I suppose you could do what many of our parents did back in the day: Invest in an extra freezer and then take full advantage of sales and/or clearances. Grocery stores by me seem to always have stuff that's been deeply discounted when it's getting close to the pull date
Learn what the going rate is for the items you eat a lot of, and buy whenever/wherever it's on sale. Some people even keep spreadsheets for this. Every store and business has items that they are profiting a lot off and others that are cheap to get people in the door....and they rotate them.
Seems like any sale on beef (with the exception of ground beef) is not that much of a savings. Chicken I’ve seen some great deals actually and we took advantage of that.
Recently our* Myers had 93% lean beef for $3 a lb. They also sent us a coupon for $10 off a $30 or more purchase. We bought 14 lbs and froze most of it. I felt like I was stealing!
We usually don’t shop around for sales, we just happened to be in the area and stopped by the store. Now I am going to quickly browse the major grocers sales each week.
If you’re able to buy directly from a farmer or rancher (depending on your location) you may find some big savings (you may need some freezer space though)
This. I have a smallish deep-freeze and get 1/8 or 1/4 cow every year, and usually 1/2 a pig as well. My local butcher has a sale a couple times a year and usually try to stock up around then. Generally speaking you almost pay ground beef prices for the whole allotment of what you get from a cow, so your steaks etc are cheaper. Just need a place to put it.
Just to add:
I don't know where you're located but typically if you have a basement that's the best place for a deep freeze/ secondary/ beer fridge, whatever. I had a small fridge in the garage but when temps got to 90 outside its even worse in the garage. Meaning the fridge had to work even harder and the electric bill doubled. Just something to keep in mind.
No-one ever mentions cheese and yogurt but in my neck of the woods they're like the only thing that haven't gone up in price. An eight ounce block of cheddar is like 1.77 and a two pound thing of light vanilla yogurt is like 2.50. It's worth considering
I've been on such a black beans kick right now. Black bean hummus (can't think of the brand but it's pretty great). Gallo pinto with some rice and shredded chicken and whatever veg you want. I make a huge batch of it, freeze 2/3 and split it all up and it's my lunch for a few days a week for a month. I like a bit of variety so not every day.
Eat like the locals do. In the Americas there's a ton of people not in the US or CA that are getting by with beans and rice, and those recipes are delicious!
i cook beans daily in my instant pot. lentils for stew or salad or meatballs, garbanzos for hummus or channa masala, mayacoba or black beans for tacos and burritos, navy beans for soups and casseroles. there are hundreds of bean varieties and thousands of recipes. i’d start with black beans for taco salad or burritos.
Problem is a lot of people feel lightheaded eating beans for protein. A can of beans isn't going to get you through 3 hours of work. Steak, rice, and asparagus? That will see you through those 3 hours.
Beans are not a great source of protein but this sub is obsessed with beans
I literally can’t eat them they effect my digestion badly and I’ve been downvoted for saying that lol
You obviously don't have to do anything with this information, but it seems like in the past it was a lot more common for people to change their eating/spending habits during economically difficult times. Like, moving to different cuts or reducing meat consumption in general. In my case, I usually only serve steak once every few months, and the rest of the time am mostly cooking pork loin/chops/shoulder ($1.59-1.79/lb at BJs Warehouse) or chicken ($1.99/lb for boneless skinless breast). Or making quesadillas, Spanish tortilla, homemade pizzas, mac 'n cheese, etc.
For real, I’ve never seen tofu for more than $2/lb, usually less than that. But people don’t like to be told to supplement tofu with plant based sources.
That depends upon your goal though. Most people in America (and the ‘western’ countries more generally) get plenty of protein without worrying. A package of tofu is cheaper than a package of chicken, let alone steak and pork, and will make a healthy and filling meal, it’s just not AS protein dense. Most people most of the time can save money by subbing in tofu for a meal a couple times a week.
The subscription boxes always come out to at least 13 dollars a pound whenever I look into them. I can almost always beat that depending on the cuts. If you're buying Ribeyes then yeah they're going to be expensive everywhere.
