Clearance meat galore

This week I crowned myself the clearance meat queen.  I went to Randall’s at 9 am to shop for their reduced price meat.  I scored.  My freezer is full.   I think Randall’s is one of the best places to get meat and they mark down their stuff big time.  I got all this (pic below) for $106.   Full price would have been $425.  About $75 of this was for meat items and will last my family of 5 at least 2 months.  And 4 of us eat at home 3 meals a day.

I have a few strategies when I purchase clearance meat.

• I shop after holidays for meat because grocery stores over stock for  the holiday crowd.  For example, the day after Christmas is the best. Other ladies hit the mall for after Christmas sales.  Instead I hit the grocery stores the day after Christmas.  I get up early and visit at least 4 grocery stores.  Last year I got 7 butterball fresh turkey breasts for almost nothing, regularly $16.  We eat this for about 3 months after Christmas.  I do it again at Easter.  And then after July 4th.

• I buy meat that was already on sale as a loss leader,  which has been additionally marked down for quick sale.  Randall’s had a sale on Ribeye’s (ended Tuesday midnight).  They had gotten a ton in for 4th of July.  I purchased at least 10 huge ribeye steaks.  I also got pork ribs, Italian sausage, chicken, and 6 corned beef briskets for 49 cents a pound (regularly 3.99 a pound).  Many other items, but I won’t bore you with a list.

• Whenever I buy marked down fish, I always take it to the butcher and ask that they double check it for me.  Once I had a butcher check it and he said don’t buy it and he tossed it.  I’m not an expert on seafood, so I defer to them.  And I talk to the butcher, not the young stocker who is working in the department.  I have never gotten a bad fish.  This week we ate a huge piece of Salmon for $3.99 (marked down).  It was enough for two meals.

• I never buy anything that has already expired.  That should not even be on the shelved.

• I’m selective on which stores I will trust in this area.  I know this is controversial, but I think very highly of Randalls and will also buy Kroger’s marked down meats.  I do not at HEB or other smaller local grocers.

• I also check their shelves for products I like but are hard to find on clearance.  For example, I love the organic chicken apple smoked sausages that are $6 a pack for 4 sausages.  Whenever I see these are going to expire in a couple of days I take them to the butcher and ask that they mark them down to 99 cents.   I’ve only been told no once.

• When I get home it goes straight to the freezer.  I don’t let it sit in my fridge for hours before I transfer the meat.  Or I cook that day.

• Iit helps if you look and act like a lady when you shop.  If you show up with sweats, messy hair, no makeup and screaming kids you don’t get the same response when you’re asking for favors.  I’m not saying you go in an evening gown with jewels, but go looking nice.  Both males and females respond more positively to someone who is presentable.