SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — If you’ve noticed a big difference in ground beef prices from one grocery store to another, you may have wondered whether paying more means you’re getting better meat.
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That question came from 7 News Detroit’s Keenan Smith after seeing the price differences in our weekly 7 Smart Shopper grocery tracking.
To find out, I bought ground beef from Aldi and Kroger, two stores that have typically fallen on opposite ends of the beef prices we’ve tracked, and took the packages to Oakland University for a closer look.
This week, the ground beef I purchased was priced at $5.29 per pound at Aldi and $7.54 per pound at Kroger, a difference of $2.25 per pound.
But does that higher price mean higher quality?
“In this scenario, no,” Oakland University professor Sarah Martin said. “The only thing that's going to impact quality that you can see is how are these things labeled and what does the beef look like.”
What should shoppers look for?
Martin said shoppers can start by looking at the meat itself.
Color and marbling can provide clues about what you’re buying. The white streaks or flecks in beef are fat, which can affect its flavor.
When Martin compared the two packages I purchased, however, she didn’t see a significant distinction.
“I do not see a difference in these,” Martin said. “They are very similar.”
Labels can also provide shoppers with information about the product, including its use-by date and, in some cases, where it came from.
Martin said a package with a U.S.-origin label can give consumers more information about where the cattle were raised and processed. If that information isn't on the package, shoppers may not be able to determine the beef’s origin simply by looking at the label.
That doesn't necessarily mean the product is lower quality, Martin said.
When paying more can make a difference
Chef Ryan Lower said shoppers looking for a meaningful difference in beef should pay attention to its USDA grade, rather than assuming a higher grocery-store price automatically means better quality.
USDA beef grades include Prime, Choice and Select.
But shoppers buying ground beef may not see a grade listed on the package.
“Most of your local grocery stores will not put it on their package just because they're not required to,” Lower said.
For shoppers who want more information about exactly what they're buying, a local butcher shop may offer another option.
“If you have the money to go to a little mom-and-pop butcher shop that is grinding their own meat right there, it's going to be a little bit higher quality,” Martin said. “It's fresher, it's going to taste a little bit better, but it is going to be more expensive.”
When it comes to comparing ground beef from large grocery chains, though, Lower said shoppers may be getting similar products despite the difference in price.
So, based on the two packages examined for this comparison, the cheaper price didn't translate into an obvious difference in the meat itself.
For shoppers looking for additional cues at the grocery store, labels such as grass-fed or USDA Organic can provide more information about how the beef was produced.
