline: boneless cuts (top round) yield three to four servings per pound, bone-in (pot roast) two to three servings, and very bony (short ribs) one to one-and-a-half servings.

Of course, cooks who use the bones later for soup will make the most of buying bone-in cuts.