Savvy How To: Meat Savings (Part 2)

Savvy How To:

Don't Be A Chicken

It's easier than you thought to save money on poultry buys.

Watching seasonal sale prices is always the key to saving on any meat purchase. Did you know “chicken is usually the cheapest around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and starting January 1st the price goes up as we are trying to shed all those holiday pounds,” says Matt Mendonsa, meat manager for Reams Springville. But what if you need chicken and it's not “in season”?

Here are some key tips to saving money on your chicken purchases in the meat department:

* Buy the whole bird - not just the boneless skinless chicken breast. You can easily buy an entire roasting chicken for the cost of a few breasts. When you cook a whole chicken you get more bang for your buck. Besides just eating the meat at a cheaper-per-pound price you can also use any broth or unwanted cuts to flavor soups and stews. Whole roasters are simple to prepare - just clean and rinse. They taste great when cooked slowly and feed larger groups with leftovers to spare!

* Buy your chicken breasts with the skin and bones. Buying your chicken breast cuts this way is much cheaper than buying boneless skinless. Sure there's the weight of the bones to consider, but the bottom-line savings far out weight any added ounces. Cooking on the bone also adds flavor, and the skin provides a great buffer that keeps the meat from drying out.

* Buy a thigh! Chicken thighs are a very affordable dark meat. This cut has a higher fat content than breasts and thus has more flavor. Counting calories? Grilling is a great option! They are moist, flavorful, cook quickly and most excess fat drips off during cooking.

* Buy boneless, skinless in bulk. If you prefer the convenience of boneless, skinless chicken breasts then buy by the case and you can usually save at least 50 percent. You will have more work to do: trimming, rinsing and bagging. But the overall savings is worth the extra minutes to prep the chicken.

* Use Beer Rebates! Many beer companies offer tearpad type mail-in rebates on a variety of products including deli items, produce and chicken. The rebate forms are usually found in the beer aisle of your local grocer. If you don't see them on the beer aisle, just ask at the customer service desk or the meat counter. You can often get your entire purchase for FREE after rebate. Regulations vary, but there is no beer purchase required in Utah and several other states. Simply buy your chicken cuts, mail in the receipt and cash your rebate check!