Why You Should Buy This Type Of Meat At Costco

Meat lovers with dinner on their minds have several exceptional types of protein to choose from at the supermarket. It's hard to go wrong with the strong umami notes in beef, chicken is as versatile as it is appetizing, and pork (which is decidedly a red meat despite the efforts of deceptive marketing campaigns from years past) is a staple all over the world. Folks often overlook another enticing option due to its typically high price tag, but Costco members may be able to obtain it for far cheaper than at competing grocery stores.

Commonly seen on television shows featuring fine dining cuisine, lamb is frequently passed over as a dinner option because it is often so costly. Yet, Costco seems to have found a way to give folks a bargain on the arguably underutilized protein. Compared to other big-name supermarkets, Kirkland Signature lamb is a steal. Consider that Kroger charges roughly $14.99 per pound for lamb chops while its direct competitor, Safeway, only undercuts that price by a dollar or so. Meanwhile, Costco offers customers lamb chops for a modest $9.35 per pound. A boneless leg of lamb from the membership warehouse sells for $6.09 per pound — nearly half of Safeway's cost of $11.99. Even discount grocer Aldi, known for deals on cheap meat, can't beat Costco, charging about $7.69 per pound for a butterflied lamb leg. Costco has somehow — perhaps via bulk, direct buying — managed to make what is generally the most expensive meat in the grocery store affordable despite the conditions that usually keep the price elevated.

One of the main details that makes lamb meat expensive is that sheep don't take to factory farming like cows, chickens, and pigs do. The confined spaces of these farms often stress the animal, which can stunt their growth and make them sick. It also takes longer for lamb to get to butchering quality compared to other meats we enjoy. Farm-raising animals for consumption is far more costly than factory farming, and compounded with the fact that they need to be raised longer than other proteins, producing lamb is a pricey endeavor. The consumer typically must handle some of those costs.

Compared to other proteins folks like to toss into their shopping carts, lamb also offers a significantly lower amount of meat per animal. Cows are teeming with various cuts of beef, and pigs have many edible sections that we eat regularly. Sheep, on the other hand, only provide butchers so much to work with, meaning every piece of meat they can get from the animal comes at a higher price.

People commonly view lamb as a fancy food reserved for fine dining and special occasions. Lamb may be a classic part of the Easter dinner table, but folks aren't typically going out of their way to get their hands on the protein for a mid-week supper. Part of that is due to the elevated price of the meat, but Costco members may want to expand their culinary repertoire and cook it more often since they can purchase it for much less than it sells for at other supermarkets.