Introduction: What is beef jerky?
Beef jerky is a popular, convenient snack. Jerky is a delicacy that dates back centuries. In the US, jerky originated from cowboys taking strips of meat off large animals. Rather than leaving meat on animals that were too big to consume in one go, strips of meat were taken from the carcass and hung to dry. The drying process prolonged the lifespan of the meat, creating a tasty, nutritious snack that cowboys could eat on the go weeks later. Today, beef jerky is a snack that appeals to a wide range of buyers, including backpackers, travellers, outdoor enthusiasts, campers, hikers, bodybuilders and anyone who loves the taste of beef jerky. Statistics suggest that the meat snack market is growing by over 30% per year in Australia (source).
As a meat product, people often assume that beef jerky is expensive, but this doesn’t have to be the case. In this guide, we’ll discuss how affordable beef jerky is and highlight the potential benefits of adding beef jerky to your diet.
Is beef jerky expensive?
Beef jerky is a meat product and as such, many people think of it as an expensive snack food. The truth is that beef jerky is not as cheap as other convenience foods, but it might not be as expensive as you think, especially if you consider value for money, rather than focusing solely on retail prices. Beef jerky is a nutritious, delicious, high-quality product, which comes in a range of flavours. Beef jerky enthusiasts also have the option to take advantage of multipacks and bulk buy packs, which lower the unit cost. Prices vary according to the brand and the size of the bag, but it is possible to find incredible offers and to save by buying large packs. A multipack of 8x30g bags of Nive Beef Jerky choose your own flavours will cost you $60. Bulk buy options include 1kg bags for $139.99 and 2kg bags for $259.99.
If you compare the price of beef jerky with other popular snacks, you may come to the conclusion that it is an expensive luxury. However, it’s important to consider the reasons why prices are relatively high compared to foods, such as biscuits, chocolate bars and potato snacks. Beef jerky is a nutrient-rich option, which not only represents a higher quality food but also requires more intensive, complex preparation. The ingredients are more expensive than potatoes, wheat, corn and nuts and the process of creating beef jerky products is costlier than preparing other popular snacks. Some companies also use leaner cuts of beef, which makes certain beef jerky products more expensive than others.
In addition to ingredients and preparation, the quantity of ingredients also impacts the price. The meat shrinks significantly during the drying process, which means that a lot of meat is required to make a relatively small serving.
The benefits of buying beef jerky
Beef jerky is widely regarded as a nutritious snack. There are many reasons why people all over the world choose to buy beef jerky. In addition to the taste, beef jerky offers an array of health benefits, which include:
- High protein content
- Low carbohydrate content
- Rich in iron, zinc and copper
- Source of vitamin B12, phosphorus, folate, choline, selenium, potassium, thiamine, magnesium, niacin and riboflavin
Beef jerky’s nutrient content makes it a healthier and more nutritious choice than many other snack foods. The high protein and low carbohydrate values also mean that this is a food that caters to several different diets.
In addition to its health benefits, beef jerky is also very easy to transport and store and it has a long shelf-life. This makes it a fantastic choice for commuters, travellers, those who love to explore and camp out in the great outdoors, sports enthusiasts and people who like to have a full larder at home.
Conclusion
Beef jerky may have a reputation for being expensive, but there are ways to save on high-quality products and there are several benefits of buying a healthy, nutrient-rich snack. The ingredients used to make beef jerky are more expensive than those used to manufacture other popular snacks, the process is more complex and meat also shrinks. This means that costs are higher. Despite this, beef jerky is not an expensive snack, and it has many advantages, including a long shelf-life and a list of health benefits.
