The protein game.

Protein is the most expensive category of food shopping.   There are few coupons for meat, some for cheese, and almost no ibotta rebates on meat alone.   Beef and pork have taken an almost double jump on prices in the last year.   Yet, it is an essential part of creating healthy meals.

My answer is to buy in bulk on a rotating basis.   First, you make a matrix for meal plans based on family preferences.   Ours is 2 beef, 2 pork or chicken, 2 vegetarian, amd a fish or shellfish.   I based it on the fact that my daughter likes vegetarian and will eat fish, and my husband doesn't care for pork or chicken, but favors beef.   I will eat almost anything.   That's the way I was raised.  Be thankful that we have food.  Just eat!    

I digress.    

That breaks down to 

8 beef meals 

8 vegetarian meals 

8 chicken or pork 

4 fish or seafood.  

28 meals 

The next step is to go over the ads and FAVADO ( not always accurate) and find the so called loss leader for the week.    Buy as much as you need to make the allotted meals for that protein.   When you get home or shortly after. Bulk cook and portion control the meat.   Next week, pick another meat.   

By rotating your purchases. You can pay the RBP on your protein, cook more efficiently, and have less clean up.    Dinner is ready on half the time or less because you haven't had to cook the meat that is usually the most time intense part of the meal.   Making a matrix means that your meal planning is half done, and you are eating a variety of meals.    

Personal example 

Last week was a slow week for specials, not much there with the regular chains.   I went to Grocery Outlet and WINCO.   Winco always has chicken for a dollar a pound.   I didn't need chicken.   I got grated cheese at Grocery Outlet for BOGO 8 ounces for 1.99, or 1.99 a pound.   The specialty cheese was 3.00 a pound, but still less than the alternative at the other stores.    I can always get grated cheese at Costco wholesale for 2.3xx a pound in five pound bags, depending on white or mixed cheese.  You can do a lot with Mexican blend.   ( some vegetarian meals covered) Winco had a pound of ham cubes for five bucks.   

This week, Safeways had shrimp for five bucks a bag.  I also got hamburger with a 5 dollars off 25.00 total purchase coupon for 2.80 a pound.  I took it home. Made four hamburgers, amd cooked the rest into crumbles , defatted it, and froze it in cup portions.   If I had to defat the hamburger at mealtime. I probably wouldn't do it.   I am tired when our meal time rolls around, amd I want quick and easy-- quick, easy, and 5.00 is not an easy task.   I have eight beef meals, and two fish.   

Three weeks ago or so, I found pork tenderloin roasts at Safeways in five dollar Friday. I had dollar off coupons.  I bought three pork roasts for four dollars each.  This week, they are 5.99.  

Now I have six  pork meals.  

Several weeks ago, I got chicken , wa grown, for .88 a pound at Safeways .  Eggs were 2.00 a dozen at Costco and  Fred Meyers.   You don't have to have a Costco card to buy at Costco. Get a friend to buy a gift card for you.   Although, for gas alone, it's worth the expense.  

Lets do the math.   

3 pounds of cheese   7.00

5.32 pounds of hamburger 14.90

1 pound ham 5.00

3 pork  tenderloins 12.00

2 bags shrimp 10.00
2 dozen eggs at 4.00
1 chicken 4.40 ( 5 lbs.) 

32 meals - 57.30 or 1.79 a meal.   

Add a starch  and a vegetable or fruit , and you have an easy five dollar meal.   You can eat om four Dollars a day, eat reasonably healthy, and not spend your entire day cooking scratch food you can't pronounce.   

1.25 a day for dinner, leaves you more than enough on a four dollar budget for breakfast of cereal and fruit and a leftover or soup and half sandwich for lunch.   

Thanks for stopping by 

Please share and follow.  

Jane