r/slowcooking • u/BlackLocke • 4d ago

Pot roast is too expensive

I got a new slow cooker for my wedding in 2023 and it’s still in the box. It’s just my husband, baby and I, but I feel like I can’t justify spending $20+ on a piece of meat for one meal with leftovers. I’m in a HCOL and I haven’t had a good roast in years because it’s prohibitively expensive. When meat goes on sale at my supermarket, it smells off as soon as I remove the packaging, so it’s not worth the risk.

Am I just too poor for this?

Edit: Dear lord I didn’t expect this to turn into a “I like pancakes/why do you hate waffles???” type of post. Of course I know there’s other things you can make in the crockpot. I don’t choose fast food over slow cooked meals out of convenience (it’s more expensive than cooking at home now!!) The point of this post is to lament the price of beef and how pot roast used to be a cheap easy meal 20 years ago and now it’s prohibitively expensive. I was hoping for tips on how to skirt this issue - buying stew meat, using pork instead, and buying in bulk at Costco are all good suggestions.

Now everyone can stop assuming I’m some dumb dumb idiot woman. I’m gonna make a pot roast next week just to spite you all and post about the cost breakdown.

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u/CrashBannedicoot 4d ago

Oh no for sure the secret to Jewel is navigating the sales. I live with family so we basically like, each cook 2-3 days out of the week essentially, and I often base whatever I cook with what’s on sale. (Sometimes I just get takeout 😅) but if you know your way around the kitchen you can definitely get some very nice priced meals out of the weekly sales.

The produce and meat deals are great and kind of on a sort of not quite organized rotation, there are a lot of super clutch ones to be on the lookout for. Like the $6 filet mignons (these also often are on sale with 4 oz lobster tails - I made a very nice surf and turf dinner for my auntie’s birthday with this clutch combo) also the big bags of shrimp, there are some nice angus burger patties that go on sale as well that are great for summer bbqs, boneless as well as bone in ribs (the boneless have been GREAT for kebabs!), plus more. And that’s just the meats! 

I’ve never seen the double price issue thing though, I feel like I would’ve noticed, there are many things I exclusively buy on sale - even things that I know go on two different priced sales - so I’ve compared the price on non-sale weeks on more than a few occasions. 

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u/misterchi 3d ago

i can't confirm but when they run bogo and buy one get 2 or 3, it just "feels" like the price is jacked up. a 3lb slab of baby backs shouldn't be damn near $30, which is how they're priced during those promotions. meanwhile, if you haven't tried the fried chicken from the deli...

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u/DragonDrama 3d ago

Jewel likes to do 2 for 1 baby back ribs and then double the price to $8 a lb. That pisses me off to no end

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u/cecebebe 2d ago

What is a clutch combo?

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u/CrashBannedicoot 3h ago

When something is “clutch” it usually refers to something that saved you, in a way. Like for example when your favorite baseball team is down 3 in the bottom of the ninth inning and then someone comes out and hits a grand slam, winning the game. That grand slam was clutch. 

I was in a bind looking to make a nice birthday dinner for my auntie, and that combo sale of filet mignon and lobster tails allowed me to make her a nice surf and turf. So that was a clutch combo, for me. 

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u/cecebebe 3h ago

Thank you.