Meat has become one of the highest food costs on the grocery bill. Prices for chicken, beef, and deli have gone up in every store. Before filling your shopping cart with cutlets, roasts, and ready-to-eat sliced sandwich meat, it’s worth asking: Is all this meat really needed, or has it just become the go-to for most meals?
In many
homes, meat is served at lunch and supper because that’s
what people are used to cooking. Cutting back doesn’t
mean meals become smaller or less filling. A few simple changes can lower the
grocery bill without anyone noticing much of a difference.
Two Ways to Start
1) Use
meat as an ingredient, not the main dish: Before buying more meat, consider
how much you actually use. Does every supper need a full pan of chicken or a
whole pound of ground beef? In most cases, you can use less chicken or meat and
still have enough for everyone. You can add vegetables, beans, or pasta to
dishes like chili, soups, stir-fries, or casseroles. The meal stays filling,
but the cost goes down.
2) Cut
back on the most expensive cuts: If you’re already
buying meat weekly, pay attention to which cuts are the most expensive. Items
like pargiyot, pre-sliced, extra-thin butterflied chicken cutlets, lamb
chops, first-cut brisket, and specialty deli meats are often among the
highest-priced options in the store. These cuts are convenient, but you pay a
premium for them. Swapping some of these for more affordable options – such as
chicken-on-the-bone, whole chickens, ground turkey, or larger cuts you slice at
home – can quickly bring the meat bill down. Even small changes make a
difference at checkout. Often, your family won’t
notice the change except that the grocery bill is lower.
Build a Simple Meal Plan
A basic
routine makes it easier to reduce meat without feeling deprived. When the meal plan is clear, you
naturally buy less meat, and meals still work just fine.
Here is a sample weekly outline:
•
Meatless Mondays: pasta, vegetable soup, baked ziti, tuna patties, or stir-fried
rice
•
Chicken Tuesdays: chicken-on-the-bone with rice or potatoes and roasted
vegetables
•
Fish Wednesdays: salmon, tilapia, flounder, or fish sticks with bread
and spreads
•
Pizza Thursdays: homemade pizza with toppings and salad
•
Sunday Night:
breakfast-for-supper (pancakes, omelets, frittata), sandwiches, quesadillas, or,
alternatively, Shabbos leftovers
Easy Ways to Cut Meat During the
Week
• Add
beans to chili or tacos
• Make
soups without meat as the base
• Use one
package of chicken across two meals
• Serve
smaller portions and add an extra side
• Switch
deli to tuna or egg salad once or twice a week
Why This Saves You Serious Money
• Less meat
purchased: Buying
fewer packages of meat each week immediately lowers the grocery bill.
• Cheaper
proteins: Eggs,
beans, lentils, and canned fish are high quality proteins yet cost much less
than meat.
• Fewer
impulse buys: A
weekly menu plan keeps you from grabbing extra packages “just in case.”
• Fewer
leftovers wasted:
When meals use less meat, there’s less
expensive food left sitting in the fridge and eventually thrown out. Using
smaller amounts of meat means less waste and less money lost.
Here’s an
example: A family that skips buying chicken cutlets one week and uses what they
already have at home, such as chicken-on-the-bone or a meatless supper, can
easily save $15–$20 on that single shopping trip. Do that most weeks, and the
savings add up quickly over the year.
Beyond the Savings
Cutting
down on meat doesn’t mean bland or
skimpy meals. Once you have a routine, cooking becomes easier and more
affordable. Many families choose to serve meat only on Shabbos and chicken on
one weekday, and find that weekday meals are lighter, quicker to prepare, and
less expensive.
A Real-Life Trick
After shopping, it’s helpful to
split the meat before freezing. Big packages often get used all at once when
they don’t need to be. Divide a roast in
half and repackage steaks and chicken parts, one or two per baggie. Breaking
them into smaller portions helps stretch them across more meals. It also makes
it easier to use less at a time, instead of pulling out an entire package
because it’s already open.
The Bottom Line
Meat
doesn’t have to be on the table at every
meal. Often, the issue is habit, not hunger. With a simple plan and a few smart
swaps, many families can cut their meat spending while still serving tasty and filling
meals. The savings add up quickly. A family that buys less meat spends less,
week after week.
Save-Your-Money Tip
Choose
one week to buy less meat and track the total at checkout. Many families are
surprised at how much the bill drops.
Rivka
Resnik is the author of three financial literacy textbooks – one for middle
school and two for high school – available at cost to any Jewish school across
the United States through the OU and Living Smarter Jewish.
