If you’re a novice cook and have gone to the market, butcher shop, or grocery store to buy chicken, then you might have been overwhelmed and intimidated by the numerous offerings. From buying chicken in bulk to knowing what cuts to get, our post for today breaks down everything you need to know about buying chicken.
Meat takes up the majority of most people’s food budget. And chicken is the most popular type of meat consumers get. A lot of the times, it can be quite hard to try saving money on meat.
Unless you’re a vegetarian or vegan or if you can produce your own meat, there’s no easy way to cut costs from your budget when it comes to buying chicken meat.
Buying Chicken in Bulk
To cut costs, try buying chicken in bulk. In today’s post, we’ll share some tried and tested tips when it comes to buying chicken in bulk.
For Busy Families
For busy individuals and families, purchasing chicken and other meats in bulk is an excellent option. However, since you’re buying in bulk, sometimes the storage can be an issue. From spoilage to freezer burn, many people may be put off when it comes to buying in bulk.
Packaging Bulk Chicken
The first thing you need to note is proper food handling, preparing, and cooking. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safe Families campaign program, here are the four safety steps you need to remember when it comes to buying and handling chicken in bulk:
Cleanliness
When it comes to food handling, preparation, and cooking, you always need to keep clean at all times. Cleanliness and orderliness will help protect you and your family against food-borne bacteria. Here are the food safety tips as advised by the USDA.
- Clean and wash your hands and work surfaces regularly.
- Don’t let raw meats and poultry touch other foods; always separate them. Don’t use the same tools in handling raw meats and other food items.
- The recommended internal temperature when cooking poultry is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After cooking, refrigerate, or chill the food right away.
Advantages
The primary reason for buying chicken in bulk is to save money. If you compare bulk purchasing to buying individual cuts, the former offers way more value for your money. Additionally, if you purchase from a reputable and professional butcher shop, poultry and other meats you buy in bulk are of the same quality as the pricier and fancier cuts of meats.
Additionally, when you support local meat shops, you are also supporting ethical, sustainable, and humane practices in animal farming.
Another significant benefit when it comes to buying chicken in bulk is the fact that you’re honoring the animal as a whole.
There’s comfort in knowing that all the cuts and parts you’re consuming are coming from one animal. When you buy individual pieces, there’s a likelihood that the cuts are fractions from different animals. Buying as a whole is a humane way of consuming meat.
Save Time
In a fast-paced world, anything that can save us time is a huge benefit. When it comes to doing your weekly grocery shopping, purchasing in bulk saves you a trip or two; or you can dedicate grocery trips to buying fresh produce and other supplies.
Buying chicken in bulk will have already filled your freezer with poultry you can cook and prepare for the rest of the month or longer – depending on how many are eating in your family.
Will It Work for My Household?
Of course, buying chicken in bulk is not for everyone. Whether it’s because you don’t have enough space in the freezer or it’s just one or two of you in your house, bulk buying will depend on what type of lifestyle and needs you have.
Before you buy your meats and poultry in bulk, consider the following questions:
- Do you know how to cook? Do you enjoy it?
- Do you know how to prepare and cook different cuts of meats and poultry?
- Do you and your family consume meat several times a week?
If your questions to the answers above are positive, then try buying chicken in bulk; it would be a great advantage to you and your family.