If you're just buying for one or two people Aldi usually has the best prices, especially for chicken and steaks. Costco or Sam's are usually my next stop, especially if you can get the whole cuts and butcher them yourself. That's the only way I've seen to get Ribeyes for under 10 bucks a pound in my area
Restaurant supply stores have great prices on protein. Also like others said, shop deals & deep freeze. I always scour the ads & get protein when it’s big grilling holidays!
I just closed my meat subscription because the price went up. I’m working on adding more legumes to my diet and using meat more for flavor.
However, I have in the past bought meat in bulk when it was on sale. I’m not sure how that will work now since I live alone.
Why not do our planet a favor and eat less meat, ideally none. I realize not everyone's there yet. The raising of of beef and poultry is the largest contributor to o\[global warming and the resulting climate change. Raising the food grain for them in huge monoculture farms, usually with destructive farming practices, the use of pesticides and fertilizers that are killing the insects and polluting our aquifers, streams, rivers and oceans. The huge amounts of animal waste created by the huge feedlots, that are polluting all our water sources as well. Then all the packaging and waste from preparing meat products is another issue. The pollution is killing the sea creatures and their food chain.
Try legumes like lentils and garbanzos (chickpeas), nuts. I'd say soy as well but most of the soy comes from the fields created by clearcutting the rainforest in Brazil.
Canned black beans are like a blank canvas, because you can do so many things with them from just what's on hand, As a single person, I buy a lot of frozen basics, A seasoning blend from Walmart that just chopped onion, celery and green/red pepper. Frozen sliced peppers red, green and yellow from Trader Joe's, there are other variations in most grocery store freezers. You can also buy fresh pico de Gallo. Chili powder, vinegar, (apple cider or regular)You can add an egg, grated cheese, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, cilantro, parsley, Just experiment with the different spices and use your intuition. I make up things as I go, but I've attached link for you for other suggestions.
You can also use canned black beans to make some fabulous brownies!
[https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/quick-meals-that-start-with-a-can-of-black-beans/](https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/quick-meals-that-start-with-a-can-of-black-beans/)
Tried blackbean brownies... only works if I completely forget what brownies taste like. Lol.
"Blank canvas" helps a lot. I realized I'm so picky about veggies but maybe I can find a concoction I like.
If you have a butcher shop or meat market nearby, they usually have box deals that include lots of things, or they may sell ¼, ½, or whole cows or pigs processed.
I still eat other kinds of protein, but after stumbling across r/CannedSardines and getting curious, for the last few months I've been eating on average two cans of sardines per day - they are just so tasty and relatively cheap. My favorite ones at the moment are the store-brand sardines in oil and lemon from a local supermarket chain. Only 0.99€ per can and they are really excellent.
I buy a half cow direct from a farmer. The quality of beef is excellent and I pay a per pound price that is roughly equivalent to the market ground beef price except I get all the cuts, including about 100 pounds of roasts and steaks.
If you are buying from Costco, my friend tells me it’s an amazing deal to get the huge portions from the Costco Business Centre and slice them into steaks yourself.
We buy a lot of ground beef and chicken thighs! Also I like cheaper cuts of steak done in the oven. There are often decent sales as well. We will get a whole chicken from Trader Joe’s and that makes a lot of meals. I personally prioritize meat and protein and eat no low carb but less heavy carbs. Carbs are cheaper but I feel I can eat less and feel more full with more meat.
Honestly, if you can find an independent butcher near you those meat prices are ALWAYS way cheaper than the grocery store and are definitely more fresh, at least where I live. My uncle goes and gets like 25 pounds of THIN chicken cutlets and pays about $75. 25bs of chicken cutlets in the grocery store here would be double or more. He gets all kinds of meat from him though and it's all good quality. They will even do specific cuts for you.
This might be a bit “out there” but the price of organ meats and “byproducts” will always be a bit cheaper. Some, just as delicious. I like cow heart (tastes just like soft beef), and you can ask for things like salmon collar from a butcher and get it for a lower price while still enjoying the meats you love. If you have anywhere in your area you could ask, it might be worth it.
