Whole Chicken Sale - should I stock up?

Food Lion is running a sale for whole chickens for $.69/lb.  I can't decide if I should get some or not.  It's been a while since I've stocked up, and I know I've gotten chicken for $.49/lb before.  That might have been sometime last year, or even earlier, I really can't remember.

I'm basically trying to decide if this is "today's" version of the $.49/lb sale, and since the price of everything is up, I shouldn't hold out for a better sale.  THe sale ends tomorrow, so if I'm going to get them, I'd like to get some today.  I just wanted some thoughts on this.  The store it only a few minutes from here, so I wouldn't be spending a lot of gas $ to go get them.

Thanks!!

The way prices are rising, this might be the lowest you're going to get.  I bought mlk yesterday and they raised it 30 cents a gallon in one week.  Buy some, I'm sure you won't regret having them.

Are they wrapped in vaccume packing?  If so heck ya you should!!!!!  If they are vaccumed packed they will last up to a year or more!!!!!!

I would definitely stock up.  I was going to stock up here, but the particular store location I went into didn't have the advertised chicken.  Upon further reading, only the NEW location had them.  It was 10 pound or more of whole chickens for 59cents per pound.  Didn't make it to the new location though -- wish I had.

ok, you have me convinced.  LOL.  I plan to get several, and I am going to try and cut them up - you know, breasts, thighs, drumsticks, etc.   Wish me luck!

I haven't seen them any cheaper down here. I buy the whole chickens and cut them up all the time. It isn't hard and once you get your hands messy, you can do as many as you want in no time. As for me, I usually just get one or two and wait for the next sale but I don't do a lot of cooking.

I am in California and $.69/lb. is the cheapest I have seen around here this year. I would be stocking up my freezer if I saw that price now!

Cutting your own is easy. A sharp knife is a must. I start with the legs, then the wings, then the breast, which is the hardest part. Take your time with it and it gets easier each time.

arabella

Boy $.69 would be a bargain even around here.  I would stock up too!

 A thought on cutting them up though, and you are right, it is easy as pie I learned when I was in the Army.  When cutting the breast I just bone it and the thighs out and put the carcass in the stock pot.  Since we are on a no fat kick I also skin the breast and thighs but have found that it its more trouble then it is worth with the drumsticks. Also I separate the tenders from the breast and package them separately for a special meal.  If you use your chicken in a recipe that uses it cut into cubes go ahead and cut some of it up before you freeze it.  Also you can put marinade in with the chicken before freezing it and it will marinate as it thaws to save a step when you are cooking.

At 69c a lb. I would be filling the freezer.  They're $1.29 a lb at A&P here, on sale!![:'(]

I will be going this morning to stock up :)  I'm not sure how many I'll get yet, probably 6.  I'd offer to get some for you that have higher prices, but...  lol.  Don't think that would work too well.  I'm hoping that since I'll be going this morning, they might have some meat marked down.  Last time I was there I got a nice roast that was marked down.  It wasn't a "steal", but better than paying full price.  We had that last night, and it was SO good, esp. with the fresh green beans and potatoes!!

Trophywife:

Also you can put marinade in with the chicken before freezing it and it will marinate as it thaws to save a step when you are cooking.

Not only does it save a step, but the flavor is more infused into the meat.  I also noticed, when I have frozen it in marinade, the meat seams more moist and tender.

KIm

momsays:

Also you can put marinade in with the chicken before freezing it

Well, I have the chicken all cut up - I got 6 of them, and after I figured it out on the first one, cutting up the other 5 was pretty easy.  I only de-boned the breasts, figured if I want the thighs deboned, I'll just do it when I get them out of the freezer.  I would only de-bone them if I'd run out of breasts, otherwise I like the moistness that the bones give the meat.

I'll probably go ahead and freeze it plain, but I wondered if those of you that marinade the chicken before freezing could pass along the recipes?  I don't have alot of chicken marinade recipes, so some new ones would be great:)

I got an invitation to a Tupperware party in the mail today - I want to go, but I'm not sure if I'll get anything.  I have my eye on their marinade set, if I do decide to buy something.  A friend of ours used it while we were camping, and it looked like a good product, and get this - it's CHEAPER than a set of their tumblers!  Go figure, but oh well!

Gotta go bag up my birds and get them in the freezer.  Oh - I'm going to weight the meat, and see what it comes to $/lb.  I'm sure it's still WAY worth it to buy it and cut it up like this, but I'm curious.

mayhersh:

I'm going to weight the meat, and see what it comes to $/lb. 

Here's what I came up with:  with tax it came up to $1.07 per pound.  That's not bad, but I know I've seen some places run a sale on boneless, skinless chic breasts for $.99/lb - every blue moon, though.  Still better than paying 2 or 3 times that much though :)

mayhersh:

I wondered if those of you that marinade the chicken before freezing could pass along the recipes?  I don't have alot of chicken marinade recipes, so some new ones would be great:)

 Take a freezer bag or container.  Put your chicken in.  Pour a bottle of  Italian Salad Dressing over it (we like a good zesty Italian).  Freeze. 

That's my families favorite.

Kim

We are lucky if we get whole chicken in the store here for $ 4.98 per chcken; they average 3 to 3 1/2 lbs ea.

Not on sale they are around $6.95 plus.

I don't  pay too much attention to the price of chicken in the stores because I haven't bought chicken in the store for quite a few years. I read the labels on the whole chickens and decided to join many others here who buy chickens from a Hutterite Colony about 35 mi south of us.(they raise fruers all summer)

The store chickens are injected with sodium phosphate and "chicken broth". In that case "chicken broth means the stuff from 98% salt,hydrolized soy product and MSG. NO THANKS.

The Hutterite chickens have not been fed chenicals, only food the colony  grows on their ranch. They  are not fat like store chickens and are squeaky clean inside and are conpletely natural chickens, averaging 4 -4 1/2 lbs and cost $ 4.00 ea and are worth every penny.  You have to call 2 months ahead to order and they are delivered frozen. Last fall I bought 16 of them and already have my order in for September/Oct..

Some I put into food saver bags to keep frozen, some I thaw, cut up and can.

There is no comparison with store chickens, these taste soooo much better.

Since I am alone one baked chicken yields quite a few meals for me. I get 4 meals out of the two breast halves, 4 meals out of thighs and drums. (that includes some chopped for chicken  sandwich spread. Thhen I peel the meat off the wings and roast the carcarss a bit in the countertop convection oven and make a nice chicken broth, enough for 3 bowls of chicken soup. with the meat from the wings added.

No, I don't keep the meat in the fridge that long but do freeze  a breast half, a thigh and a drum  for later use. At $4.00 p chicken it is very economical food for me and I would not fuss if they raised the price to $5.00 this year.