6 Best And 6 Worst Grocery Stores To Buy Meat
Supermarket chains vs. big box stores! High-end vs. regional! If you're a carnivore who demands the highest quality at the fairest prices, here's where you should and shouldn't be shopping.
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00:00Supermarket chains versus big-box stores, high-end versus regional.
00:04If you're a carnivore who demands the highest quality at the fairest prices, here's where
00:09you should and shouldn't be shopping.
00:12Target is a quality store for plenty of products, but meat isn't one of them.
00:16The chain first opened its doors in the 1960s, but didn't roll out its grocery section until
00:211995, which might explain their shortcomings.
00:24Simply put, Target just doesn't specialize in meat, it doesn't have expert butchers,
00:29and you're just not very likely to find the freshest cuts available.
00:32Furthermore, they don't offer the best deals that you're more likely to find at grocery
00:36stores that have a separate meat counter.
00:38While the quality and price are less than optimal, Target does at least set expectations
00:43with suppliers to follow or exceed its standards for meat and poultry.
00:47These standards include, but are not limited to, adhering to national guidelines from organizations
00:52like the National Chicken Council and the National Turkey Federation.
00:55We appreciate that Target prioritizes animal welfare, but we'll still be buying our meat
01:00elsewhere, and we advise you to do the same.
01:03One of the best grocery stores to buy meat is Wegman's.
01:06This East Coast-based chain offers all the central departments you'd expect, with the
01:10addition of an extensive prepared foods department.
01:13Some of their pre-made offerings include home-style meatloaf, pulled pork, Parmesan chicken, and
01:18roasted turkey.
01:19The incredible variety that Wegman's offers makes it a crowd favorite amongst meat lovers.
01:24On the rsteaks subreddit, you'll find shoppers praising the store's ribeyes and marbling,
01:28which is particularly encouraging, as marbling on beef improves the quality and flavor.
01:33This fat makes the meat easier to eat, so don't sleep on it when you see it at Wegman's.
01:38If you live near a Wegman's location, you should consider yourself extremely lucky.
01:42This chain provides incredible variety, comparable prices, and high-quality meats that will leave
01:47your dinner party guests in awe.
01:49We're not worthy!
01:51We're not worthy!
01:53Trader Joe's is a crowd favorite for snacks, pre-packaged meals, and seasonal offerings,
01:58but it's less popular in the meat department.
02:00This chain focuses heavily on customer service, making patrons feel at home in these stores
02:05to ensure they'll return.
02:06But you shouldn't feel compelled to buy any beef or chicken on those repeat visits.
02:11Trader Joe's also does an excellent job with marketing and packaging, which might lead
02:15some shoppers to purchase attractive packages that they don't really need.
02:19But that might be a bad idea when it comes to meat.
02:22As budget shopping expert Lauren Grootman noted on CNBC, the chain's meats sometimes
02:27contain less in each package and cost more than what other stores offer, especially chicken.
02:33To be specific, you can sometimes find a package of chicken selling for a dollar or two less
02:37per pound at stores like Walmart and Costco.
02:40While we certainly love grabbing holiday snacks and other specialty products from Trader Joe's,
02:45that love isn't unconditional for everything that they offer.
02:48Sprouts Farmer's Market draws inspiration from, naturally enough, farmer's markets,
02:54as well as healthy choices and organic grocery options.
02:57If you're looking for one of the best grocery stores for meat, look no further than Sprouts.
03:02This chain prides itself on offering a variety of good-for-you items that you can't find
03:06at any superstore.
03:08According to the website Price of Meat, Sprouts offers the best selection of meat, especially
03:12beef.
03:13They note,
03:15and they never freeze it.
03:16It's rated USDA Choice, which means you know it will be juicy and flavorful.
03:21The beef at Sprouts is also 100% grass-fed, so you can be sure it's high quality.
03:26In addition to packaged meats, the butcher department offers some of the freshest foods
03:30with trained butchers who can cut meat and craft artisan sandwiches.
03:34The deli sandwiches also taste better than many popular sandwich shops.
