Inflation has been squeezing household budgets lately, and meat prices haven’t been spared. Nearly everything at the grocery store has climbed in cost, including beef, pork and poultry.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that in 2025 “overall food prices are expected to increase a bit faster than the long-term average.” Their Food Price Outlook highlights eggs, beef and veal, sugar and sweets, and nonalcoholic beverages as categories likely to be hit hardest by inflation.
Still, most of us would like to enjoy the occasional steak without feeling like we need a second mortgage.
11 Ways to Shop for the Least Expensive Meat
- Purchase meat from wholesalers
- Buy directly from nearby farms
- Watch for coupons and markdowns
- Alter how you shop
- Plan your purchases in advance
- Try ethnic and specialty markets
- Compare average prices at stores
- Master cooking inexpensive cuts
- Make your own ground meat
- Portion bulk buys immediately
- Reduce meat per serving
These suggestions can help your household enjoy beef, chicken and pork at more affordable rates.
1. Purchase Meat from Wholesalers
Wholesalers typically supply restaurants and grocers, but many welcome individual customers to buy meat in larger quantities.
Search your ZIP code in the Wholesale Meat Supplier Directory.
Shopping at a nearby wholesaler lets you buy months’ worth of beef, pork, poultry and fish for prices well below typical supermarket rates, and most purchases will fit in a standard home freezer.
This can cover the majority of your weekly dinners and significantly reduces trips to the supermarket for meat.
Costs vary by area, but generally you’ll pay less per pound at a wholesaler than at a retail grocery store.
Note that wholesalers often keep different hours than grocery stores; many operate roughly from 7 a.m. to mid-afternoon.
2. Buy Directly from Local Farms
Numerous local farms and ranches will sell whole cows or hogs, and you can often buy turkeys and chickens for good prices.
Kitchen Stewardship offers an extensive how-to guide on purchasing an entire cow.
After selecting your animal, coordinate with the butcher about how you want the meat portioned — ground, steaks, ribs, and so on.
In the end, you might take home over 200 pounds of beef, which can easily sustain a household for more than a year.
The initial outlay is higher, but you can save hundreds annually and often receive meat of superior quality — frequently organic.
This choice isn’t practical for everyone, particularly apartment dwellers, but it’s ideal if you have room for an extra freezer.
3. Watch for Coupons and Sales
Keep an eye on your grocery store’s weekly ads.
When meat hits a notable sale price, it’s wise to stock up.
Coupons for meat aren’t as common, but you can sometimes find them on manufacturer websites, in the Sunday circular, or even printed on the packaging itself.
4. Alter How You Shop
Many shoppers follow the same routine at the store. Instead of heading straight to produce or dairy, try going to the meat section first.
This lets you spot sales and pick the best-looking cuts. Supply chain hiccups can cause intermittent shortages, so the particular cut you want might not be available.
This approach requires flexibility in meal planning. If you intended to buy bone-in pork chops but boneless ones are discounted, look up a recipe on your phone and adapt. Once you’ve grabbed sale items, continue to the other aisles to assemble your meals.
5. Plan Your Purchases in Advance
Staying adaptable is essential for securing the best meat deals, and meal planning makes that easier. If family will be over in a couple of weeks and bacon is on special now, buy a few packs and freeze them. The same goes for stocking up when ground beef dips in price ahead of a planned spaghetti night.
Planning helps you stretch pricey proteins. Roast a whole chicken, then use the carcass for broth. A whole bird yields about 4 cups of meat — enough for a meal with sides and leftovers for wraps and soup.
Forward planning also nudges you toward using pantry staples to round out meals — another way to lower costs.
6. Try Ethnic and Specialty Markets
While larger grocery chains face many of the same pricing pressures, neighborhood international markets and smaller independent grocers may offer better deals.
Chains like H-Mart stock typical grocery items as well as regional snacks, produce and meats found in Asian cuisines, which can sometimes be more reasonably priced.
7. Compare Average Store Prices
Take a notebook and visit your nearby grocery stores. If you can’t do it yourself, ask a partner or a driving teen to help with the price checking. Or recruit friends and form a little “Price Hunters” squad.
Record the average per-pound cost of your preferred meats. Ask staff how often the store runs meat promotions and what usual sale prices look like.
Compare your notes to determine the most budget-friendly store in your vicinity. Factor in the gas cost to reach it — a deal that requires a 20-mile detour may not be worth it.
8. Learn to Cook Less Expensive Cuts
Ground beef traditionally cost less than whole cuts, though it has become pricier as well. It’s adaptable and can feed many: meatballs, tacos, pasta sauce, burgers, sloppy Joes, stuffed peppers, and more. Gingery Ground Beef is a simple, flavorful recipe that can be doubled to serve a crowd.
Be flexible — if ground turkey is cheaper, it’s a fine substitute.
Chicken quarters (leg and thigh) and drumsticks are usually cheaper and more flavorful than boneless, skinless breasts. Pork shoulder and beef brisket tend to cost less than steaks or chops because they’re tougher cuts; use an Instant Pot, slow cooker or smoker and cook them low and slow for tender results.
Martha Stewart’s Sweet and Sour Brisket is a weekend-worthy dish that adapts well to a slow cooker. Most ingredients are common pantry items like ketchup, brown sugar and white vinegar. Leftovers shred nicely over pasta with grated Parmesan.
9. Make Your Own Ground Meat
Pre-ground meat is convenient but often costs more per pound. Grinding your own can be cheaper if you buy larger cuts on sale, though you’ll need a grinder or an attachment for your food processor, which adds to the cost.
10. Portion Bulk Buys Immediately
Big packs at warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club can cost more upfront but save money over time.
To maximize savings, divide bulk packages into meal-sized portions at home. Wrap smaller portions in foil, then put them in resealable bags. Label each with contents, weight and date using a permanent marker — you’ll thank yourself later when you’re digging through the freezer.
11. Reduce Meat Per Serving
Stretch soups by upping the beans, vegetables and other ingredients so you need less meat. A pound of ground beef should yield four — maybe five — patties. Pile on the lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles to bulk them up.
Nutrition experts recommend more colorful, plant-forward portions on the plate — vegetables, salads and grains should outnumber meat. If you crave a steak night, buy one and split it with your partner.
Another effective strategy is going meatless one or two nights a week. The Meatless Monday campaign offers many ideas for filling, satisfying dinners that don’t revolve around animal protein — an excellent way to sidestep high meat costs.
Contributing editor Laura Martin is a longtime food writer. Staff writers Emily Ross and senior reporter Daniel Price also contributed.
