Is buying a whole cow worth it? Northeast Ohio farm sees rise in bulk beef interest as prices climb

As beef prices continue to rise, some Northeast Ohio families are looking beyond the grocery store and straight to local farms — buying beef in bulk.

At Rus-Men Farms Beef, Pork & Chicken, Mendy Sellman, co-owner, says interest in purchasing a quarter, half, or whole cow is growing as shoppers search for ways to save.

“We have a lot of people calling and inquiring. Doing price checking or price comparison,” Sellman said.

Sellman grew up on the farm and now helps customers understand what it really means to buy beef in bulk, from how it’s processed to what cuts they’ll receive.

Buying in bulk can save you money if you want a variety of cuts.

“Your filets, your ribeyes, your t-bones, your sirloins, your roasts, the stew meat, the brisket. You’re getting all of those items for roughly $8 a pound, give or take,” Sellman said.

That can mean cuts of meat like ribeyes that usually run upwards of $20 are a bargain, while if you’re looking for just ground beef, it might be better to just buy as you need.

But the upfront cost and commitment can be significant.

A whole steer currently costs around $4,000, and buyers need enough space to store the meat, often requiring at least a 20-cubic-foot freezer.

Still, Sellman says it can be a practical option for some families.

“I find for the typical family of four, a quarter of beef with last about eight months,” Sellman said.

Weekly Price Tracker

Each week, we’ll visit Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Heinen's and Dave's Market, checking prices on everyday essentials.

Those include: 2% milk, a loaf of wheat bread, chicken price per pound, ground beef tray or patty per pound (80% lean 20% fat), 12 dozen white eggs and toasted oats cereal.

If you're willing to shop around, you can snag even deeper discounts on meat, dairy, and pantry goods.

We’re also giving you a chance to see how your favorite stores stack up week to week. We’ll compare how grocery prices change at each store on a weekly basis.

Here's how prices compare across stores this week:

Meijer 

Giant Eagle 

Aldi

Walmart

Heinen’s

Dave's Market

From buy-one-get-one-free meat deals to cereal under $2, our Don’t Waste Your Money team will be keeping an eye on store shelves and sharing what we find.

Find a better deal? We want to hear from you! Submit your finds through the form below. If you beat our prices, we’ll feature them.

And if you’re a savvy shopper, always chasing the best deals, we may even join you on your next grocery run.