Ground beef was just … there. You grabbed a pound without thinking about it. Now it’s “special occasion meat,” something you buy once in a blue moon. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the average U.S. retail price for 100% ground beef reached about $6.75 per pound in January 2026, climbing roughly 40–50% since 2020, far outpacing general food inflation and most household staples.
As a result, people aren’t casually tossing ground beef into every pot anymore. They’re stretching it, swapping it, timing it, or skipping it altogether. Over on r/budgetfood, shoppers are trading genuinely clever ways to keep ground beef — or at least something close to it — in rotation while prices keep climbing.
Switch To Cheaper Protein
This might sound like a “duh, thank you Captain Obvious” tip, but plenty of users admit that since they can’t afford ground beef anymore, ground turkey, chicken, and plant-based options like lentils and beans do the trick. Some also say ground sausage is a solid stand-in for beef—and a much cheaper one. “It will work in a pinch in certain recipes — obviously very good in things like spaghetti or ziti — but it subs in great for cottage pie too. Honestly, I think I prefer it with sausage!” wrote one user.
Buy The Beef-Pork Blend
If you’re staring at two nearly identical tubes of ground meat and one is a dollar or two cheaper per pound, basic math should probably win. A lot of shoppers are grabbing the beef-pork blend roll instead of straight ground beef because it’s typically priced lower and still works in most of the same recipes.
“Walmart has a beef pork mix that is usually a buck or 2 cheaper a pound than ground beef,” wrote one user. “I use that since we don’t have any dietary or religious restrictions against it in my family.”
“My Walmart has a 80/20 beef/pork blend roll. It’s $3.97/lbs and doesn’t taste any different from regular ground beef imo,” shared another.
Another savvy shopper wrote, ” Pretty common to use this kind of mix for meatballs, chili, meatloaf, etc. Makes a perfectly good burger etc if you want.”
Buy Bulk on Sale and Freeze It
This is easily one of the most common strategies and one that obviously works. Retailers frequently discount ground beef that’s nearing its sell-by date, and shoppers say that’s where the real savings start.
“I just watch for sales and buy a ton when it’s discounted,” shared one budget-conscious shopper on Reddit. “I don’t brown it before freezing, I just either vacuum seal it or portion it into freezer bags.”
“80/20 was on sale last week at my Safeway for $3.77. I buy it when it’s less than $4/lb,” said another.
Portion It Smaller So It Actually Lasts
For many, it makes sense buying in bulk and storing it properly to stretch it for a long time.
“We get it in 10 pound bulk quantities then divide it up into portions. Used to do 1 pound portions but we’ve cut down to 1/2 and 3/4 pound portions,” wrote one Redditor. “Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap then a layer of foil. Lasts a long time in the freezer wrapped like that.”
Another said, “I stocked up on ground beef when I found it for $3.50. Broke the big packs into 1 lb portions and froze. I use it sparingly for when I’m craving some kind of beef.”
Grind Your Own When Roasts or Steaks Are on Sale
Or maybe instead of waiting for ground beef to expire so you can buy in bulk, shop for whatever cut is cheapest that week and do the grinding yourself. It’s that easy.
“I buy whatever beef is on sale on the weekly ad, and we grind it ourselves. It’s jumped up at least a buck a lb for the last few months,” shared one Redditor.
“I buy inexpensive pork shoulders, grind them, and use them for burgers,” another added.
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Stretch Beef With Beans, Lentils, or Rice
If you’re not ready to give up ground beef entirely, a lot of shoppers said they’re simply using less of it per meal. Lentils and beans came up repeatedly as the easiest way to bulk up taco meat, chili, or spaghetti sauce without doubling the cost. A half pound of beef mixed with cooked lentils or a can of refried beans can stretch into a full family dinner.
Rice works the same way, especially in burritos and stuffed peppers, where texture isn’t the main event. And if you’re making burgers or meatloaf, you can also mix in oats or whole wheat breadcrumbs to extend the meat further.
Mince It Extra-Fine So You Use Less
Another nifty way to really stretch the beef is to mince it even finer than it already is. After browning, break it down aggressively with a spatula or wooden spoon so the crumbles are tiny and evenly distributed. The smaller the pieces, the farther they travel through a sauce, chili, or taco filling.
“I simply mince it extra fine so that it is more evenly spread,” wrote one user. “Instead of 1lb of meat in my spaghetti sauce, I now use 1/2 lb and add a little beef bouillon to the sauce. Just had this for dinner tonight, in fact, and honestly it’s great!”
How are you dealing with ground beef prices? Let us know in the comments!
