THERE IS PORK IN THIS (GROCERY) BILL

I like to shop for what I call ‘whole foods’. I will purchase a whole chicken and debone it at home. Another cost savings is to buy a whole boneless pork loin and divide it at home as well.

In this manner, I can control the thickness of the pork chops. I can decide if I need a roast to be cut from the whole piece of pork. Scraps from the ends are used in my Sunday red sauce for added flavor. Any unattractive pieces are used in the crock pot for making pulled pork.

My price point for this piece of meat is $1.79 – $1.99 per pound. I’ve not seen boneless pork chops sold for this low price unless I cut my own.

Imagine my surprise when I came across a package of boneless pork chops on sale for $12.04 and there were 8 boneless pork chops in the package. The total weight was 4.03 lbs. Gasp!

Weeks earlier, I had purchased my “whole” piece of pork weighing 3.92 lbs for a final cost of $7.37. I was feeling very good about my purchase as I passed by the sale, realizing I had kept almost $5 in my budget.

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: There is no special skill required to being an “at home” butcher. I’ve used the same knife to cut pork and chickens for almost 37 years. I use a thick plastic cutting board so that I know it is thoroughly cleansed of bacteria after washing. If you don’t like the feel of touching meat, invest in disposable gloves at the Dollar Tree store to create a barrier between your hands and the meat or ask the butcher if he will custom slice the piece for you. You will see substantial savings in your grocery bill.