This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I use and love. Thanks for supporting The Little Frugal House!
Meat is often one of the most expensive parts of a grocery budget, especially when you are feeding an entire family. The good news is that you do not have to stop serving filling, protein-rich family meals just because prices are rising.
Choosing cheaper cuts of meat can make a noticeable difference in your grocery bill. Many inexpensive cuts taste just as delicious as expensive cuts of meat when you use the right cooking process.
Some of the cheapest cuts of meat contain more fat, bones, or connective tissue. Others simply are not as popular as sirloin steaks, filet mignon, rib eye, or New York strip steak. These affordable options may need slow cooking, a flavorful marinade, or a little extra preparation, but they can still become great meals.
The next time you visit the grocery store or butcher shop, look for these budget-friendly cuts. Pay close attention to the price per pound rather than only the total package price. You may be surprised by how much meat you can bring home without overspending.
1. Bone-In Chicken Thighs
Bone-in chicken thighs are one of the best cheap cuts of meat for easy family dinners. They usually cost less than the ever-popular chicken breast, but they are flavorful, moist, and difficult to overcook.
Chicken thighs are dark meat, which means they contain more fat than white meat. That extra fat content helps keep them tender during a longer cooking time.
Season the thighs with olive oil and a simple dry rub, then bake them until they reach a safe internal temperature. You can also add them to slow cooker recipes, soups, casseroles, or rice dishes.
Compared with boneless chicken breasts, bone-in chicken thighs are often a much better value.
2. Whole Chicken
Buying a whole chicken is a great way to get several meals from one purchase. You can roast it for dinner, use the leftover meat for sandwiches or casseroles, and simmer the bones to make homemade broth.
A whole chicken requires a little more work than buying individual chicken breasts, but it gives you much meat for a relatively low price.
Serve the roasted chicken with potatoes and vegetables the first night. Use the remaining meat in soup, chicken tacos, pasta, or an easy skillet recipe later in the week. Adding one whole chicken to your weekly meal plan can stretch your grocery budget further.
3. Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are not always the cheapest meat when purchased from a restaurant, but grocery store sales can make them a budget-friendly option.
Look for large family packs, frozen bags, or marked-down packages close to the sell-by date. Wings can be baked, grilled, air-fried, or cooked in a slow cooker.
Coat them in a dry rub before cooking, then add your favorite sauce. Watch the sale price carefully, because chicken wings vary significantly in price depending on the season.
4. Chuck Roast
Chuck roast is one of the most versatile ways to prepare affordable red meat. It comes from a heavily used part of the cow, so it contains connective tissue that needs a long time to break down.
That makes chuck roast perfect for slow cooking. Cook it on low with broth, onions, carrots, and potatoes for a classic pot roast. You can also shred it for sandwiches, tacos, soups, or beef and noodles.
Although chuck roast is a tougher cut, low and slow cooking turns it into tender, flavorful meat. It is usually far less expensive than tender cuts of beef such as filet mignon.
5. Chuck Steak
Chuck steak comes from the same general area as chuck roast, but it is cut into steaks. It is one of the more affordable choices when you want steak without paying for sirloin steaks or rib eye.
Because chuck steak can be tough, it benefits from marinating, braising, or slow cooking. You can also cut it into smaller pieces for stew, stir fry, or easy skillet recipes.
For the best results, avoid treating chuck steak exactly like a premium steak. The right answer is usually to cook it slowly with moisture rather than quickly over high heat.
6. Chuck Eye Steaks
Chuck eye steaks are sometimes called a budget-friendly alternative to rib eye. They come from an area close to the rib section and can have good marbling and flavor.
These steaks are not available in large quantities, so check the meat case regularly or ask someone at your butcher shop about them.
Cook chuck eye steaks in a hot skillet or on the grill. Because they can contain more fat, they stay juicy when cooked properly. They are a great option when your family wants steak but the cost of premium cuts does not fit your grocery budget.
7. Flank Steak
Flank steak is a lean meat with strong beef flavor. Although its price has increased in some stores, it can still be a good value when it is on sale.
The best marinade for flank steak usually includes oil, acid, and seasonings. Marinate it before cooking, then grill or sear it over high heat. Avoid cooking it for too long, since it is one of the lean cuts and can become dry.
After cooking, slice it thinly across the grain. Flank steak works well in fajitas, stir fry, salads, sandwiches, and rice bowls.
8. Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is similar to flank steak but typically has more fat and a looser texture. It absorbs marinade well and cooks very quickly.
Use skirt steak for beef tacos, fajitas, stir fry, or steak salads. Cook it over high heat, let it rest, and slice it across the grain.
Although skirt steak is not always one of the cheapest cuts of beef anymore, it may still be affordable during grocery store sales. Compare the price with beef sirloin, flank steak, and London broil before deciding which cut offers the best deal.
9. London Broil
London broil is often a preparation method rather than one specific cut of meat. Grocery stores commonly use the label for a lean, inexpensive cut such as top round.
Since it is a tougher cut, London broil benefits from a marinade. Broil or grill it while watching the cooking time closely. Let the meat rest, then slice it thinly against the grain.
It is a great way to serve steak-style meat without buying expensive New York strip steak or filet mignon.
