How to Save Money on Ethical Meat

I wanted to follow up last week's post about why we no longer eat factory produced meat with a sort of "how to" if you are considering making the change to consuming what we call "happy meat." Switching to a diet that focuses on ethically raised meats isn't as tricky as it might seem -- or as expensive as it sounds. Our grocery budget for three people is about $85 a week and we only consume "happy" animal products (meat, dairy, eggs). Here are some basic tips for eating ethical meat on a budget.

1. Buy local.

When I started doing the research, I was amazed by the abundance of farms within a 100 mile radius that raised pastured livestock. It makes sense though; any time you drive into the Alabama countryside you see cattle cattle and more cattle.

Last month we purchased 1/2 a Berkshire hog from DW Farms in Pulaski, Tennessee, about a 20 minute drive from our house. A half a hog equalled about 150 pounds, which was about three paper grocery bags full. We got a slight discount and the meat came to $3 per pound. We had purchased a chest freezer from craigslist months earlier... only to realize that we could have fit our pig into the regular freezer. No matter, the chest freezer will be necessary in the fall, when we will receive 1/4 of beef from Dove Farm, located near Huntsville.

Some farms have meat CSAs which are catered towards folks who may not have access to large amounts of freezer storage space and can only get small amounts at a time. I worked for West Wind Farms for awhile; they offer a customizable meat CSA throughout Tennessee which is a bit pricey, but has top-quality products. Their farm also accepts EBT credit - something I very much appreciated during my time using food stamps.

There are other meat CSAs I've heard of that are a little more cost-efficient as well. If you're interested and need help finding one, I'd be glad to be of assistance!


2. Adjust your expectations.

If you have your heart set on buying only chicken breast meat, you will be disappointed.

One of the best ways to save money on ethical meat in the supermarket is to consider cuts that you haven't used before. Until this year, I hadn't cooked any chicken meat other than boneless skinless breasts. Since last fall, I began using other cuts. Chicken thighs are only $3/lb and are delicious in pasta meals. Roast chicken is WAY easy - who knew? - and averages about $3/lb - and tastes phenomenally better than any store rotisserie chicken.


3. Know the labels.

Labels are extremely deceptive these days. Finding meat labeled "All Natural" means absolutely nothing, other than that you won't likely find plastic inside it.

Egg labels are especially tricky. It makes me sad when I see people buying "Cage Free" eggs -- I know they mean very well and are trying to make an effort to purchase something better, but in actuality Cage Free laying hens get the same cramped quarters as caged hens. With eggs, you want to look for pastured or free range.

If you want to buy happy animal products, look for the Animal Welfare Approved stamp. This organization has "the most rigorous standards for farm animal welfare currently in use by any United States organization." Springer Mountain Farms, which is carried in Publix and many other grocery stores (they even have it at Waffle House!) provides AWA chicken products at reasonable prices.

If you're looking for beef, products labeled grass-fed are a good bet, being highly indicative that the animal has lived a good life on pasture.


4. Eat less.

The simple truth is that most families will have a tricky time covering the cost for ethically raised meat if they are eating meat with every meal. We are on a very tight food budget that makes it impossible to eat meat with every meal. Luckily, I've had good experience learning to cook delicious vegetarian food from scratch. Since making the switch to ethical meat, we've cut back our dinnertime meat consumption to more like 3 times a week instead of 7. 


I hope this is a helpful how-to overview. I'd be happy to answer any questions!




[pastured pigs image from farmlandlp.com]

Saving Money on Organic Groceries, Part 3

Have you missed the first two posts? If so, here ya go.

Part 1

Part 2

And now, the dramatic conclusion of How to Save the World and Your Wallet by Buying More Organic. 

1. Take it from the back

Get the most bang for your buck by purchasing the freshest produce in the store. In general, produce is stocked from the back. Take the time to dig to the back or the bottom of the pile to get the newest and shiniest fruits and veggies. 

