Meat is the most expensive buy in the grocery store. It comprises a large portion of your food budget. We all are interested in ways to reduce our expenditure for groceries, so naturally we should look at the meat department.

I have read articles that suggest buying meat with no bones, you get more meat for your money. I have also read articles suggesting to buy them with the bone because it is not only much cheaper, but you can use the bones to make soup stock. Some bones you can also give to your dog to chew. This would mainly be beef bones as chicken and pork bones splinter and could get caught in their throats and they could choke. I lean more towards buying meat with bones. It it cheaper per pound and I make my own stock for use in soups and stews. If I want a piece of meat boneless, I remove the bone myself with little effort. This is a very easy way to save some money in the meat department.

Obviously there are cheaper cuts of meat. Ground beef and chicken is cheaper than steak and prime rib. However, I do buy steak, if the price and the size of the steak is right. Steaks and roasts have many opportunities for other uses. When I buy a roast, I buy a cheaper cut and cook it in my crock pot. Let it cook all day along with your favorite spices and vegetables and you have a very tasty meal. You will probably have leftovers that can be used in a wide variety of recipes. I cut my own meat into smaller pieces for use in soups, stews, casseroles, fajitas, etc. Pay attention to the prices on all cuts of meat. I have sometimes found it is cheaper to buy already cut up stew meat rather than a larger steak. Always compare prices.

Some grocery stores have a section for marked down meats. A couple in my town have these, however this is a tip that most people are savvy to now and I rarely find good buys in these locations. Ask the meat department manager to find out when they put their marked down meats in that section for purchase and check out the marked down offerings then.

Always consider the amount of meals you can get from a package of meat. You can get more meals from a package of chicken leg quarters compared to a 4 or 5 piece package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, for less money.

Avoid meats that have to much fat attached to them. This fat is very bad for you if left on your meat, and will significantly reduce the amount of usable meat purchased if removed.

Keep an eye out for coupns or in store deals that offer money off a meat purchase if you purchase another product in addition to the meat purchased. If it is a product you were going to buy anyway, it is a good deal. Especially if you have an additional coupon for that item.