I've found in our house that using smaller portions of meat and increasing the grain/carb/vegetable ratio has saved us a ton of money. It really is a taste thing, I'm not a big fan of meat in general, but I do eat it in small portions. If a recipe called for 1 pound of ground meat, I'd typically use half or less in the recipe and bulk with other things. It works for us, I can't pay the prices of meat, especially steak. I almost pass out just looking at a package in the store.
I would get a box subscription if that’s cheaper but my first thought was to go to a local butcher first of all and buy in bulk. Even better get a freezer and seriously buy in bulk you’ll save a ton of money like buy a cow.
You don’t need as much protein as you’re led to believe. I’ve been vegan for over 40 yrs and never once worried about protein. You get it more ways then you realize.
I think it hugely depends. If there is a sale that is coming up at local grocery stores, it might be cheaper. However, Costco might be cheaper if no meat that you need will be on sale, as their prices are pretty fair. Subscription boxes I’m not too sure of but I’m always iffy about getting meat that I can’t pick out myself
I just keep an eye on the specials at my local grocery store. Sometimes they have chicken thighs for 2-for-1 or steelhead for a really steep discount, and I'll buy extra. Having a vacuum sealer really helps to preserve the extra meat in the freezer.
Costco can have decent deals on steak, but from what I understand they tenderize a lot of their cuts which some people don't like because it introduces more holes for bacteria to grow. Honestly though, I have seen better prices at my local store for steaks around various holidays. I just don't really buy steak very often because it's so expensive most of the time.
The key is to know what the usual price is for a piece of meat at a given location, and then buy when you see it lower than that. It can be unpredictable aside from around the major holidays.
As for subscription boxes, I'll just put out there that I don't really recommend ButcherBox, especially if you are looking for steaks. I did it for a couple of years and I got a lot of roasts and lean cuts of steak that I did not like. I also found the meat was often cut sloppily and I would have to do some work to clean it up.
I got a steak at Vons and it had a huge chunk of fat and gristle in the middle, under the label. I bit into it on a steak sandwich and thought I was going to vomit. Costco for me.
Grill one big marinated steak, like flank, sirloin, or London broil and slice it thinly against the grain. Very little waste and it feeds a lot of people. Make a sauce or two like chimichurri, or a flavored butter to melt on top. It feels fancy without breaking the bank. Have some nice sides and a delicious dessert. Who's going to complain about that. Besides everyone is feeling the pinch and I don't think real friends (or family) will hold not getting a ribeye against you.
I've switched to ground turkey from ground beef. The frozen one is almost always 1/2 or less what ground beef is here. I also always buy what's on sale meat-wise every week. Costco I found didn't really have a lot of savings.
Aldi has decent meat where I live and the prices are pretty good for beef on average. Got four pounds of grass-fed ground beef for $16 last month, for instance.
Chicken breasts and thighs are routinely \~$2.50/pound if you buy a big pack. Weirdly, chicken thighs have been more lately. There's often super cheap sales for chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs with bones at Kroger and other places too, but you gotta keep an eye out. Right now Meijer has drumsticks for $1 a pound, which is good.
Pork tenderloin is often \~$3 a pound.
Fish you can consistently get for under 5-6/pound if it's not fresh. Under 10 if fresh, if you buy what's on sale. Like, this week a 2lb bag of Salmon at meijer is $13.99, and if you buy one you get another for 50% off. If you want the higher quality wild-caught frozen salmon, that's $11 for a pound (four portions).
Not sure what stores you have near you, but check sales flyers and clip digital coupons when you can.
I wouldn’t trust the meat that comes in those subscription boxes.
Shop the grocery store sales. Look for the meat counter with the near expiration meats. Either strategies is better than buying at Costco, which is premium priced.
We buy meat in bulk at Costco, break it up into meals for us 3 adults (we 3?), then freeze them. We buy extra on sale, break it up and freeze it. Ground beef is cheaper at WinCo but the quality is better at Costco.
