Cheap Dinners

[firefly_ris]

Sorry. Just a tangent.

Nobody remembers when there used to be cheap cuts of meat that ballooned in price?

Yes... not in relation to family meals and "normal" cuts of meat, but my dogs were on a raw diet for a large portion of their life. When I first started and I lived closer to a wider variety of markets, including a couple of ethnic markets, I could obtain a lot of stuff for really cheap. I started doing it in about 2006/2007. I had a place I bought 50lb boxes of chicken quarters for $20. I also used to get offal/necks/gizzards/hearts/tongues/feet from chicken/beef/pork (and sometimes even goat) all for very, very cheap. About 6 years later, I was paying double what I used to -- I was still saving over what I had been spending on kibble and their health in other ways was much better and it was still worth it, but it was all a noticeable difference and I couldn't get the kind of cheap variety that I used to be able to get. But, in that time span the price of some of my own groceries also went up too -- but I noticed it more with the previously "throwaway" animal parts.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Yes... not in relation to family meals and "normal" cuts of meat, but my dogs were on a raw diet for a large portion of their life. When I first started and I lived closer to a wider variety of markets, including a couple of ethnic markets, I could obtain a lot of stuff for really cheap. I started doing it in about 2006/2007. I had a place I bought 50lb boxes of chicken quarters for $20. I also used to get offal/necks/gizzards/hearts/tongues/feet from chicken/beef/pork (and sometimes even goat) all for very, very cheap. About 6 years later, I was paying double what I used to -- I was still saving over what I had been spending on kibble and their health in other ways was much better and it was still worth it, but it was all a noticeable difference and I couldn't get the kind of cheap variety that I used to be able to get. But, in that time span the price of some of my own groceries also went up too -- but I noticed it more with the previously "throwaway" animal parts.

My own tangent. My Nana never bought cat food as she cooked it herself; had issues with horses being used for food. Whenever she went to the butcher shop to get (among other items) her burger meat that HAD to be ground within her sight and with the cuts she choose the butcher would throw in an order of "lights" for her gratis. Whenever we asked what lights were she'd giggle and say it was for the cat. OK that's fine but really what was it? Question never answered but since there were so many fascinating things to learn from Nana who cared? Wellllllll one day elder sister was visiting the grandparents and Nana left a pot simmering on the stove. Sister grabbed up a spoon and tasted the wonderful concoction of peas, taters and carrots with the yummy meat smell. When Nana returned to the kitchen sister asked if she could have some of the pot's contents with lunch. Nana, with her eyes gone big told her that was the cat's food and lights were lungs. Mystery solved and glad it wasn't me who was the recipient of the lesson.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Slack is not a meat cut I've heard of but bones, yes.....oops
.

First I have to say you are a fearless woman and obviously a caring parent and wife.
I was a vegetarian briefly until well err I started dating a guy who owned a burger restaurant- yeah the dedication was strong there.

There is a series of books now out of print that I recommend anyone looks for at their local used bookstore or via Ebay (normally cheaper at the bookstore). It's called the Good Cook series by Time Life:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Cook

I was more interested in some of the books than others (never purchased the full set) and when I attended the practical portions of my 101 classes in college they were a godsend to be ahead of the curve. I still use them to brush up on meat and fish and although there are recipes within I use it more for .....techniques and ways to cook various types of foods. The pictures are fanstasic as teaching tools.

Thanks for the recommendation! I will check those out.

 

[kimblebee]

Foster Farms is a California operation, although they've branched out over the years to a few other states. It's kind of hard to describe, but they've tried to develop a reputation for doing things "the right way". They claim no hormones or steroids, but these are banned anyways by the USDA. They claim they don't inject with brine, which obviously adds weight that people end up paying for.

They run ads often to trying and portray themselves as a premium brand. Their biggest ad campaign was of a couple of chicken puppets (that ate junk food or were pumped with saltwater) trying to become Foster Farms chickens.

Again, ok thanks?

 

[mrodgers]

You guys are so lucky to have such cheap food prices. The lowest our chicken goes is about $4.99/lb and that’s only 3-4 times a year. I stock up with about $100 of chicken and try to stretch it til the next time it goes on sale. Maybe our quality is better? I’ve never compared taste but it would be interesting.

