I can not believe the prices of

[Buzzsgramma]

Our Jewel had sirloin and chuck roast for under $4 a lb. this week...I paid more than that at Costco...so i stocked up..at Jewel...

 

[aprilchem]

The price of meat can be crazy. I recommend looking into a local farmer, if you can. We are going to buy a 1/4 of a cow for 3.65 lb, which includes processing. The meat we receive will include about 45 lbs of ground beef, several roasts, many excellent cuts of steak(the prices of the cuts of steak are over $10 a lb at the grocery store.) if you have room and the funds at once, it a great buy. You could also see if someone or a couple of someone's would be interested in splitting one with you.

This is what we do. The price of our beef isn't going up because it's local and I live in the east, where there's no drought.

We pay more than you do ($5.50 a lb), but that's for a mix of ground beef and more expensive cuts like filets and such. It's worth it for us to eat meat from animals who are raised in a way we can support; we eat less meat to accommodate for the extra cost.

 

[disney1990]

Yup. Milk is supposed to go up for the same reason. We're a soy milk family so I'm already used to paying too much for milk

We don't eat much beef, but if you have a crockpot, you can buy cheaper cuts and they will get tender and taste great after cooking in the crockpot for 6 or 8 hours.

Everything is supposed to go up because of the drought in California. People don't need to believe in climate change, but they will have to learn to live with the consequences.

We buy all of our beef from the Amish locally. Better quality at a good price.

 

[DizMe]

It is a very complex problem that can't be explained in simple terms. There are contracts and water-rights issues and aquifer depletion etc. While some water may be "available" right now, they have to look at what is coming and where the reserves will be in a few months' time. Where I live (N California), the reservoirs are dangerously close to being so low they CAN'T release any water. It certainly is a political issue, and everyone has an opinion on whose rights take precedence, but the indisputable fact is that there isn't enough water.

Everyone here is right--prices are high and will probably get crazy. I've found the same as a previous poster; steak here is cheaper than ground beef.

We live in a university town that has its own farm and we can get excellent beef through them. That is another possibility you might look into if you live in an area with a university farm. My FIL used to raise beef and we got our meat through him, but he is now 86 and no longer raising animals.

TVguy, thanks for the info on the beef sales! I'm going to check our Raley's.

I don't use a lot of beef and will probably explore more alternative dishes. I don't know what I'll do about fresh produce, though. I'm spoiled with all the fresh fruits and vegetables that have been easy to come by and relatively cheap, at least in my area. I'm not very adept at growing a garden unless you really love zucchini

 

[powellrj]

I am doing a taco/nacho bar for a party and I have decided that I will use chicken and pork roast instead of ground beef because its so much cheaper. The price of things that use to be cheap is amazing. I never dreamed apples would be $2.49 a pound. I use to pay that for a 5# bag.

 

[angwill]

I look for sales on ground turkey or pork and go for chicken and pork roasts when on sale. I cook them in dishes and my boys have no clue it's not ground beef.

 

[threecrazykids]

I just get annoyed at the whole "grocery game" as a whole. Consumers try to offset costs of one product by slowly migrating to another, but then it never fails...THAT will just turn around and go up too.

There is always SOME excuse as to why the price goes up, and it always has something to do with something that is just "beyond their control" so as not to be blatantly obvious with price gouging.

 

[Egdisney]

This is what we do. The price of our beef isn't going up because it's local and I live in the east, where there's no drought. We pay more than you do ($5.50 a lb), but that's for a mix of ground beef and more expensive cuts like filets and such. It's worth it for us to eat meat from animals who are raised in a way we can support; we eat less meat to accommodate for the extra cost.

My price includes the ground beef as well as filets, kc strip, 4 or 5 roasts, round steak. Cube steak, a brisket, and some stew meat. They are hormone and antibiotic free and pasture raised. It is a very good deal!

 

[manning]

It is a very complex problem that can't be explained in simple terms. There are contracts and water-rights issues and aquifer depletion etc. While some water may be "available" right now, they have to look at what is coming and where the reserves will be in a few months' time. Where I live (N California), the reservoirs are dangerously close to being so low they CAN'T release any water. It certainly is a political issue, and everyone has an opinion on whose rights take precedence, but the indisputable fact is that there isn't enough water.

Everyone here is right--prices are high and will probably get crazy. I've found the same as a previous poster; steak here is cheaper than ground beef.

We live in a university town that has its own farm and we can get excellent beef through them. That is another possibility you might look into if you live in an area with a university farm. My FIL used to raise beef and we got our meat through him, but he is now 86 and no longer raising animals.

TVguy, thanks for the info on the beef sales! I'm going to check our Raley's.

I don't use a lot of beef and will probably explore more alternative dishes. I don't know what I'll do about fresh produce, though. I'm spoiled with all the fresh fruits and vegetables that have been easy to come by and relatively cheap, at least in my area. I'm not very adept at growing a garden unless you really love zucchini

And then there is that pesky little smelt that is holding up water allocations to the farmers allowing all that water to dump into the ocean.

