Wow..the price of meat!

WantToBeSE

At this rate, we'll only be able to eat meat on a Sunday.

I normally eat meat 4-5 times a week, mainly chicken or Turkey, which i pay £5-£6 for, and it does us for 3-4 meals.
Today, for the first time in a while, i decided to buy a gammon joint...£6, and only enough meat for us and the cat for 1 meal!

I really am considering eating a more veggie lifestyle, with more lentils, pulses etc.

Is anyone else astounded by the price of meat these days? Have you considered, or actually made steps to eat more of a vegetarian diet?

Can anyone point me in the direction of veggie recipes?

[Deleted User]

I think it depends so much on the cuts of meat you choose. I got enough lambs liver for the two of us for 59p from the butchery counter in Mr.T and cooked it with some 'Cooking Bacon' (99p for a big pack) from Sainsbugs. I regularly buy a bacon hock or pork hock from Morr*sons butchery and that has enough meat on it for 2 meals for the two of us. Streaky Pork slices are very reasonably priced and versatile, stewing steak/shin of beef are as well but the cheaper cuts need long slow cooking to make them tender so it's worth checking recipes in the older cookery books to make sure the end product is nice to eat. An old money saving dodge is to use half the meat you normally would and put in some pulses to make up the weight, that works well too, Cheers Lyn.

freyasmum

I know I'm extremely fortunate in that I have more than enough resources to cover my needs, so spending the minimal amount is not my main priority.

However, I have to agree with MrsLurcherwalker. I, too, think it depends on the cuts that you choose. Yes, the prime cuts, chicken breast, fillet steak, etcs will be much more costly but if you buy the tougher cuts then you will not only get much, much more for your money but you will find that the meat you do have will be much more flavoursome.

Also, I would advise you to check where you're shopping. If you have the time, look around and see who is offering the best price for the meat you want.

Asda have big rolls of beef at the moment for £6/kg. It is incredibly delicious. I bought 2 rolls last night and that will do my mum, dad, daughter, probably cousin and I dinner for four nights and then sandwiches for mine and my daughters packed lunches for a week. For £20. Now, that definitely seems expensive - until you break it down into portions which would be £2 each, and that's not including the meat used in lunches. I don't think that's unreasonable for a treat?

Also, check to see if you have any farm shops which do decent deals - ours does huge chicken breasts for under £1 each. Or any agricultural shops - ours does organic chicken legs for as little as 15p each. Yes, really.


Finally, yes I do enjoy a few meatless meals. I like cooking and I find that you have to be much more adventurous with vegetarian food in order to have a variety of interesting tastes/textures. Which I enjoy

Pink.

These threads should help

cheaper cuts of meat

Best vegetarian recipes for non-vegetarians?

The complete vegetarian collection is also a good start for links - it may need updated but still has loads that should help.

Pink

PasturesNew

You need to be aware of how much your meats cost you per 100g/Kg. Then, if you want a particular cut/type, go through all the labels on the shelf and read the price/100g, you'd be surprised at how much different they are from each other. Maybe an almost similar cut/meat is sitting next to the one in the lovely box, at half the price/100g.

Butterfly_Brain

Find a friendly local butcher who will happily help you with cheaper cuts and explain how to prepare and cook them. The bonus with a butcher is that you can buy exactly what you need and not be a slave to supermarkup sizing.
Saying that though I have found Aldi meat to be quite reasonable.

EndlessStruggle

I really like Aldi's frozen chicken pieces, you get mostly drumsticks or thigh but get about 8-10 bits for £1.59, they have their BBQ sauce, Caribbean ketchup and curry ketchup all on offer at the moment and marinated in any of those is delicious. I bought some lamb neck from the butchers yesterday, very cheap cut, never tried it before but removed most the fat and slowcooked it, was the nicest stew I have ever had.

mrs_sparrow

You can get a bag of chicken at Tesco at the moment 1kg for £6 as it is BOGOF. Just got 2 breasts, does not seem like a lot in the packet but that should do 3 meals.

Also they have Pork Joints at £2.99 per kg and a 2.5kg joint is around £7.50. I got one and intend to cut it up and use 1lb at a time allowing for 1lb of fat.

Helen2k8

The price of meat will continue to rise as feed prices and oil prices rise

If you have freezer room it's pretty good value to buy half or whole lambs, or half a pig etc. Mail order meat boxes are good value for a premium product - they're usually organic or free range - but I can rarely stretch that far sadly.

Depending where you are you might be able to find wild rabbit soon, game season has begun

Popperwell

Helen2k8 wrote: »

The price of meat will continue to rise as feed prices and oil prices rise

If you have freezer room it's pretty good value to buy half or whole lambs, or half a pig etc. Mail order meat boxes are good value for a premium product - they're usually organic or free range - but I can rarely stretch that far sadly.

Depending where you are you might be able to find wild rabbit soon, game season has begun

Never eaten rabbit, might have to start...a local butcher is doing it for £2.50 and it was featured on a tv show in the week where chefs/cooks are trying to get the British Public to eat food they have given up on...

I think veg is getting expensive too so if both get expensive what are we supposed to eat if our budgets are tight?

Going4TheDream

Popperwell wrote: »

Never eaten rabbit, might have to start...a local butcher is doing it for £2.50 and it was featured on a tv show in the week where chefs/cooks are trying to get the British Public to eat food they have given up on...

I think veg is getting expensive too so if both get expensive what are we supposed to eat if our budgets are tight?

I sometimes make a lentil dhal, and then make some chapatis to go with it, it is nice, tasty and easy and cheap. I am trying (much to OH annoyance as he is a meat and two veg kinda guy) to have two veggie type meals a week, using pulses etc to keep the cost down.... but I know what you mean about everything getting expensive