Here's What To Ask The Butcher At Costco For Cheaper Ground Beef
If hamburger helper is one of your house's dinner staples and you never say no to a taco night, your ground beef bill is probably something you don't like to think about. After all, KTLA reports ground beef costs a wallet-busting 12% more than it did in 2021. However, there is a way to lower the amount of money you spend on ground beef without cutting back on enjoying hamburgers.
Costco is revered for its ability to save shoppers money. In fact, after actually taking the time to crunch the numbers, CNET found that investing in a membership at the grocer can save you around $1,000 a year. And one TikToker reports that at Costco, you can even save money on your beloved ground beef. However, you won't be doing any favors for your wallet by buying the store's individually wrapped meat. To truly ensure your weekly taco treat is not at risk, this user reports you to need to ask the retailer's butcher for one specific product.
Ask your Costco butcher for a chub
A TikToker who shares money-saving hacks revealed in a video that to get the most for your ground beef buck at Costco you should ask for a "10 pound chub." According to Epicurious, the grocer's "chub" is essentially ground beef mixed with the leftover trimmings of other meats like steak. And, despite its silly name, the OP reports that buying Costco's "chub" will save you some serious money.
The TikToker states that the "chub" isn't only cheaper by the pound than the store's single ground beef packages, but it also contains leaner meat. Just how lean and cost-effective are we talking about? Well, Epicurious notes that Costco's "chub" can be up to 7% leaner than its regular ground beef units. And a Costco associate reported on Reddit that, compared to the store's smaller ground beef packages which are priced at $3.49 a pound, their location offers "chubs" for $2.99 a pound. However, while you can't beat the price, there are a few factors you should consider before you go chub-hunting at Costco.
What you need to know about Costco's 10 pound chub
If you're a sustainably minded shopper, you may be wondering if Costco's "chub" has an organic option. Unfortunately, one TikToker in the comment section of the Costco hack video reported they asked this very question at their local Costco and found that you can only get a "chub" filled with regular ground beef.
Then there's the matter of actually getting your hands on the "chub." While reported you have to go out of your way to ask a butcher for the tube of meat, a few commenters stated that pre-packaged "chubs" are now available in the same section as the regular ground beef at some Costcos. However, if your location doesn't have them on the floor you now know what to ask the butcher to take advantage of this ground beef deal.
And once you do bring your 10 pounds of ground beef home, you don't have to get overwhelmed by the sheer size of the tube. According to another user in the TikTok's comment section, chopping the tubed ground beef into 2-pound sections before popping them into the freezer will make the ground beef behemoth easier to store. And by dividing your Costco "chub," you'll then have a long-lasting and low-cost supply of ground beef waiting for you to use in your dinner.