Since I’ve gone to the Paleo diet as I heal my leaky gut, one of my priorities is to only buy grass fed meat for myself and my family. After having watched movies like Food, Inc. and King Corn, we’re committed to eating this way. I don’t want to eat meat from animals that are sickly and fattened on corn in huge feed lots. That meat is full of omega-6s, while grass fed meat is filled with heart healthy omega-3s.
The problem is that eating grass fed meat is expensive!
If you would like to eat healthier, grass fed meat that is better for you, here are some strategies we have used to feed our family of 5 grass fed meat from U.S. Wellness Meats while still keeping our grocery budget in check:
1. Use a discount code. U.S. Wellness Meats sends out a newsletter every Sunday. Every other Sunday, the newsletter contains a code for 15% off that is good for that Sunday through Tuesday. The only time I order from U.S. Wellness Meats is when I have that code. I can often save $20 or more on my orders with this code. (Note–the code is only valid on full price items, not sale items.) I always share the code on my Facebook page, if you’d prefer to get the code that way.
2. Focus on cheaper cuts of meat. Most of the meat I buy is ground. I typically buy ground lamb, pork, chicken and turkey. Grass fed ground meat is cheaper yet still a good source of protein and omega-3s.
3. Make recipes that stretch the meat. While I’m following a Paleo diet, my family is not and does not want to currently. So, I make them recipes that stretch the meat consumption such as chili and taco soup. These recipes are filled with vegetables and beans along with the meat. By doing this, I can often make the meal stretch into two meals while only using a pound of ground meat.
4. Become an affiliate. If you have a blog and write about food, you could consider becoming a U.S. Wellness Meats’ affiliate. Yes, you’ll make a small commission if someone else places an order through your link, but U.S. Wellness Meats also lets you place your own orders through your own affiliate link. That means you’ll receive a small commission for each of your own purchases which is like receiving another discount.
5. Buy in bulk with others. Another option is to buy in bulk. When you buy in bulk, you can’t use a discount code, but for every 40 pound order that you place, you can receive a $25 discount. (Order 80 pounds and receive $50 off.) This is a great option because U.S. Wellness Meats only charges $7.50 per order to ship, so you’ll get a large amount of meat with a $25 discount while paying one low, flat shipping rate. You could either buy in bulk for yourself or split an order with friends and family members.
6. Buy sale items. Every week, U.S. Wellness Meats puts several items on sale for 15% off. If you see the meat you’d like, stock up during the sales and buy enough to last you a few weeks or months.
7. Eat more vegetables with your meal. Typically, my plate is 2/3rds to 3/4s full of vegetables and fruits. The last 1/3 to 1/4 is reserved for meat. By doing this, I get all the health benefits of grass fed meat, but I also get the financial benefits of more affordable organic vegetables.
Grass fed meat IS more expensive, but it’s also a much higher quality product. You’ll be healthier by eating it, which is why we made the switch to grass-fed meat for the entire family. Using these tips, I can still keep my grocery budget at the USDA low-cost level even though we’re eating grass-fed meat and organic fruits and vegetables.
I shared this post at Waste Not, Want Not Wednesday and Works for Me Wednesday.
This post contains affiliate links which help support Mom’s Plans.
Great tips! I don’t like to buy ground meat though. There are always problem with it.
What kinds of problems? I recently read that grass fed is much less susceptible to e.coli
If you’re going to eat meat, I agree it’s worth the extra cost to get grass-fed products. Lots of ideas on how to save.
I’ll also add that buying a half or quarter cow directly from a farmer can be a huge cost savings! We recently bought a quarter cow of grass fed beef for $4 / lb.
You pay upfront, but my freezer is packed with nutrition!
These are great tips, Melissa. I especially like #7. Lowers costs and is healthier at the same time. I buy organic ground beef from Costco. I’m not sure how it compares price-wise to other sources, but I like the convenience.
We recently watched King Corn as well and, oh my! now we’re more determined than ever to stay away from conventional meat.
As a grass-fed beef producer, I highly recommend finding a local farmer. Often these farmers will have discounts on buying whole or half beeves (which you can split with your friends) if you pre-order, and you can visit the farm and actually see how the animals are being raised, which is very important to me personally.
Great tips! We don’t eat much meat at all so I’m definitely a #7 kinda gal 😉 Thanks so much for sharing it on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday. I’ve pinned it.