03:38While not everything at Sprouts is cheap, you absolutely get what you pay for in terms
03:42of quality.
03:43Whole Foods didn't get its reputation for being expensive for no reason.
03:47After its 2017 merger with Amazon, some prices decreased, especially for Amazon members.
03:53But when it comes to meat, are you getting the best bang for your buck?
03:56In 2017, Bloomberg reported that the chicken from Whole Foods might not be as elite as
04:01consumers once thought.
04:03Oh, there's a big surprise!
04:05That's an incredible…
04:06I think I'm gonna have a heart attack and die from that surprise!
04:10The chain's 365 brand creates the idea that meats, especially chickens, are treated with
04:16better care and are an exclusive product that you can't buy elsewhere.
04:19But researchers have discovered that some other stores sell the same chickens under
04:23different brand names for less money.
04:25And as Business Insider reported in 2019, Whole Foods charged the most significant premium
04:31in its meat department, with some prices more than 40% higher than other stores.
04:36While Whole Foods' prices have become more competitive in recent years, you should really
04:40consider getting your meat elsewhere.
04:43Publix focuses on incredible customer service, community involvement, and high-quality products.
04:48Unlike Sprouts or Whole Foods, Publix offers more affordable options so that you can save
04:52money without compromising quality.
04:55The chain's meat department offers incredible variety, with the likes of ground beef, pork,
04:59group-raised veal, thick steaks, chickens, racks of lamb, turkeys, and more.
05:04Publix steaks are never frozen, and trained individuals cut the meats in-house to ensure
05:09proper cuts.
05:10Other major grocery stores simply don't have this same type of quality control.
05:14Simply put, Publix is an excellent option if you're looking for healthy, quality, and
05:18affordable meat.
05:20Publix's only downside is its relative lack of real estate.
05:23According to the company's website, they have more than 1,300 stores, but they're concentrated
05:28in seven states in the Southeast.
05:30So if you live in that region of the country, you're in luck.
05:33Otherwise, you'll have to plan a trip to get the full Publix experience.
05:38Walmart's motto of Save Money, Live Better tells us everything we need to know about
05:42the price.
05:43But does the quality stack up?
05:44When it comes to purchasing meat, we want to spend within our budget, but it's worth
05:48paying more when necessary to ensure a high-quality cut.
05:52While Walmart offers noteworthy discounts, the deals in their meat department generally
05:56don't meet the expectations of their shoppers.
05:58The website GoBankingRates wrote about Walmart's best and worst deals, with meat landing in
06:04the latter category.
06:05Basically, you can find better prices and choices at other stores or even a farmer's
06:09market.
06:10And as Consumer Reports noted in 2017, survey respondents griped about the quality of the
06:16produce, the lack of variety, and the quality of the meat and poultry.
06:19It's a little disappointing to know that you can't count on the meat from the same store
06:23where you buy packaged goods, clothes, toys, or electronics.
06:26If you like shopping at Walmart, we suggest sticking to the categories that offer you
06:30the best deals, and head somewhere else to buy your meat.
06:34Costco delivers in pretty much every category.
06:36It's no secret why so many people pay for this superstore's yearly membership.
06:40Its reputation for bulk food and low prices makes it one of the best places to shop for
06:44anything, especially if you have a large family or are planning a big event.
06:49And that includes bulk purchases of meat.
06:51One reason that customers should shop at Costco is because they sell USDA prime beef.
06:56This label means that the meat has more marble, and thus more fat and more flavor.
07:01Costco also offers a variety of organic ground beef.
07:04So if non-GMO feed is crucial to you, you're in luck.
07:07With better quality for a lower price, Costco absolutely comes through when your stomach
07:12is rumbling.
07:13One of Costco's best deals is their $4.99 rotisserie chickens that provide a quick and
07:18easy meal for a whole family.
07:19If you don't want the entire chicken, you can opt for a half or a quarter instead.
07:24It's hard to beat this delicious deal.
07:25I feel so calm here, just knowing all the bulk deals are waiting."
07:30Placing Aldi in the worst category may surprise you.
