5 Ways To Trim the Fat From Your Beef Budget

Beef can take a big bite out of your food budget and prices are high right now. Here are some tips that can help you keep costs in check.

by Patricia Estero

Beef is often a pricey meal component. But in July, beef prices hit an all-time high.

Finding affordable options may be challenging right now. However, a bit of readjustment to your meal planning may help keep costs in check.

Take a look at these tips for cooking around high beef prices.

1. Consider poultry.

Chicken and turkey aren’t always cheaper options, but when they are, you can typically substitute them for costlier meats.

Chicken can be a fantastic, lean food that is very versatile, too. You can prepare it in a variety of ways, from light salads to marinated dinners.

For example, instead of grilling steaks, consider grilled chicken breasts. Ground chicken and chicken sausage are also available as alternatives to traditional ground beef and sausage. Or use ground turkey for tacos or spaghetti sauce.

2. Embrace Meatless Mondays.

If you haven’t tried meatless Mondays (or any other day of the week), you should! Meatless Monday just means preparing a meal without meat for dinner one night a week. Not only is this a healthy way to eat, but it also cuts down on meat items on your grocery bill, too!

Vegetables and grains, including beans, rice, squashes and leafy greens can be nutritious ways to fill your dinner plate.

Related: 14 Ways To Buy Produce for Less

3. Buy less expensive versatile cuts.

If you can’t forgo your beef, try to buy inexpensive cuts that can be stretched into multiple meals.

Stew meat is typically less expensive, and it can be incorporated into soups and stews that could last for several meals. You might also consider buying these meats in bulk and freezing what you don’t intend to use immediately.

Related: How To Choose the Right Cuts of Meat for Affordable Tasty Meals

4. Stock up during sales.

If your local supermarket puts beef on sale, stock up! Use these tips to freeze those extra cuts of meat for later use.

5. Mix and match.

Think about mixing and matching meat with produce to create a filling meal. Shepherd’s pie and casseroles are excellent examples of vegetables and meat combined in a single dish. Mixing in rice, potatoes or additional vegetables can be a great way to stretch meats so that they last longer.

And who says you need to use as much meat as a recipe calls for? Add 25–50% less meat and increase the veggies and starch.

Related: Ways To Stretch Ground Beef (and the Grocery Budget)

Hopefully these tools can help you save a little money as meat prices rise. With a little planning and creativity, you can easily cook great tasting meals without breaking your budget.

• 13 Ways To Save on Meat and Poultry
• How To Reduce the Cost of Lunch Meat
• How Potatoes Can Reduce Grocery Bills
• How Dry Beans Can Stretch Food Dollars Further

Reviewed August 2025