Same. Real food is outrageously expensive. $5.99/lb for ground beef. $4.99/lb for chicken breast. I was given gift cards to Home Depot for a grill for my birthday last spring. I'd love to use it. I can't pay $19.95/lb for a steak to put on the grill.

Wendy's. Jr. Bacon cheeseburger, small fry, 4 chicken nuggets, and small drink for $4. I can't beat that in a grocery store.

 

[bcla]

Again, ok thanks?

Short answer - over the years they've tried to cultivate an image of a company that cares about the quality of what they produce so that there's brand loyalty. It's still factory-level production. I can't think of anyone who would be particularly brand loyal to Tyson or Perdue.

 

[bcla]

Same. Real food is outrageously expensive. $5.99/lb for ground beef. $4.99/lb for chicken breast. I was given gift cards to Home Depot for a grill for my birthday last spring. I'd love to use it. I can't pay $19.95/lb for a steak to put on the grill.

Wendy's. Jr. Bacon cheeseburger, small fry, 4 chicken nuggets, and small drink for $4. I can't beat that in a grocery store.

I recently got "membership" at Six Flags plus a dining plan. I'm obligated to pay for this for 12 months before I can cancel. However, the cost is something like $9/month for admission (including unlimited soft drinks in a specific bottle), and $7/month for the dining plan accepted at any Six Flags park. I'm normally not one to pay amusement park prices (between $10-14 for a meal) but I can literally get two meals a day plus a "snack". A lot of the options are greasy, but some of it isn't bad. I figure in less than a month, my family has probably gotten what would have cost maybe $400 if we had to pay cash for it.

I'd think someone living near a park might be tempted to just stop in an grab something to eat every day. Mine isn't open daily after school starts, but a place like Magic Mountain near LA is open every day. In another topic someone was joking that a homeless person might be able to eat every day for maybe $16/month.

On my first day I met an employee who said that her mom came by with her family, and was taking food home where she could "eat for a week". I've also seen some people who brought bags with them so they could stuff takeout food. The "Asian" (apparently used to be an in-park Panda Express) place however is the only place at my local park that has anything in a takeout style contain.

 

[soccerdad72]

Same. Real food is outrageously expensive. $5.99/lb for ground beef. $4.99/lb for chicken breast. I was given gift cards to Home Depot for a grill for my birthday last spring. I'd love to use it. I can't pay $19.95/lb for a steak to put on the grill.

Wendy's. Jr. Bacon cheeseburger, small fry, 4 chicken nuggets, and small drink for $4. I can't beat that in a grocery store.

I'd be surprised if you couldn't put that meal together for less than $4 with various sales of most of those products. Ground beef is usually on sale for $3.49 or $3.79 a pound. You might have to buy 3 pounds and freeze part of it, but for less than $4 a pound, you can make 4 or 5 of the same sized patty of a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger.

And $20 a pound for a steak? Maybe if you're only buying the highest end cuts of beef. A typical strip steak can't generally be more than $8-$10 a pound normally.

 

[kimblebee]

Short answer - over the years they've tried to cultivate an image of a company that cares about the quality of what they produce so that there's brand loyalty. It's still factory-level production. I can't think of anyone who would be particularly brand loyal to Tyson or Perdue.

Neither of those brands apply to me. Neither does Foster Farms. I don’t want or need a lesson on US food standards. Please stop quoting me.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

@kimblebee , have you tried shopping at some of the ethnic food stores in your community? sometimes they have lower prices.

But I totally agree with stocking up your freezer when the prices drop for one of those very-rare sales!!! Cuz I do it too! LOL

 

[wide awake]

Rice and beans, rice and vegetables and soy sauce, baked potatoes w/ frozen veg and cheese or homemade chili, scrambled eggs and anything you like, fried rice, baked chicken, baked turkey or turkey drumsticks or thighs, pasta and anchovies w/ a little bit of red pepper or olives, pasta w/ a fried egg on top, cornbread and beans, homemade cornbread which is super cheap and most any soup, chili, or stew, ham on sale w/ any side. We eat out for dinner once a month, every other dinner cooked at home. Super easy, quick, and cheap once you get the knack.