What is good at WinCo is their rubbed roasts. We do one and it feeds 3 adults 2 full meals for about $12. Best of all, WinCo has pulses: different kinds of beans, lentils and peas, dry and canned, and several kinds of rice. We’re from Hawaii so we eat medium grain CalRose, what they call “sushi rice” about 3-4 times a week. If you have an Instant Pot ($25 at a thrift store or Facebook marketplace) pulses and roasts are super easy to cook.
If you live in the right region for it, look into licencing for fishing and game birds. Much lower investment than hunting deer etc...
Frozen meat boxes from butchers are sometimes more affordable, but not what I'd call cheap.
Where I live the cow shares are actually just as expensive as the store, it's just better quality.
Invest in a meat grinder and you can buy cheap cuts and make your own ground mixes and sausages.
I suppose you could do what many of our parents did back in the day: Invest in an extra freezer and then take full advantage of sales and/or clearances. Grocery stores by me seem to always have stuff that's been deeply discounted when it's getting close to the pull date
Get a deep freezer. Buy a half a cow. ???? Profit
I use an app called flash food. I get a lot of meat at 50 percent off. Vegetables too.
Damg they don’t have it where I live
It's mostly in canada I think. At loblaws
I use it too in Michigan, at Meijer
It’s at Meijer here in Ohio too
Learn what the going rate is for the items you eat a lot of, and buy whenever/wherever it's on sale. Some people even keep spreadsheets for this. Every store and business has items that they are profiting a lot off and others that are cheap to get people in the door....and they rotate them.
Seems like any sale on beef (with the exception of ground beef) is not that much of a savings. Chicken I’ve seen some great deals actually and we took advantage of that.
Frozen mackerel. Defrost and panfry- cheap and delicious
Canned mackerel too. Nice and firm and clean tasting.
Recently our* Myers had 93% lean beef for $3 a lb. They also sent us a coupon for $10 off a $30 or more purchase. We bought 14 lbs and froze most of it. I felt like I was stealing! We usually don’t shop around for sales, we just happened to be in the area and stopped by the store. Now I am going to quickly browse the major grocers sales each week.
If you’re able to buy directly from a farmer or rancher (depending on your location) you may find some big savings (you may need some freezer space though)
This. I have a smallish deep-freeze and get 1/8 or 1/4 cow every year, and usually 1/2 a pig as well. My local butcher has a sale a couple times a year and usually try to stock up around then. Generally speaking you almost pay ground beef prices for the whole allotment of what you get from a cow, so your steaks etc are cheaper. Just need a place to put it.
That’s a great idea.
Just to add: I don't know where you're located but typically if you have a basement that's the best place for a deep freeze/ secondary/ beer fridge, whatever. I had a small fridge in the garage but when temps got to 90 outside its even worse in the garage. Meaning the fridge had to work even harder and the electric bill doubled. Just something to keep in mind.
No-one ever mentions cheese and yogurt but in my neck of the woods they're like the only thing that haven't gone up in price. An eight ounce block of cheddar is like 1.77 and a two pound thing of light vanilla yogurt is like 2.50. It's worth considering
Oh wait, I actually read your post. Still worth considering.
If you have an Aldi nearby, they have great prices on Grass Fed Ribeyes and strip steaks. Also on organic chicken.
beans are cheap and delicious and easy to store dry or canned when you find them on sale
I've been on such a black beans kick right now. Black bean hummus (can't think of the brand but it's pretty great). Gallo pinto with some rice and shredded chicken and whatever veg you want. I make a huge batch of it, freeze 2/3 and split it all up and it's my lunch for a few days a week for a month. I like a bit of variety so not every day. Eat like the locals do. In the Americas there's a ton of people not in the US or CA that are getting by with beans and rice, and those recipes are delicious!
We got plenty of cans of beans for when we can’t get other proteins.
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Don't preach about dietary absolution. Don't preach it.
I like to travel.
