Ground beef, whether it comes from the chuck or the round, is of equal quality. The only difference lies in the amount of fat in the product -- the more fat, the less the value.

Common ground beef percentages (and the terms often associated with them) are:

70 percent lean, 30 percent fat (ground beef)

80 percent lean, 20 percent fat (ground chuck)

85 percent lean, 15 percent fat (ground round)

90 percent lean, 10 percent fat (ground sirloin)

Which one should you buy? That depends.

The price goes up with each decrease in fat content, so ground beef (70-30) is the logical choice if price is the most important factor. But fat cooks out of ground beef, resulting in greater shrinkage. The higher fat content also makes it a poor choice for those concerned about fat and calories in their diet.

At the other end of the spectrum, the ground sirloin (90-10) will be the most expensive, and because of the small amount of fat, it might be dry, crumbly and tasteless. But, for the health-conscious, it may be just what the doctor ordered.

For most purposes, ground chuck and ground round make suitable choices, whether the beef will be used to make hamburgers, meatloaf or a casserole.