07:34This German-founded chain often receives glowing reviews for its low prices and award-winning
07:39products.
07:40Nevertheless, we don't recommend buying your meat and produce here if you can help it.
07:44It all comes down to the fact that you can find more satisfying options elsewhere.
07:48Farmers markets and local grocery stores tend to provide the best quality meat and produce,
07:53even if the rates run slightly higher.
07:55Carnivore Style is one website that has reviewed the meat experience at Aldi.
07:59As they noted,
08:00"...unfortunately, when it comes to meats you should avoid, there are quite a few.
08:04It's important to remember when saving money on your grocery bill, not everything will
08:08be up to expectations, especially if you're used to a butcher's cut."
08:11That being said, we don't recommend abandoning Aldi entirely.
08:15So when you're shopping there, we would say that you should focus on the store's specialties
08:19like gluten-free products, organic foods, and dairy.
08:23Stater Brothers Markets state-certified meat cutters prepare fresh cuts guaranteed to satisfy.
08:28This chain also provides seasoning, custom cuts, meat tenderizing, and grinding for no
08:33additional charge.
08:34No doubt about it, the quality meat and customer service makes Stater Brothers one of the best
08:39grocery stores to buy meat.
08:40It's also worth noting that they finished ninth on Consumer Reports' 2017 survey on
08:46the best places to grocery shop.
08:47The report raved about the chain's staff, competitive prices, and the quality of meat
08:52and poultry.
08:53One particular cut that's worth buying at Stater Brothers is the ribeye.
08:56Their butchers have also been known to cut a steak to customers' preferred thickness,
09:00if they ask politely.
09:01We appreciate a store that takes special requests and makes consumers truly feel special.
09:06It's the little things that make a big difference in the shopping experience.
09:10Stater Brothers scores highly because of its reasonable prices and excellent quality control.
09:14The only drawback is that the company's more than 170 stores can be found only in Southern
09:19California.
09:20If you're in a neighborhood near a Stater Brothers, don't hesitate to do your grocery
09:24shopping here, especially for a delicious cut of meat.
09:27And if you're an out-of-towner visiting SoCal, make sure you become acquainted with the Stater
09:31Brothers experience.
09:32At Stater Brothers, it's our meat that made us famous.
09:36Next among the worst grocery stores to buy meat is the popular chain Safeway.
09:40There are a lot of mixed reviews out there regarding its meat department offerings and
09:44prices.
09:45Safeway, as a whole, sells a variety of delicious products, including packaged and whole foods.
09:50Its meat-based reputation is rather spotty.
09:53In a 2022 article about grocery stores offering the best quality products and prices on the
09:58website Consumer's Checkbook, Safeway was among the chains that were dinged for the
10:02low quality of fresh produce and meats.
10:05Obviously, quality is a huge factor when it comes to buying meat, so this isn't good news.
10:10If you do the rest of your shopping at Safeway and know when they're running sales, it could
10:14be worth checking out solely for the price reduction.
10:16But scoring a deal doesn't exactly ensure high-quality products, especially when it
10:20comes to a cut of meat.
10:22For this reason, we have to say that you're generally better off at stores that have higher
10:26prices than Safeway.
10:28The members-only Sam's Club makes shopping easy and reduces costs by creating a simple
10:33shopping environment.
10:35Its prices and quality of goods make it one of our favorite stores to buy groceries in
10:38general, and buying meats in particular.
10:41Sam's Club and its big-box rival Costco are generally fairly comparable, with Sam's Club
10:46having lower prices on chicken but somewhat higher prices on ground beef.
10:50And like Costco, Sam's Club also offers $5 rotisserie chickens.
10:54We recommend visiting whichever location is more convenient to you, as both offer great
10:59deals and high-quality meat.
11:01One of the best meat options at Sam's Club is the 100% grass-fed organic ground beef,
11:06which isn't easy to find at just any old grocery store.
11:09Sam's Club also offers a prime brisket that you should be able to score at an attractive
11:14price.
11:15If you're looking for grass-fed beef, or prime brisket, or really any other type of meat,
11:19you can't go wrong with Sam's Club.