I’ve heard the name ButcherBox circulating in ads and on social media for years. I’ve always been curious about it but never seemed to execute on placing an order until recently. Even for someone like myself who lives in a densely populated area with dozens of grocery stores, I still dread shopping for meat. Looking for humanely raised, grass-fed, and no-antibiotic options already drastically narrows down your selection in the meat section. From there, it becomes a problem of finding the exact cut you need for a recipe or finding meat that is still fresh.
Even the stores I can count on for quality meats, such as Whole Foods, lack turnover of products and often have many unavailable products. Upon first glance, ButcherBox sounds like the perfect alternative for quality meats to arrive at your doorstep. But is ButcherBox worth it? Here’s what I experienced with my box — from meat selection to packaging to quality.
Meat selection and packaging
With over 25 high-quality cuts of meat, ButcherBox has no shortage of great variety and selection. Subscribers have four options for boxes, one of which allows you to custom-select the cuts you’d like to receive. The other options include a Beef & Pork Box, Beef & Chicken Box, and Beef, Pork & Chicken. These are great to flex around your diet, depending on whether you eat a diet that contains more red meat or poultry.
The cuts of steak offered range from thick-cut ribeyes to filet mignons to bone-in ribeyes. Pork options include baby back ribs, bacon, breakfast sausage, and pork chops. Every category, from beef to poultry, has every selection you could want. The hardest part (for those with custom boxes) is choosing what to order.
The box’s packaging is always consistent and has dry ice to ensure everything stays frozen. I like how the steaks are vacuum-sealed for freshness and provide helpful cooking instructions for each cut of meat. The perforated edges make it easy to take out single portions, too, an excellent feature for individuals cooking only for one. I also appreciate that the steaks come in reasonable sizes rather than big pieces that would require cutting down to cook.
Frequency of boxes
ButcherBox is all about customization for subscribers. Beyond selecting the types of meats you want in your box, you can also change the frequency to adjust to your dietary needs. ButcherBox allows deliveries every 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. Once per month is the most common frequency, but the option to change it is a nice feature. For example, you like to visit a local butcher from time to time to get a specific specialty meat. Or, perhaps you’ll be traveling and won’t need as much food. Whatever the reason for a change in circumstances, changing your ButcherBox delivery frequency is always easy.
Convienence and accessibility
I love to cook fresh foods. Yet even the most avid cooks like myself get busy occasionally. For those busy days where marinating a steak in advance isn’t in the cards, I love that ButcherBox has pre-cooked meat options that maintain the same quality as their raw meats. Frozen foods are known for generally poor quality, but ButcherBox’s pre-cooked meat options don’t fit that stereotype.
Head to the frozen aisle at your typical grocery store and quickly realize that even the “cleaner” options aren’t as high-quality as those of ButcherBox. Options such as fully-cooked organic chicken breast nuggets or 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef & pork meatballs ensure I still hit my protein goals with wholesome foods on those super hectic days. I also love that ButcherBox’s pre-cooked options include items for every meal, such as the maple breakfast sausage patties and the pork carnitas.
Flavor and quality
The selection of available meats, the frequency of box deliveries, as well as customization options are all crucial factors when deciding “Is ButcherBox worth it?” Yet, none of these other factors matter if the quality and flavor of the meat fail to impress. Luckily, ButcherBox’s quality remains consistently impressive with every box I receive. Unlike shopping at the grocery store, where you never know what will be available and fresh, you can count on your ButcherBox to create delicious, healthy meals every time. I like this reassurance, especially when using these meats to cook new recipes or for parties and gatherings.
Mike Salguero, founder & CEO of ButcherBox, has also weighed in on the quality of the meat inside the ButcherBox. “For nearly a decade, we’ve been incredibly focused on having the most rigorous sourcing standards and practices so when our customers’ boxes arrive on their doorstep, they can enjoy what’s inside. Our third-party animal welfare certifications as well as our B Corp Certification, is a signal of that commitment to those sourcing standards and truly a differentiator of ButcherBox. Food, and the experience of enjoying a meal with people you care about, is such a sacred moment and something that is always top of mind in delivering this unparalleled experience to our customers.”
Is ButcherBox worth it?
The value of meat delivery box services like ButcherBox is accessibility and convenience. Whether you don’t have access to quality meats in your area or have the time to shop in your busy schedule, it’s here to make your life easier. The mix of beef, poultry, fish, seafood, and more offers excellent variety and eliminates the need to visit multiple grocery stores to get the high-quality cuts you want when you want them.
Could you find better prices on humanely raised, hormone-free, grass-fed meats elsewhere? It’s possible, depending on where you live. Should you support your local butcher instead? Ideally, but many do not offer options beyond conventional, grain-fed meats. 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef contains a higher Omega-3 content, more vitamins and minerals, and more antioxidants to help support your health.
Overall, the selection of the available meat cuts and the convenience of ButcherBox weigh into its fantastic value. For individuals who consume a diet that leans more heavily on plant-based foods, ButcherBox may have too much meat. However, the box is worth it for those on a high-animal protein diet (keto or low-carb or high-protein) like myself. Gone are the days of searching at four different grocery stores to find a grass-fed, grass-finished New York strip steak.