 

[DizMe]

And then there is that pesky little smelt that is holding up water allocations to the farmers allowing all that water to dump into the ocean.

Again, there are two sides to this with only one being aired. The collapse of the California salmon fisheries and the destruction of the Delta estuary are directly linked to this pesky smelt. I don't pretend to have the answers, but the predicament is simple. The water isn't there.

ETA: I'm sorry that this came off sounding a little snarky. I have to explain that I live on a salmon stream and am probably more sensitive to this issue than others would be. It's very tough to try and balance the needs of all with a very limited supply and it's important to take into account all livelihoods and impacts.

OP, I apologize for going off track here. I do think it is a good opportunity to look at what we have taken for granted and adjust our habits in some cases. I'm not the best at adjusting to changes in the way I've done things for years.

 

[manning]

Again, there are two sides to this with only one being aired. The collapse of the California salmon fisheries and the destruction of the Delta estuary are directly linked to this pesky smelt. I don't pretend to have the answers, but the predicament is simple. The water isn't there.

ETA: I'm sorry that this came off sounding a little snarky. I have to explain that I live on a salmon stream and am probably more sensitive to this issue than others would be. It's very tough to try and balance the needs of all with a very limited supply and it's important to take into account all livelihoods and impacts.

OP, I apologize for going off track here. I do think it is a good opportunity to look at what we have taken for granted and adjust our habits in some cases. I'm not the best at adjusting to changes in the way I've done things for years.

The mystery is, if the story is correct about water being denied because the pumps are sucking the fish in killing them, why there isn't a way to prevent it. You would think there are ways to keep them away from the pumps.

 

[DizMe]

I don't know how that works either. I just saw an interesting link on FB that shows graphics about the drought. It also gives a pretty astounding assessment of how much water it takes for various fruits and vegetables. Take a gander at almonds!! 1.1 gallon of water per almond. Man! That's a staple of my diet! I have a couple of trees but the squirrels usually harvest them before I do. I may have to address that this year.

http://www.motherjones.com/environm...ction_type_map=["og.likes"]&action_ref_map=[]

 

[KennesawNemo]

This is what we do. The price of our beef isn't going up because it's local and I live in the east, where there's no drought.

We pay more than you do ($5.50 a lb), but that's for a mix of ground beef and more expensive cuts like filets and such. It's worth it for us to eat meat from animals who are raised in a way we can support; we eat less meat to accommodate for the extra cost.

I wonder where you live.

I happened to checked two local farmers today for their grass fed beef.

One charges about $8/lb for 1/4 cow. One charges a about $6/lb for a monthly meat subscription.

 

[Planogirl]

I saw an article just the other that said that beef prices are expected to go up a lot more soon. I just wonder what else will be affected.

I thought about buying a small freezer but I really don't know where to put it. Ugh.

 

[Jerseymomof2]

I saw an article just the other that said that beef prices are expected to go up a lot more soon. I just wonder what else will be affected.

I thought about buying a small freezer but I really don't know where to put it. Ugh.

I belong to Sam's club and my mom has a costco membership.
We bought one of those huge stand up freezers and a Food Saver machine.
when the meat gets near the sale date they put it on discount. I go in and buy everything I can. then I freeze it. In those food saver bags it lasts more then 6 months.

I have also got into couponing since I lost my job. You really have to get creative these days just to feed your family.

 

[ceemys]

Our beef is $6 per lb! Has been for a while. Never any sales. We have been sticking with fish and sometimes chicken. Our protein will have to come in beans and such because I just can't afford that.

 

[HeatherC]

I was looking here in Mass. for grass fed beef farms, etc. Well...one I found...Caledonia Farms wants like $12.00 a pound for London Broil, $6 for a dozen eggs and about $5 for a pound of ground beef. Good grief!!! I will stick to the supermarket sales and stock up for that price. What a bargain...not!

 

[aprilchem]

I wonder where you live.

I happened to checked two local farmers today for their grass fed beef.

One charges about $8/lb for 1/4 cow. One charges a about $6/lb for a monthly meat subscription.

I am in central Virginia (near Richmond).

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

Check out Zaycon Foods (they have a website). Trucks deliver on set dates/times to many cities across the United States. I have been using them for years. They have been on the Today Show and other networks that have had stories on how to cut food cost. The events rotate with different meats -I have tried the Chicken (fantastic quality) Bacon, Sausage and Beef. The Beef right now is lean and fine ground for $3.99 per pound. They sell the ground beef in 40 lb boxes ( four 10 pound chubs). I break it down into freezer bags and we are good to go for months. I have never been disappointed in the quality of any of their products and its a $$ saver!!

 

[nycdisneygal]

Where I live (nyc) those would be great prices!
I can only imagine what prices are going to be here