Are soaring beef prices busting your grocery budget? Heres how much youll pay at 6 popular stores

Consumers have a bone to pick with the beef industry.High beef prices are the new normal in the US, thanks to a diminishing in size of cattle herds, ongoing drought and a robust demand — and it’s not expected to change any time soon.According to the Consumer Price Index, the average price of ground beef is about $6.74, and the average price of all uncooked ground beef is $6.90.

That’s a significant 19.8% increase and a 15.7% increase, respectively, over the course of 12 months.But even with rising costs, demand is still high at grocery stores.In general, ground beef, chuck roast, chuck steak, brisket and round cut are the cheapest everyday options, consistently some of the lowest-cost options available.However, they see lower demand due to the tougher muscle and the time it takes to cook them.The more expensive cuts — such as ribeye, New York strip, Wagyu and filet mignon — are often more tender and in higher demand.

In the middle are options like skirt steak, flank steak, flat iron and tri-tip, which tend to be of a higher quality while at a slightly lower cost.A good rule of thumb is to opt for tougher cuts and to shop at stores known for bulk buying for the cheapest options; any leftovers can be frozen and cooked later.To figure out where consumers can get the best bang for their buck and not miss out on a meat indulgence, The Post looked at the cheapest beef options at six popular stores: Walmart, Aldi, Sam’s Club, Costco, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.Prices were noted at the time of reporting and may additionally vary by region.Walmart is known for its low prices and a wide range of options.

With 13 different ground-beef choices online at Walmart.com, it’s easy to find a cut at a low price.At first glance, their cheapest option appears to be their 1-pound tray of ground beef chuck, which costs $7.23.

However, their 4½-pound tray of all-natural ground beef is actually the best deal.At a total of $24.84, it comes out to $5.52 per pound.Even ...