The more meat you cook, the more you’re likely to eat, and that’s not healthy or cheap. Since meat is often the most expensive part of the meal, filling up on meat can challenge your food budget.
The amount to buy for your family depends on the amount of bone or fat.

• One pound serves 4 if it has no bones or fat 
  • ground beef, stew meat, cubed steak, boneless ham, fish fillets, luncheon meat
• One pound serves 3 if it has some bone and fat    
  • pork chops, chuck roast, picnic ham, turkey parts, bone-in fish
• One pound serves 2 when it has many bones or more fat  
  • whole chickens and turkeys, spare ribs, ham hocks 
    

Making hamburgers for your family of 3?
Plan 1/4 pound per person or 3/4 pound for family of 3. If you buy a pound package, either freeze 1/4 pound for another meal or cook it all and save one portion for another meal.

Serving a roast to 4 and want leftovers?
Buy enough for 8 servings, such as a chuck roast that is about 2 1/2 pounds.  Set aside the extra portions and serve only the amount to be eaten at the meal.

Ham & Brown Rice

Serves: 6
Cost: $4.75 for whole recipe / $0.79 per person

- more recipes -

• Spend Smart basics: Meat, Poultry, Beans, & Nuts - English (pdf) | Spanish (pdf)
• Cost of 1 gram of protein (pdf)
• MyPyramid - Inside the Pyramid - Meat & Beans
• Video - How to tell if lunch meat has gone bad
• Basic bean cookery (pdf)