You can measure it. I have. Cut my grocery bills in half and now I go for the good stuff (like $2 vs $4 for two pounds of the "good rice")
Do you have any yummy recipes? Everything I make with beans tastes not good
i cook beans daily in my instant pot. lentils for stew or salad or meatballs, garbanzos for hummus or channa masala, mayacoba or black beans for tacos and burritos, navy beans for soups and casseroles. there are hundreds of bean varieties and thousands of recipes. i’d start with black beans for taco salad or burritos.
Do you like indian or Mexican flavours? They use tons of beans so there's a ton of great recipes online
Problem is a lot of people feel lightheaded eating beans for protein. A can of beans isn't going to get you through 3 hours of work. Steak, rice, and asparagus? That will see you through those 3 hours.
You should eat more beans then
Answer to all of life's problems
Beans are not a great source of protein but this sub is obsessed with beans I literally can’t eat them they effect my digestion badly and I’ve been downvoted for saying that lol
You obviously don't have to do anything with this information, but it seems like in the past it was a lot more common for people to change their eating/spending habits during economically difficult times. Like, moving to different cuts or reducing meat consumption in general. In my case, I usually only serve steak once every few months, and the rest of the time am mostly cooking pork loin/chops/shoulder ($1.59-1.79/lb at BJs Warehouse) or chicken ($1.99/lb for boneless skinless breast). Or making quesadillas, Spanish tortilla, homemade pizzas, mac 'n cheese, etc.
Try tofu
For real, I’ve never seen tofu for more than $2/lb, usually less than that. But people don’t like to be told to supplement tofu with plant based sources.
If you're looking at grams of protein per pound it's usually not cheaper than meat where I'm at.
Well if you’re trying to get the cheapest protein per dollar, lentils/chickpeas/beans beat out meat.
Correct. That said, tofu is not a cheaper alternative to somthing like chicken, pork or even steak in a lot of cases.
That depends upon your goal though. Most people in America (and the ‘western’ countries more generally) get plenty of protein without worrying. A package of tofu is cheaper than a package of chicken, let alone steak and pork, and will make a healthy and filling meal, it’s just not AS protein dense. Most people most of the time can save money by subbing in tofu for a meal a couple times a week.
The subscription boxes always come out to at least 13 dollars a pound whenever I look into them. I can almost always beat that depending on the cuts. If you're buying Ribeyes then yeah they're going to be expensive everywhere. If you're just buying for one or two people Aldi usually has the best prices, especially for chicken and steaks. Costco or Sam's are usually my next stop, especially if you can get the whole cuts and butcher them yourself. That's the only way I've seen to get Ribeyes for under 10 bucks a pound in my area
Sometimes small international food markets have good prices
I’ve found that meat is much more affordable at Sam’s club than Costco.
I'm in louisville ky, and last week costco had ground beef at 4.39.
Restaurant supply stores have great prices on protein. Also like others said, shop deals & deep freeze. I always scour the ads & get protein when it’s big grilling holidays!
I just closed my meat subscription because the price went up. I’m working on adding more legumes to my diet and using meat more for flavor. However, I have in the past bought meat in bulk when it was on sale. I’m not sure how that will work now since I live alone.
Why not do our planet a favor and eat less meat, ideally none. I realize not everyone's there yet. The raising of of beef and poultry is the largest contributor to o\[global warming and the resulting climate change. Raising the food grain for them in huge monoculture farms, usually with destructive farming practices, the use of pesticides and fertilizers that are killing the insects and polluting our aquifers, streams, rivers and oceans. The huge amounts of animal waste created by the huge feedlots, that are polluting all our water sources as well. Then all the packaging and waste from preparing meat products is another issue. The pollution is killing the sea creatures and their food chain. Try legumes like lentils and garbanzos (chickpeas), nuts. I'd say soy as well but most of the soy comes from the fields created by clearcutting the rainforest in Brazil.
Black beans recipes?
