Laura Corin Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 It's interesting to hear that chicken is expensive in some parts. Here that is really the cheapest thing so that's why so many eat it so often. I wonder if that is to do with varying levels of grain subsidies. Corn/maize is heavily subsidised in the US, isn't it? That would presumably feed (!) into chicken prices. I remember when I first lived in China, chicken was impossibly expensive because of the feed. It was more efficient to feed any scraps and waste to pigs, which would eat anything and convert waste to meat very effectively. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsellian Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 We might have ground beef twice a week, not because it's that much cheaper, but because it's easier to stretch by putting small amounts in several dishes. When we have chicken, it is in whole pieces, 1-2 pieces per person, so it adds up. That's interesting, because I find chicken much easier to stretch - I need 1lb of mince to feed us all for a meal, but I can do 1/2lb with chicken! If we have a whole bird, it will make a roast, a big pot of stock, and another meal or two with the leftover meat (like chicken fricassee, or stir-fry). We pretty much never eat chicken in whole pieces except if I buy drumsticks. If we have breast meat, then it usually gets diced for a curry, or stir-fry, or risotto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Does anyone else find the roast birds cheaper than fresh? When we need a roast bird, true we lose the stock but it's actually cheaper than buying one and cooking it. I think I read that it was because they roast them before they'd have to go on sale and they use it to get people in the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I wonder if that is to do with varying levels of grain subsidies. Corn/maize is heavily subsidised in the US, isn't it? That would presumably feed (!) into chicken prices. I remember when I first lived in China, chicken was impossibly expensive because of the feed. It was more efficient to feed any scraps and waste to pigs, which would eat anything and convert waste to meat very effectively. L I don't know if it is. I thought the bulk of the corn produced now was going towards fuel. I'd have to look that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Does anyone else find the roast birds cheaper than fresh? When we need a roast bird, true we lose the stock but it's actually cheaper than buying one and cooking it. I think I read that it was because they roast them before they'd have to go on sale and they use it to get people in the store. No I don't. I do buy them sometimes, but they tend to be very small birds. So for that size bird it would be cheaper to buy it and roast it myself. BTW, I still use the bones from them to make stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Does anyone else find the roast birds cheaper than fresh? When we need a roast bird, true we lose the stock but it's actually cheaper than buying one and cooking it. I think I read that it was because they roast them before they'd have to go on sale and they use it to get people in the store. The ones at Costco (sorry Sparkly!) definitely are! $5 for a large chicken. I use the bones for stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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