There are many benefits of buying beef in bulk and having a well-stocked freezer! Outside of the money-savings and health benefits, it is also the best way to support your local farmers and butchers!
If you don’t yet have personal experience with buying a beef share but have been wondering if it might work for you and your family, this article is for you!
Benefits of Buying Meat in Bulk and Freezing
Buying meat in bulk and freezing it is a great way to keep a variety of types of meat on hand for your family! You also don’t typically have to worry about the recalls and other issues that come up on the news because you know exactly where your meat came from!
Save Money in the Long Run
While it is true that you can find some great deals at your local grocery stores on meat stock, the cost savings only works when they are running specials.
The prices of meat can fluctuate depending on many factors, and the total cost of trying to keep up with those high and low prices can end up really getting you in the long run. It is also really hard to keep a solid meal prepping routine when you don’t know until you get to the store what the cost of the meat is this week.
If you pay a set price for your beef share, you have that completely factored into your budget, and it makes the rest of your planning much easier!
Higher-Quality Product
Not only do you get a set price for your cuts of meat, but you also get the added benefit of having it cut at the peak of freshness and high quality that is unmatched. This gives the meat a great taste and also has added health benefits as much of the beef is leaner without as much fat as you might find on cuts at the grocery store. With a shorter time from butcher to freezing, you know that you are getting the best quality product available for your family.
Support Local Farmers
When you purchase a beef share from the Co-Op, you are helping to support family farms that have made their names by holding themselves to sustainable practices and who work their hardest to have happy cows and an overall great operation.
The shares are also sent to a local butcher, so you can always know that you are providing high-quality beef that will end up in healthy meals for your family. You can also have more of a say in how the beef is cut, depending on what your family uses the most!
What Size of Freezer do You Need When Buying a Beef Share?
If you are looking into buying a beef share, it’s a good idea to make sure you have enough freezer space to store it in. Many people like to keep a chest freezer on hand just to store their beef share. When you are looking into how much beef to purchase, a general rule of thumb is to factor in about 1 cubic foot of freezer space for every 30-40 pounds of beef you will be getting. This can vary with any cuts that are odd-shaped or large, such as roasts or t-bone steaks.
This is a great time to look into home freezers, as holiday and other inventory-reducing specials are going on! You may find it to be one of the best things you can invest in as far as helping out with your grocery budget!
Breakdown of Beef Shares: How Much Do You Need?
Now you know the benefits of investing in a beef share and have an idea of what type of freezer you need, but how much meat do you actually need?
On average, a ½ beef will give you roughly 185-200 pounds of meat. This breaks down to around 20% steaks, 40% ground beef and stew meat, 10% short ribs, and 30% of brisket, roasts, and other custom cuts. Take into consideration how much of each type of meat your family typically uses to make sure you are getting the most out of your beef share. There are some options where you can work directly with the butcher to get the type of meat you use the most and reduce any waste.
The first order of a well-stocked kitchen is to have the best quality of products to create healthy food for your family. That is why it is a great idea to consider investing in a beef share so that you can skip the retail line and know exactly where your beef is coming from.
We encourage you to look into our Angus Beef Shares and, Grass-fed Beef Shares! We work with local farmers who have been doing this for a very long time and have some of the most high-quality beef available in our area.
If you are interested in becoming a VIP Member or just have some questions on How the Co-Op Works, we hope you will reach out, and we will be glad to answer any questions you might have!