Beef: It's Not What's for Dinner at Our House and Why

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We are a family of carnivores. We love meat! I’ll never forget the look on the face of a meat salesman who came to my door when I told him we don’t eat beef. We were living in the middle of cattle country and any meat that is processed and sold in that area is Angus. He shook his head and said that’s crazy because everybody eats Angus beef. Well, we don’t because it’s not what’s for dinner at our house. This post is not about the evils of meat, but rather a reason why we don’t eat a certain kind. If we could, we would still be enjoying it.


Beef: It’s Not What’s for Dinner

My husband can’t eat Angus and since it has become such a widely used beef, I stopped buying all beef for fear of it being mixed with another breed of meat. Red meat is a high purine food and for some reason, all it takes is one bite of Angus beef to trigger a gout flare up for my husband.
How we found out about the Angus being a trigger food, we experimented with foods trying to find what triggered the flare-ups. (At that time, our local stores labeled meat that was Angus.) In the end beef was the culprit, and the Angus elevated the flare-ups.
The last time I bought any beef was in 2014 and that year my husband had several flare-ups. I spread those frozen containers throughout the year and each time he was on crutches for at least a week at a time. That is how we knew the meat was Angus beef.
Not being able to eat beef has caused me to look a little further into the ingredient list on packages of foods. Pepperoni, certain brands of turkey/chicken hot dogs, and canned meats all contain either beef or beef broth. It pays to read the ingredients on items because you never know what’s in there. Never assume a product labeled as turkey or chicken is only that; we learned this quickly.
Many of my recipes call for beef or beef broth and those have had to be tweaked to not include it. Ground meat is always ground turkey or ground venison. Any needed broth, I use chicken broth or vegetable broth depending on the recipe.
The recipes I share here on the blog, are recipes I cook without beef or beef broth. Some of them I notate it in the post while others I do not. While my palate has grown accustomed to the chicken broth exchange, I do know beef broth will take the flavors up a notch, that is why I list beef broth in the ingredients.
Any smart cook knows you don’t have to play by the rules when it comes to cooking for one’s family and their needs.
So what kind of meat does this carnivorous family eat? We eat chicken, pork, turkey,  and venison.

Saving Money by Not Buying Beef


For recipes that call for ground meat, I use ground turkey. If there’s ground venison in the freezer, I use that instead. My brother and his wife are the ones who got me to using ground turkey in place of ground beef years ago. They told me you couldn’t even tell a difference once it was cooked. At that time, we were finding ways to tighten the belt on our budget and when I researched the cost difference between the meats; I was surprised that the turkey was cheaper. And the taste, you couldn’t tell a difference.

As I mentioned before, the last time I bought beef was in 2014. At that time, I couldn’t pass up on the deal I was getting in buying beef rather than turkey because it was cheaper. But on the downside, my husband missed days of work because of trying to save money. It’s not worth saving money and compromising my husband’s health and ability to live a normal life. When I buy ground meat, I buy ground turkey in bulk because it does save money.
I’ve seen a couple of recipes lately that normally call for a form of beef that is using boneless chicken breast instead. My husband even tried one of those dishes while at a restaurant and liked it so much, he’s asked me to try to come up with my own version. When I do, I’ll be sure to share it with you.
I have to include a secret here… when my husband is not around; I enjoy a Wendy’s single with cheese now and then. I don’t deprive myself of foods, but I don’t tempt him either.
My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Nothing fancy shmancy for him, because of this cooking for him is easy. And best of all, we really don’t miss the beef.
Some of our favorite “beefy” meals I’ve shared are:

Don't Break the Bank! Save by Planning Ahead

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Save money by planning ahead. All it takes is a little time and determination and you too can watch the money begin to stay where it belongs, in your pocket.I’m a firm believer in meal planning. When I first began planning our meals, I saw how it saved us money. Over the years, I’ve loosened my grip on meal planning but I still plan.


While I don’t plan breakfasts and lunches, our suppers are always planned. Meal planning has kept me from buying ingredients I already have and it keeps me from flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to supper time.
Another way planning has saved us money is by planning our family trips. We love spur of the moment day trips but sometimes those trips have to be planned. The cost of entrance and parking fees, whether or not pets are allowed, and if we’ll have the option of picnicking helps us know if we need to save up for the trip.




Don’t Break the Bank!
Save Money by Planning Ahead

Sarah from Must Have Mom shares Meal Planning Resources
Along with some neat ideas, there are 28 weeks of meal plans.
Lisa from Retro Housewife Goes Green shares Once a Month Grocery Shopping
I love how once a month shopping causes you to think about what you have, use, and need.
Road trips tend to need planning. With the planning, you’ll see how much money you can save while making memories with your family.
Rachel from Young Adult Money shares 5 Specific Situations Where Planning Ahead Saves You Money
Christmas comes every year, on the same day, just like birthdays. There is no reason for people to go crazy over that holiday “sneaking up” on them. Plan to shop early on.
Liz from Frugalwoods shares How Planning Ahead Saves Us Serious Money
It’s important to plan for the near future but also for the long haul. In the end, it saves you money.
Do you plan ahead to save money? If you have any secret tips on saving money, leave them in the comments.
Don't Break the Bank: Save Money by Planning Ahead

Saving Money with Babies and Children

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Of all the advice I was given about buying for my new baby, my mom’s advice was perfect. Don’t buy or ask for anything you know you won’t use. That was 19 years ago, and it still rings true when I’m shopping.  No matter what kind of budget you have, you can still save money on babies and children.
No matter what kind of budget you have, you can still save money on babies and children. #savingmoney #baby #children

5 Tips to help in
Saving Money with Babies and Children

Maura from Happy Deal Happy Day shares 6 Ways to Save Money on Baby Items for First Time Moms
When my son was a baby, we had a bulk diaper discount store in the area. I was thrilled to know I would be able to save money on diapers until several friends of mine told me they were poor quality. They were cheaply made – tabs wouldn’t stick, and they did not absorb anything; there was no moister-proofing on the outer layers. For Christmas that year, when asked what we wanted for our son, we told everyone diapers. Other than a few hard headed people, we received more diapers than you could imagine.
Sarah from Must Have Mom shares 10 Things You DON’T Need To Buy For Your Baby!
We purchased a dresser that had a changing table built into it. Once the changing table days were over, we removed the sides and pad.
Tiffany From Living Sweet Moments shares Saving Money on Baby Clothes
I was asked about hand-me-downs before my son was born by a friend and fellow teacher who had two little boys. I told her yes, I would be happy to take them. I was excited about getting these clothes until a fellow teacher rained on my parade. She told me I didn’t want used clothes for my new baby and that I would only be given cast-offs that were not fit to wear. Because of my sweet friend and the mother of a little girl I taught, my new little fellow had enough clothes for eight months without me even having to buy anything, unless I wanted to.
Katie from Double the Batch shares How to Raise a Family on a Small Budget
Live within your means. You don’t have to not enjoy life living on a small budget. There will be times when you have to get creative or plan ahead to be able to enjoy those extra special things.
Alison from Pint-Sized Treasures shares How We Raise Six Kids on a Tight Budget
Healthy hygiene is so important with children. Washing hands after coming in from places and being around those with colds help keep germs down. Healthy kids keep the budget from being expanded on medical costs.
How do you save money with babies and children?
Have you missed any of my saving money posts? You can find them all HERE.