Approx. Reading Time: 4 minutesThe economical carnivore sounds like an oxymoron. Pound for pound meat costs more than produce and prepackaged foods. Is carnivore possible on a budget? Yes, of course. I list several of my best tips and tricks below.
The Economical Carnivore Can Eat
Promises of endless ribeye play a spotlight role enticing many to the carnivore way of eating. Depending on where you live, the price of ribeye varies drastically with some paying more than $20 per pound. While this delicious fatty cut nears the top of the butcher’s pricing board, it nourishes the body justifying the cost. However, for some, the price makes this way of eating unaffordable. Fortunately, techniques exist for eating to satiety and not empty your wallet.
Buy the Cow (Or Other Animal) Direct as Possible
Butcher shops specialize in meat. Unlike the supermarket, butcher shops cut, grind, and trim their meat. The Standard American Diet (SAD) shuns saturated fat, so many customers request trimmed meat. At the end of each business day, your local butcher likely throws out delicious, fatty meat scraps rejected all day. Occasionally, seeking to purchase those rejected meat scraps results in a free or extremely cheap treat for any economical carnivore.
Depending on your area, shopping at a
local farm that raises livestock cuts out the middle-man. As a result, your dollar goes much further. Similar to the butcher shop, the economical carnivore will plan with the farmer to purchase bulk orders in advance often at a discounted rate. Not to mention, you stimulate the local economy.
Utilizing butcher shops and local farms keeps money in your local community. These types of businesses generally are family owned versus most supermarkets are regional or national corporations. Stimulating the local economy and eating the freshest meats sounds like a win to me.
Online meat delivery services offer bulk purchases at discounted rates. These wholesalers provide online ordering and delivery to your home. Suppliers exist throughout all regions of the United States providing various options to “
meat” your needs. Whether you prefer grass-fed, corn-fed, grain-fed or finished, an online meat delivery company exists to provide it. Each company sets up different packages to fit all budgets and family sizes. Overall, the cost per pound stays low, but your family gets to enjoy a variety of cuts.
Substituting With Fattier Ground Beef
Lean ground beef prices can near the cost of actual steaks. For years, doctors told us to consume less fat. Due to this, many of us have made a habit of buying leaner ground beef like 93%/7% or 85%/15%. Generally, the fattier ground beef comes with a lower price per pound. From my experience, most supermarkets sell bulk quantities of 3-4 lbs or more per package at a significant discount.
At the nearest quality grocer,
I pay $3/lb for 80%/20% ground beef when buying the 4 lb package. Most veteran carnivores suggest a minimum of 1.5-2 lbs per day of meat with a far-ranging upward limit determined individually. My average bill reduced drastically by substituting burgers in a few nights per week for dinner. Not all stores near me sell 70%/30% ground beef, but occasionally I will even pick this up. Generally, the economical carnivore may find ground even cheaper than this, but I prefer a certain quality and service. Regardless, ground beef saves money over many other cuts. This trick can make a huge difference when the budget is tight.
Optionally,
grind cheaper roast cuts at home. If you still own a Kitchen Aid from your carb days, they sell a meat grinder attachment.
It’s ok to dust it off for meat. Or, you can buy a cheaper standalone meat grinder.
Grab Those Grocery Story Fliers – The Economical Carnivore Need Deals
Most grocery chains across America offer deals on bulk quantities of their store line meat products. From my experience, packages containing 3-4 lbs. or more of one meat show a significant cost per pound discount on their label. These savings go beyond beef. Generally, stores also discount chicken, pork, and frozen seafood this way.
For those who suffer from food boredom, the last two suggestions are for you.
The average supermarket releases a new circular flier each week. This means that, in general, the economical carnivore can vary meat cuts each week. With at least 60 different cuts of beef potentially available to go on sale, there is no reason to stick to one cut.
Organ and Game Meats
Beyond different cuts, the economical carnivore will eat game or organ meats. More common consumed in past generations, organ meats contain higher levels of vitamin and nutrient than muscle meat. B Vitamins, like Folate, provide tons of energy, so companies use these vitamins in energy drinks. Organ meat with their high levels of B vitamins equates to the energy drink of the carnivore world.
Similarly, game meat offers additional nutrients while eliminating chemical additives used in farming and meat selling. While game meat is difficult to purchase at stores, it is widely available through seasonal hunting and fishing. As a bonus, the ability to hunt doubles as a great survival skill should you ever need it.
Each week, I provide an update on my carnivore journey and information relevant to those curious. Subscribe to our email list for notifications on the latest articles.
We’d love to hear some of our reader’s tips and tricks on how to save money eating carnivore or keto. Share with us in the comments below or email us at
emails@dirtywindshield.com.
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