So Hubby and I had to go to Weis today to mail a package... and while there, we decided to pick up lunch.
Motivated by my awesome workout and fitness talk with a trainer last night, I opted for this:
It's a little hard to see, but it's a salad with chicken breast, olives, green and red peppers, radishes, and just a little bit of grated cheese and bacon. Dressing is canola/olive oil mix, and a little bit of vinegar. Yummy and healthy, right? (A little pricey, though, at $3.94.)
Well, Hubby decided that "thrifty" was going to be his lunch's buzzword. Here's what he got.
It's, supposedly, "heat and eat" meatloaf in sauce. You can't see it too well, but its color is not what I'd call the ideal color for meat. And the sauce looked like it had dried to the top of it. All that, though isn't as bad as my favorite part - the "special" label on top. He got clearance meat. Sale meat. Now, I know from my sister the grocery-store manager that there's nothing wrong with this... it's just getting close to its sell-by date, so the price is reduced. But I'm sorry, I just can't support "clearance meat" for lunch. The good news, though? It only cost $1.99.
Hubby, for what it's worth, said he would buy meat at yard sales if it saved him money. In fact, he said if he started a band, he'd call it "Yard Sale Meat."
Greeeeaaaaaat...
My special meat will taste even BETTER after I let it age by sitting out on my desk for the next two hours, before I finally nuke it.
Here's my take on reduced meat. I don't buy much meat and if at Giant, which always reduces some of its meat in the morning, I'll glance at it and maybe buy or maybe not. Two weeks ago at the Dover Giant "just to grab a few things" I took a look at the meats. JACKPOT! There were many packages of 85/15 ground beef marked down from .65 PER PACKAGE--NOT PER POUND--to a dollar or two PER PACKAGE. The weight in each package was from a little under a pound to over two pounds. I picked up a pack that was regular priced at $7 something and paid $1.19 for over two pounds of very fresh ground beef. That was made into a huge meatloaf and I got five generous meals w/mashed potatoes, frozen peas & gravy out of that $1.19, four of which are in the freezer. A smaller package (.89) yielded a nice go of chili. I asked the meat man why they were selling at such low prices and he said no one's buying and if it's not sold they have to throw the packages away. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
So Joan-- don't shy away from reduced meats. On the other hand, I've seen meat loaf in supermarkets and do share thoughts about that strange looking stuff.
Just want to correct one word in previous post:
... ground beef marked down from .65 PER PACKAGE... Should read--marked down to .65 PER PACKAGE...
Yard Sale Meat...that's awesome!!!! I think your hubby and I would be great friends, I share his views on saving. Just to chime in, we have the same thing here in Austria, reduced prices closer to expiration. The best buys are from the butcher, yes we actually have local butcher shops (many of them), and their prices are always a little better than the grocery stores. But...there is always a but...they never really have reduced prices, Bratwurst, wieners or other smoked items are made from unsold (not expired) meat. Woooohoooo!!!!
Bis später,
von Österreich,
Mark
Special AUSTRIAN meat?!?!
I'll be right there...
The best is when fresh Bratwurst is 'on sale'. Nothing like a few kilos of sizzling Brats, cold Hubertus (personal favorite Austrian beer) and good friends. When does your plane land in Vienna?