While doing so, please attempt not to make a giant mess and to put things back the way you found them - best not to anger the employees who are handling your food.

It also helps to know your store's schedule for receiving produce - at Earth Fare in Huntsville shipments come in on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with Monday usually being the biggest shipment.

2. Know your seasons

While it is not essential to know the seasonality of most things, with other more high-ticket items it can help. Peak asparagus season is in the spring, which is when we'll buy it weekly because the price drops from $5/lb to $2.50/lb. Most citrus fruits have a peak season in the winter; get all the best deals then. Berries peak in the spring and summer, according to type. 

Some things are simply a staple of our diet and we will buy them any time, like apples and carrots. However, these things also tend to not have gigantic price fluctuations. Base your "essentials" on items like this that will stay relatively price-stable throughout the year, rather than shelling out big bucks for items every week.

Check out the local seasonality chart from The Local Table magazine in Nashville.

3. Shop local

This can be a great way to buy organic - or naturally grown - produce for less than at the grocery store with the added bonus of stimulating your local economy and keeping good folks in business.

A side note on local produce buying -- just because someone is selling at the farmers market doesn't mean they don't douse their produce with pesticides. Most farmers at markets are likely to be practicing sustainable and health-friendly methods on their crops, but it isn't guaranteed. Just make sure to ask. 

4. Get a CSA

If you can handle the variety and suspense of not knowing what veggies you'll be getting from week to week, look into a Community Supported Agriculture share. You'll be putting money straight into the hands of local folks and will be able to know exactly how your food is grown. Added bonus? Being "forced" to try new things, like kohlrabi and purple carrots. Yay!

Do you have any other questions about shopping for organic groceries? Any tips?

How to Save Money at Earth Fare: Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of Keeping Your Money in Your Own Pocket at Earth Fare! 

(Click here if you missed Part One)

Here are some more general tips on how to spend wisely at this store.

1. Keep a clear list in your head. DO NOT go in blind. Or hungry.

As a cashier, I can't tell you how many people lament at the check out that they only came in to get a few things... and end up spending $100+ on the "extra" things they picked up. Come in with a plan because if you don't, you and your budget are utterly doomed. 

Earth Fare is especially designed to have lots of pretty displays of lots of tasty products that will be even more alluring if you're hungry. It used to be impossible for me to walk out without spending over $100. Now I rarely buy anything not specifically on my list and can escape with my budget of $70 for a week's groceries for three people.

2. Have a regularly scheduled day.

I haven't been following this strictly myself, since I work often enough that I have been able to take advantage of deals even on my non-grocery-buying-days. But knowing the schedule for deals can be invaluable.

I'd recommend coming in on a Wednesday, in the afternoon if you can. EF email coupons come out on Wednesday. Produce shipments (at least for the HSV store, not sure about other stores) come in MWF. This will maximize the freshness of your produce and ensure you get the deal in time. EF does not usually offer rainchecks if they are out of the deal product -- this Saturday the store ran out of watermelon (the weekly deal was a giant watermelon for $2) and a lot of folks had to leave disappointed.

3. Buy the Earth Fare store brand.

Store brands can be hit or miss (please do not ever ever buy any of Kroger's Good Value items... blegh), but Earth Fare items have never disappointed me. We regularly buy their tortilla chips and peanut butter (both organic). There is both an EF Organic brand and an EF Natural brand, so be on the lookout for that if you are wanting only organic.

4. If you need a health product, ASK FIRST.

At the Huntsville store, the ladies who work in the Wellness Department are absolutely invaluable when it comes to deciding what kind of health product you need. 

Yesterday I went in needing to buy some liquid fish oil -- Earth Fare carries at least 50 different kinds, no joke, so I was a little overwhelmed. I got Susan, a Wellness clerk, to help me out. She steered me towards an item that was already marked down 50% and was exactly what I needed. She even went so far as to recommend that I probably only needed half of the labeled dosage, which will help the product stretch out for twice as long. 