Canned black beans are like a blank canvas, because you can do so many things with them from just what's on hand, As a single person, I buy a lot of frozen basics, A seasoning blend from Walmart that just chopped onion, celery and green/red pepper. Frozen sliced peppers red, green and yellow from Trader Joe's, there are other variations in most grocery store freezers. You can also buy fresh pico de Gallo. Chili powder, vinegar, (apple cider or regular)You can add an egg, grated cheese, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, cilantro, parsley, Just experiment with the different spices and use your intuition. I make up things as I go, but I've attached link for you for other suggestions. You can also use canned black beans to make some fabulous brownies! [https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/quick-meals-that-start-with-a-can-of-black-beans/](https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/quick-meals-that-start-with-a-can-of-black-beans/)
Tried blackbean brownies... only works if I completely forget what brownies taste like. Lol. "Blank canvas" helps a lot. I realized I'm so picky about veggies but maybe I can find a concoction I like.
If you have a butcher shop or meat market nearby, they usually have box deals that include lots of things, or they may sell ¼, ½, or whole cows or pigs processed.
Example from my local market in Kalamazoo, Michigan https://www.parkstmarket.com/meat\_bundles
I still eat other kinds of protein, but after stumbling across r/CannedSardines and getting curious, for the last few months I've been eating on average two cans of sardines per day - they are just so tasty and relatively cheap. My favorite ones at the moment are the store-brand sardines in oil and lemon from a local supermarket chain. Only 0.99€ per can and they are really excellent.
I buy a half cow direct from a farmer. The quality of beef is excellent and I pay a per pound price that is roughly equivalent to the market ground beef price except I get all the cuts, including about 100 pounds of roasts and steaks. If you are buying from Costco, my friend tells me it’s an amazing deal to get the huge portions from the Costco Business Centre and slice them into steaks yourself.
We buy a lot of ground beef and chicken thighs! Also I like cheaper cuts of steak done in the oven. There are often decent sales as well. We will get a whole chicken from Trader Joe’s and that makes a lot of meals. I personally prioritize meat and protein and eat no low carb but less heavy carbs. Carbs are cheaper but I feel I can eat less and feel more full with more meat.
Honestly, if you can find an independent butcher near you those meat prices are ALWAYS way cheaper than the grocery store and are definitely more fresh, at least where I live. My uncle goes and gets like 25 pounds of THIN chicken cutlets and pays about $75. 25bs of chicken cutlets in the grocery store here would be double or more. He gets all kinds of meat from him though and it's all good quality. They will even do specific cuts for you.
Do you live near a Trader Joe's? We buy a lot of chicken thighs there for $1.99/lb (normal price, not on sale).
Aldi chicken legs and thighs less than 2/lb where I live
This might be a bit “out there” but the price of organ meats and “byproducts” will always be a bit cheaper. Some, just as delicious. I like cow heart (tastes just like soft beef), and you can ask for things like salmon collar from a butcher and get it for a lower price while still enjoying the meats you love. If you have anywhere in your area you could ask, it might be worth it.
I've found in our house that using smaller portions of meat and increasing the grain/carb/vegetable ratio has saved us a ton of money. It really is a taste thing, I'm not a big fan of meat in general, but I do eat it in small portions. If a recipe called for 1 pound of ground meat, I'd typically use half or less in the recipe and bulk with other things. It works for us, I can't pay the prices of meat, especially steak. I almost pass out just looking at a package in the store.
I would get a box subscription if that’s cheaper but my first thought was to go to a local butcher first of all and buy in bulk. Even better get a freezer and seriously buy in bulk you’ll save a ton of money like buy a cow.
You don’t need as much protein as you’re led to believe. I’ve been vegan for over 40 yrs and never once worried about protein. You get it more ways then you realize.
I think it hugely depends. If there is a sale that is coming up at local grocery stores, it might be cheaper. However, Costco might be cheaper if no meat that you need will be on sale, as their prices are pretty fair. Subscription boxes I’m not too sure of but I’m always iffy about getting meat that I can’t pick out myself
I agree with you. I’m not sure how I’d feel getting steaks and chicken I haven’t seen.
