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We consume a lot of meat at our home. In fact, I would say that it is our number one grocery expense. For years I would purchase my meat along with the rest of my groceries at the supermarket. That is, until I discovered my local butcher shop. Here are the reasons why I will never buy my meat from the supermarket again. And why you shouldn’t either.
Cost
First off, the biggest one COST. The pricing is the main reason I initially switched to buying exclusively from the local meat shop. I can get a 40 pound box of chicken on sale for $1.59 a pound. That is always, always, always less than at the grocery store.
What do I do with a 40 pound box of chicken you ask? Well let me tell you! I pick up some of these freezer bags and some sharpies and my 40 pound box of chicken breast and head on home.
At home, I pull out about 20 bags and label them all with the day’s date on them and insert 2 chicken breasts(or however many you are most likely to use at a time) in each bag. From there, I fill up my freezer with chicken and don’t worry about buying chicken for the next couple months.
Freshness
The second reason is freshness. Not only is the meat priced right, but it is much more fresh there than anything I can find elsewhere. And I must say- fresh meat will always make the meals you cook taste that much better. There is nothing more enjoyable than a perfectly cooked fresh steak.
Flexibility
Flexibility is a major factor for my purchasing meat from a butcher shop as well. One time I had a recipe call for 1/3 of a pound of ground breakfast sausage. Yes, you read that right 1/3 of a pound?!? I almost didn’t make it. Thankfully, you can get custom amounts of meat and not just the set 1 pound amounts like you would at the local grocery store. Often, I will make 1.5 times a recipe and that frequently calls for a pound and a half of ground beef or something along those lines and I can get exactly what I need- no more, no less.
Selection
Of course we have to talk about selection. Now, I am not the most adventurous of meat eaters, but having a large selection is never a bad thing. Not sure if I will ever find a need for Oxtail but if I did, I know where to get it. From shrimp and salmon to chicken and turkey to beef and perpperoni, its great to have it all in one place and come along with someone to answer questions too!
People
Another thing I love about my local meat store is the staff. I know the owners and their employees. They know me by name. If I am looking for something that they have sold out of, they will take my name and actually call me when its in stock again. They live and shop locally and I am proud to support them. I know that my money is going to support their families and not line some CEO’s pocketbook. There is something personally fulfilling about that for me
In light of all these great reasons to shop at your local Butcher shop, I urge you to go out into your city and find your own. There are a lot more shops out there than people think. I bet you will find your own hidden gem and you’ll never look back either.
Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments below, I’d love to hear what you think.
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