I have been posting for a few months now that it is time to stock up on beef and chicken (beef post and chicken post.)
Grain prices have gone up which is making for some pretty pricey turkeys in addition to the chicken and beef, and now to exacerbate the issue, this article from Financial Times spotlights the damage the drought in Texas is causing to the cattle industry. Texas cattle provides 16% of the nations beef!
Non-vegetarians are going to experience sticker shock once the final sell off occurs this year.
Are you doing anything to prepare for higher meat and poultry prices? If so, what? Or will you cross that bridge when you come to it? Or will you give up meat and poultry and just grow a large garden?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Meat is something we have to buy either way. I am always hunting for NBPR rebates to offset the cost of meat. We also have 2 deep freezers, one just for meat, and I take advantage of each rebate I can, and stock up when the price is right. This past weekend I drove past Niagara Produce at the intersection of Millersport and Transit and they had boneless, skinless chicken breast for 1.59lb .. that’s an awesome price! You have to buy a 40lb box, but with 2 freezers that’s no problem, and with a family of 6, almost 7 we eat a lot of chicken! (its also on sale at Dash’s this week for 1.68, and even when it goes on sale for .99lb for bone in chicken at Tops, we weighed the bones once to see the real price of boneless chicken and its still 1.47lb, plus the cost of the work to de-bone it!)
So in short .. we have to buy meat .. so I watch for rebates and stock up with the price is right. I think next year we may split a cow with another family .. still weighing our options!
I have not bought whole products even though I so wanted to this year.
However, just like Adina, I am stocking as much as I can… if I find a a good price on meat, or clearance meat … I grab it. I’m getting “really creative” in the kitchen regarding how much chicken or pork so far I can make into amazing meals!! That being said, I’m also trying to limit the amt of meat we eat. I’m aiming for more vegetarian meals, and one pot meals with leftovers!
Awesome thread Ann!
Thanks goodness that my meat loving boyfriend of almost 14 years has decided to go vegan!
I’ve been a vegetarian for 21 years and have always bought meat for him. For heal reasons, he’s go even more hard core than me. I can’t give up my cheese!
I buy loss leaders where meat is concerned. Also one of the local grocery stores has awesome deals on meat often. I’ve bought tenderloins for $4.99 per pound, boneless country style pork ribs for $1.24 per pound and whole slabs of NY Strips for $3.99 per pound. I grab as many as I can stuff in my freezer. I’ll also buy Butcher Specials (getting ready to be outdated) and freeze them.
I want to get a freezer for meat only too. Im scheming up a plan to get a friend of my moms to raise some cattle for us on her land (he already has cows on there) next year so I can have good grass fed beef without paying an an arm & a leg for it. If I were there, I’d do it myself.
I have been telling everyone who will listen for 2 years that meat was going to go up. Do you think they listened? Not at all. In fact, I heard one of my co-worker telling everyone last week that meat was going to go up in price. I just laughed it off because I have a whole freezer full of meat.
I have stocked on eye round roasts and I am stocking on whole roasting chickens from Wegmans while they are still $ .88 a lb. I also have been picking up other meats on reduce for quick sale. I do want to leave room in my freezer for quite a few whole turkeys at Thanksgiving also.
I have two deep freezers completely packed full with only meat. Everything has been repacked into foodsaver bags and stacked to the point that I can’t fit a toothpick into either freezer.
Something to think about!!
My homeowners insurance agent was over last month to look at some storm damage and suggested that we add our stockpile to our insurance. In order for our freezers to be covered they had us add a designated backup generator and temperature alarms. The policy is $45 a year for $45,000 coverage. They had someone comeout and do inventory for me (they came up with that figure). Good lord I would not have spent that much money in 10 years. IMO worth every penny for the piece of mind. I had never thought about what I would do if I lost my stockpile in a disaster.
Ann I think this would be a great topic!
I think that is great foresight of your insurance agent. I want to get a generator too, but my honey isnt interested in the least bit. I’d rarther be safe than sorry myself.
Ann–what a great topic!! I live one veteran hunter and 4 young ones so we have a lot of venison meat in our freezer. We pay to have hot dogs made from the venison, the guys always make their own sausage and we have plenty of steaks and roasts. I do buy roasts from the market and hamburger–steaks only when a great deal. Last year we did buy a quarter cow but were not pleased because so fatty. The venison is so lean and that is what we are used to! This year we bought a half of pig for hams, bacon and pork loins and chops. Excited to see how it will be. Bacon prices are sooo high (I went to Tops everyday last week to get the $2.99 bacon..lol) I only buy chicken when $1.99 or less and stock the freezer. I am seriously thinking a second large freezer may be worth the investment. 1 large one does not hold enough!
I wish I had a freezer. I just have my fridge/freezer and that is full. I see stuff on sale and have to think if I have room. We separate into foodsaver bags too, but I can’t hold too much in there. I keep telling the hubby that I need a freezer, but where would we put it. LOL! Our goal is to take the shower out of the master bath and use that space in the hallway to put a freezer in. We are going to get a combined tub shower in there. But that is long term thinking.
We have one small chest type freezer plus the freezer on our refrigerator. I’ve got both of them packed full right now with veggies from the garden. It will slowly dwindle away though. I honestly don’t know what to do. It’s hard to figure out the most cost effective way to stockpile meat. Would it be better to invest in another freezer? Add a generator and stockpile the meat? Or would it be better to continue buying a months’ worth of meat on sale – even after the prices go up? We eat a meat nightly and there’s 3 of us living in our home. Our power goes out often in the spring when severe weather hits. It also tends to go out when we get an ice storm (rarely). It seldom snows enough to knock the power out in GA. I figure a freezer is around $300 and I have no idea how much a generator would cost. I’ll do some calculating and try to figure out if it would be cost effective for us to stockpile meat for a longer period of time. Any guesses how much of an increase in price they are expecting on beef, pork and chicken?
I am sorry to ask a silly question, but what is an nbpr rebate? Also, how much is a chest freezer add usually to your electric bill, and does the meat stay tasting good or is it the type of thing where you have to make it in casserole type dishes?
It’s not a silly ? NBPR means no beer purchase required rebate. These are rebates put out by beer companies that you don’t have to buy the beer. The catch is you must live within one of the required states listed on the form and you must locate the form. Hope that helps.
When choosing a freezer your options are hugh. You can get a small cheat freezer at Walmart for $99 or a hugh standup freezer for $1500.
The taste depends on how you preserve the meat. I would not freeze anything unless you vacuum seal it.
Aslo……..you can CAN meat. I have canned boneless skinnless chicken breast and roast. I love it!