I can't recommend these folks enough - they are good at their job and can save you some serious cash.

Stay tuned for more general tips about saving on organic and natural groceries! 

How to Save Money at Earth Fare

In case y'all didn't know, since October I have been an employee of Earth Fare, a health food store originating from Asheville, North Carolina, that has been opening stores throughout the Southeast. For awhile I was a produce clerk and I've spent the last few months as a cashier. I shopped at Earth Fare even before working there (and receiving a nice 20% employee discount), but since working there I've learned some things about how to maximize my grocery budget in this specific store.

This is going to be irrelevant for those of you who don't have an Earth Fare in your town. Sorry about that, better luck next year maybe! Earth Fare is expanding quickly and I wouldn't be surprised if Nashville gets one within the next couple years.

For now, here are some tips for those of you living in Huntsville, Birmingham, Knoxville, or any of the other cities with Earth Fare stores.

This will be a two part series. Stay tuned for general tips to shop organic / natural without breaking your budget!

Part One: Steal of a Deal(s) 

Earth Fare specializes in deals. Get in on these savings!

1. Sign up for the email coupons.

Earth Fare sends out weekly deals. Sign up for them. It is worth it. Make sure you do this during a week you KNOW you will be able to shop at EF because when you sign up you will receive a coupon that applies to either:

-- Free whole EF Natural chicken

-- Free package of EF veggie burgers

Steal of a deal, but your coupon will only be valid for a week.

Email deals are sent out on Wednesday morning. They are usually for good stuff. Some recent deals have been $2 watermelon, free pint of conventional blueberries, and EF chips and salsa. The value of the coupons is usually $3-$4.

Side note: You do not have to actually print out the coupon. Save paper and just write down the 5 digit PLU number, which usually begins with the number 8. If you happen to forget the coupon, just ask the cashier for the deal -- we get those numbers memorized fast.

2. Sign up for text deals.

Simply text EAT to 71700 or do it here. 

Upon signing up, you will receive a text coupon for $5 off your $25 purchase (this is $25 BEFORE tax and not including alcohol). Awesome.

Earth Fare will not inundate you with texts but will send one just about every week. These deals are usually good for that day only. Recent deals have been: free carton of EF ice cream, free can of baked beans.

3. Get the coupon booklets, but don't let them sway you too much.

Sometimes there are awesome deals in the coupon books, which you can find at the front of the store. Mostly, it is padded with overpriced items that will not be worth it even with a coupon. Use the booklet only for items you already buy on a regular basis. Anything else is usually money down the drain.

Good coupons that are in the current booklet:

$1 off tray packs of EF Organic Chicken

$0.75 off tray packs of EF Natural Chicken (both types of chicken are Springer Mountain, which I like because it is Certified Humane by the Animal Welfare Association)

$0.50 off tray packs of Ground Turkey

$0.50 off Organic Valley eggs 

$1.00 off Mrs Meyers cleaning products

$1.00 off Toms of Maine products

You can also print off coupons via the Earth Fare website. The only problem with this is that home-printed coupons don't usually scan well at the register and will prolong your checkout time. It is preferable to just grab the booklets in-store if you're going to use multiple coupons.

4. Use discounts.

Earth Fare currently offers the following discounts:

10% off daily with military ID

5% off daily for seniors (60+)

5% off Wednesdays for students and teachers with valid school ID

5. Case discounts.

Earth Fare offers a 10% discount for purchasing items by the case. If there's an item that you use frequently, this is a great deal. You don't always need to special order cases - if there are enough of the item on the shelf, you can just pull it from there (i.e. grabbing 6 cartons of goat milk constitutes a case).

For any grocery item, it must be the exact same type (no flavor mixing). The number of items per case ranges from 4 to 12 or more, so ask a grocery associate before loading up your cart.

There is also a 10% wine discount for ANY 6 bottles of wine. You can mix and match with this. Glug glug glug.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part Two: General Earth Fare Shopping Tips. Wheeeee!