I just keep an eye on the specials at my local grocery store. Sometimes they have chicken thighs for 2-for-1 or steelhead for a really steep discount, and I'll buy extra. Having a vacuum sealer really helps to preserve the extra meat in the freezer. Costco can have decent deals on steak, but from what I understand they tenderize a lot of their cuts which some people don't like because it introduces more holes for bacteria to grow. Honestly though, I have seen better prices at my local store for steaks around various holidays. I just don't really buy steak very often because it's so expensive most of the time. The key is to know what the usual price is for a piece of meat at a given location, and then buy when you see it lower than that. It can be unpredictable aside from around the major holidays. As for subscription boxes, I'll just put out there that I don't really recommend ButcherBox, especially if you are looking for steaks. I did it for a couple of years and I got a lot of roasts and lean cuts of steak that I did not like. I also found the meat was often cut sloppily and I would have to do some work to clean it up.
I got a steak at Vons and it had a huge chunk of fat and gristle in the middle, under the label. I bit into it on a steak sandwich and thought I was going to vomit. Costco for me.
You could look into buying a half cow or full cow. My parents did that, years ago and it was worth it.
Vacuum sealer is the secret.
Grill one big marinated steak, like flank, sirloin, or London broil and slice it thinly against the grain. Very little waste and it feeds a lot of people. Make a sauce or two like chimichurri, or a flavored butter to melt on top. It feels fancy without breaking the bank. Have some nice sides and a delicious dessert. Who's going to complain about that. Besides everyone is feeling the pinch and I don't think real friends (or family) will hold not getting a ribeye against you.
“Ethnic” grocery stores. Do you have an H-Mart or Mi Pueblo around?
^^ I definitely get the freshest and the best prices for meat at H-Mart
I've switched to ground turkey from ground beef. The frozen one is almost always 1/2 or less what ground beef is here. I also always buy what's on sale meat-wise every week. Costco I found didn't really have a lot of savings. Aldi has decent meat where I live and the prices are pretty good for beef on average. Got four pounds of grass-fed ground beef for $16 last month, for instance. Chicken breasts and thighs are routinely \~$2.50/pound if you buy a big pack. Weirdly, chicken thighs have been more lately. There's often super cheap sales for chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs with bones at Kroger and other places too, but you gotta keep an eye out. Right now Meijer has drumsticks for $1 a pound, which is good. Pork tenderloin is often \~$3 a pound. Fish you can consistently get for under 5-6/pound if it's not fresh. Under 10 if fresh, if you buy what's on sale. Like, this week a 2lb bag of Salmon at meijer is $13.99, and if you buy one you get another for 50% off. If you want the higher quality wild-caught frozen salmon, that's $11 for a pound (four portions).
I find chicken breast for between $2‐$3/lb and I live in the California bay area. Grocery Outlet works. I also buy tofu for about the same price.
Not sure what stores you have near you, but check sales flyers and clip digital coupons when you can. I wouldn’t trust the meat that comes in those subscription boxes.
WAL-MART typically has 5lb bags of chicken leg quarters for $5 a bag
Shop the grocery store sales. Look for the meat counter with the near expiration meats. Either strategies is better than buying at Costco, which is premium priced.
We buy meat in bulk at Costco, break it up into meals for us 3 adults (we 3?), then freeze them. We buy extra on sale, break it up and freeze it. Ground beef is cheaper at WinCo but the quality is better at Costco. What is good at WinCo is their rubbed roasts. We do one and it feeds 3 adults 2 full meals for about $12. Best of all, WinCo has pulses: different kinds of beans, lentils and peas, dry and canned, and several kinds of rice. We’re from Hawaii so we eat medium grain CalRose, what they call “sushi rice” about 3-4 times a week. If you have an Instant Pot ($25 at a thrift store or Facebook marketplace) pulses and roasts are super easy to cook.
If you live in the right region for it, look into licencing for fishing and game birds. Much lower investment than hunting deer etc... Frozen meat boxes from butchers are sometimes more affordable, but not what I'd call cheap. Where I live the cow shares are actually just as expensive as the store, it's just better quality. Invest in a meat grinder and you can buy cheap cuts and make your own ground mixes and sausages.