10. Flat Iron Steak
Flat iron steak is tender, flavorful, and often priced lower than premium steakhouse cuts. It comes from the shoulder area but is more tender than many other cuts from that section.
Cook it quickly in a skillet or on the grill. Flat iron steak works well for steak sandwiches, salads, tacos, and rice bowls.
You may also see petite tender, hanger steak, or sirloin cap at the butcher counter. These less familiar cuts can sometimes provide good flavor at a low price, although availability and pricing vary by store.
11. Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder is one of the best choices for feeding a crowd affordably. It has enough fat and connective tissue to become tender after several hours of cooking.
Pork shoulder may be labeled Boston butt or pork butt. Despite the name, these cuts come from the shoulder area.
Cook it in a slow cooker, Dutch oven, smoker, or pressure cooker. Once tender, shred the pork for sandwiches, nachos, soups, rice bowls, or pork tacos.
Pork shoulder is versatile meat, freezes well, and can provide several meals from one roast.
12. Bone-In Pork Chops
Bone-in pork chops are often cheaper and more flavorful than boneless pork loin chops. The bone helps protect the meat during cooking and may help it stay moist.
You might see several varieties, including pork rib chops and center-cut chops. Compare prices to determine which is the better value that week.
You can bake chops, pan-sear them, grill them, or add them to slow cooker recipes. Since pork chops are fairly lean, use a meat thermometer and avoid cooking them much longer than necessary.
13. Pork Loin Chops
Pork loin chops are a lean, mild cut that works well with many different seasonings. They may not always be as inexpensive as pork shoulder, but grocery store sales can make them a practical choice.
Use them in sheet-pan meals, casseroles, or simple skillet dinners. Add olive oil and your favorite seasoning blend before cooking.
Because pork loin chops do not contain much fat, watch the internal temperature closely. Overcooking can make these lean cuts dry and tough.
14. Pork Belly
Pork belly has a high fat content and rich flavor, so a small amount can add a lot of flavor to a meal. It may not be the leanest cut, but it can be economical when used in smaller portions.
Cut pork belly into small pieces and add it to rice, noodles, beans, soups, or vegetables. It can also be roasted slowly until tender and then crisped under high heat.
Since pork belly is rich, you usually do not need to serve as much meat per person as you would with a leaner cut.
15. Ground Turkey or Affordable Ground Beef
Ground meat is one of the easiest options for busy family meals. Ground turkey can be less expensive than beef, especially when purchased in large packages or during a sale.
Use it for burgers, meatballs, chili, tacos, casseroles, or a creamy ground beef-style skillet. Ground turkey is mild, so season it generously.
The price of ground beef can vary significantly based on fat content. The leanest ground beef is usually more expensive, while beef with a higher percentage of fat may have a lower price. Remember that some of the fat will cook away, so compare both cost and usable quantity.
Other Inexpensive Cuts to Watch For
Prices and availability vary, so always check the weekly sales at your grocery store. Other inexpensive cuts worth comparing include:
- Short ribs
- Baby back ribs
- Lamb breast
- Beef sirloin
- Hanger steak
- Petite tender
- Sirloin cap
- Boston butt
- Pork butt
Short ribs and baby back ribs are not always cheap meat, but they may become affordable during seasonal promotions. Lamb breast is often less expensive than lamb chops, although it needs slow cooking because of its fat and connective tissue.
How to Make Tough Cuts of Meat Tender
The best ways to prepare cheaper cuts depend on the amount of fat and connective tissue they contain.
Slow cooking is ideal for chuck roast, pork shoulder, short ribs, and other tougher cuts. Cooking them gently for a long time allows the connective tissue to soften.
Marinating works well for flank steak, skirt steak, and London broil. A marinade adds flavor and can improve the meat’s texture.
Thin slicing is also important. Always look for the direction of the muscle fibers and slice across them rather than in the same direction. This creates shorter fibers that are easier to chew.
For lean meat, pay close attention to the cooking time and internal temperature. Lean cuts dry out more quickly because they do not contain as much fat.
Tips for Saving Money on Meat
Compare the price per pound instead of assuming the largest package is the best deal. Check both your regular grocery store and a local butcher shop.
Shop the weekly sale ad and build your meal plan around whichever meat is discounted. When you find a good value, buy extra and freeze it in meal-size portions.
Check packages nearing their sell-by date. Stores often mark them down even though they are still safe to cook or freeze promptly.
You can also stretch meat by adding beans, rice, pasta, potatoes, or vegetables. Use smaller pieces of meat in soup, casseroles, tacos, and stir fry rather than serving one large portion to every person.
Cheap Cuts of Meat Can Still Make Great Meals
You do not need sirloin steaks, rib eye, or filet mignon to make a delicious dinner. Some of the cheapest meat at the store can become a family favorite when it is prepared correctly.
Start with one affordable cut, find a favorite recipe, and learn the cooking method that works best for it. Over time, you will become more comfortable buying inexpensive cuts and turning them into satisfying family meals.
Choosing cheap cuts of meat, shopping sales, and planning meals around what you already have are simple habits that can help you spend less without giving up the meals your family enjoys.
You might also enjoy:
