Tips for saving more money on meats at the grocery store

Meat and poultry can be a large part of your grocery bill, but there are ways to keep the cost down. Going vegan might not be something you're interested in pursuing, but you can incorporate meatless dishes once a week or more frequently if you desire. How do you save on the cost of meat?

Here are a few suggestions.

Buy in bulk: Buy family packs or larger cuts, such as a whole ham, turkey or pork loins, and divide them into smaller portions when you get home or cook ahead and freeze. Consider buying a whole hog or half or quarter side of beef. Tell the butcher you'd like the soup bones, too. If it's too much meat, have friends or family split the cost with you.

Stretch meat: Dice, cube, shred or cut meat and poultry into strips. Add it to salads, sandwiches, spreads, hash, skillet meals/stir-fries, stuffed peppers or tomatoes, zucchini boats, cabbage rolls, noodle or rice casseroles, quesadillas, fajitas, pizza toppings, soups, potpies and tortilla wraps.

Have deli meats cut thinly or shaved, too. Don't pile several pieces onto your bread. Fill with lettuce, sprouts, tomato or cucumber, instead.

Add TVP, rice, oatmeal, egg, cooked dried beans, bread crumbs, crackers or shredded vegetables to make the most of your ground-meat recipes, too.

One reader, Janelle in Pennsylvania, shares: "This recipe tastes like sausage. Doubles or triples easily. I've frozen, and they freeze just fine, too! The first time I fixed them for my kids, they enjoyed them and did not suspect anything."

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup rolled oats,½

teaspoon salt, ½

teaspoon sage and 2 beaten eggs; form into four flat patties. Fry in 2 tablespoons butter until browned on both sides. In a saucepan, boil 1 quart water and add bouillon cube. Pour mixture over patties; simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Homemade convenience mixes: Make basic meat mixes for use in tacos, chili, spaghetti, casserole, sloppy Joes and stroganoff, or mixes for coatings and seasonings. Visit ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn621w.htm and umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4029.htm for recipes.

Savvy shopping: Find out when manager's specials are at each local store's meat department. Ask whether they discount their unwrapped meat in the case or if they'll cut or grind sale meat for you, too. During holidays, when there are sales on ham, turkey and roasts, buy more than one and freeze it.

Don't overlook warehouse clubs, discount-food stores and restaurant-supply stores. Talk to your local meat-market managers and see what type of deals they can give you if you buy all of your meat through them.

Additional tips: Invest in a meat slicer, and cut it yourself.

Hunt and fish.

Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking meat.

Eat smaller portions: 4 ounces or the size of a deck of cards is plenty.

Save pan drippings and the water when boiling meats for use in gravy and soups.

Try using ¾

pound for recipes that require 1 pound, and try recipes using less expensive cuts of meat and poultry. For example, learning recipes for chicken thighs and legs. Use marinade for the tougher cuts of meat or use a slow cooker.

Substitute ground turkey for ground beef.

• Sara Noel is the founder of frugalliving.com.