Meat is an expensive item, no doubt about it. Most budget gurus will tell you to eliminate, cut back, or focus solely on the cheapest cuts like ground beef. Elimination isn’t practical unless you’re a vegetarian. Ground beef can be good; I love meatballs, but what about the times when you just crave a steak? Cutting back is what I focus on. Here are my tips for stretching meat:

1. Buy on sale

Anytime I go shopping, I check the grocery flyers for sale items. I pick through the markdown bin. On occasion, I’ve been known to Price Match. When I find a great deal, I stock up. If I buy it cheaply, I can buy more.

2. Portion control

Don’t serve whole steaks! Cut the meat into strips or chunks and use in stir fries, kabobs, or fajitas. A 1-Lb steak can feed four people easily this way.

3. Flavor

Highly-seasoned meat has a much stronger taste and seems to be more filling. Try marinating meat in salad dressing or coating with dry rubs. I love Italian dressing and Thai chili paste.

4. Add Bulk

By adding rice, pasta, beans, or veggies to my meat dishes, I can stretch it further. Make soup. Put some on a salad. Be creative!

How do you stretch meat?