Does anyone buy their meat and poultry already frozen?

[StressLess]

I've done it again--bought some fresh chicken on sale, and didn't cook or freeze it in time. I think wasting meat this way is the biggest problem in my food budget right now. It occurred to me that if I just bought it already frozen, the whole problem would be solved.

There are two problems I've run into, though. First, not being able to see what the meat looks like inside the box or bag. I ended up with some really strange-looking steaks from Aldi one time. (Although they tasted ok.) Second, the food is stuck together and I can't just pull out one burger or one chicken breast at a time.

Does anyone have a favorite brand or store they can recommend for frozen meat and poultry?

[mom-from-missouri]

I buy my chickens frozen-whole-individually.
Usually I buy my big packages of meat fresh-then repackage them at home to smaller units that we will use. I do it as soon as I unpack my groceries.

[dianescraps]

What I buy depends on the deal.

My local discount chain (Amelias) frequently has the individually frozen chicken breasts on great sales, and they give me meal prep flexibility.

I also shop at a local butcher and buy fresh then freeze in portions for our family

[LuxLiving]

Yes I do buy frozen a lot, about equally with fresh...however, how does buying it frozen prevent it from going bad? I've had freezer burn stuff that we've had to toss before.

One thing with buying it pre-frozen is you don't really know how long it was in the freezer before you got ahold of it. With buying it fresh and repacking for the freezer myself I'm fairly certain I know the 'best used by' date.

Does that make sense?

[dianescraps]

Does make sense to me

I admit about 1 yr ago I stopped 'stockpiling' meat more then about 1 month worth though, I found that things were getting burried and I was 'rotating' very well. This works better for me.

[lrjohnson]

Originally Posted by mom-from-missouri

Usually I buy my big packages of meat fresh-then repackage them at home to smaller units that we will use. I do it as soon as I unpack my groceries.

This is what I do sometimes. I really don't cook meat very much. I package ground beef into 1/2 pound or 2/3 pound packages.

I do get great frozen stuff that's been marked down a lot in the fresh meat department. Great deals.

I like frozen because I know I can't forget about it in the fridge. With leftovers, I put them in the freezer right away, even if the plan is to eat them the next day or night. Then if plans shift, I don't have fridge stuff. With defrosting frozen, I'm usually doing so for cooking for a lot of meals, like a crockj pot meal, instead of for one night, so if I make the stew one day later I'm fine.

[Dido]

yes, I do this too. Sometimes, with chicken breasts or ground beef, I'll buy them pre-frozen. Other times I buy "family packs" and repackage them myself. Having a FoodSaver is a boon here because the vacuum-packing prevents freezer burn.

[crazyBMB]

I do sometimes. Mostly when I buy larger packages of find a really good sale.

[cschin4]

I buy the boneless, skinless chicken breasts when on BOGO. I don't buy frozen beef. I prefer that fresh.

[hambone28470]

HI I always freeze my meat. I use wax paper to wrap it up in in the portions I want and then I put them in a freezer bad and write on it the date. I always buy my meat in the clearance section and I get good meat that is half the price or I wait for a big sale and stock up. I have never had a piece of meat go bad in all the years I have done this.

[smooper]

A group of co-workers and I purchase bulk meat *chicken/sausage/bacon* at a local cash and carry provision store. For us, and we always are looking for deals, its the cheapest. 40lbs of chicken breast, 20lbs of cheese, 10 lbs of sausage; stuff like that. We recently found bacon slices and ends for .80 a lb/ 10 lb minimum! Now thats a deal!

[Saving in So Cal]

I don't like the texture of the frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts, so I don't buy them. They just go to waste. I do purchase frozen hamburger patties now and then, ususally for a family barbecue, but I don't really like the taste or texture. It's more for convenience.

I usually buy leg quarters, legs, breasts, and hamburger in the family packs when they are on sale. I separate it and freeze it as I am putting away the groceries. Otherwise, I wouldn't get around to it either.

All that being said, most of the "fresh" chicken sold in my grocery stores has been frozen beforehand.