Butcher Box offers humanely raised, organic, grass-fed and finished, and heritage breed meats delivered to your door. This is my personal experience and honest Butcher Box Review.
**This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you decide to subscribe to Butcher Box. However, this is my completely honest review and you are by no means obligated to use my links. If you do thanks so much for supporting my site.
Ordering a box of meat from Butcher Box has been on my to-do list for months now. Not only did I want to give this meat delivery service a try for myself but I also wanted to do a Butcher Box review for my readers.
Never did I think I’d offer so many reviews on my blog but over the last 3 years so many services have popped up that I feel would work great for some of my readers – Butcher Box is one of them!
Here are some of my favorite reviews:
Before I jump into my personal experience and review let’s get you up to speed on Butcher Box.
If you’re ready to try Butcher Box, and don’t want to read my entire Butcher Box review, you (new subscribers) can use my link to get 2 packages of bacon and 2lbs of breakfast sausage free <– That’s quite a deal!
What is Butcher Box?
Butcher Box is a meat distribution company. What does that mean? Basically, they are the middle man. Butcher Box sources out the meats, builds relationships with the farmers and cooperatives, and then sells to you (and me). What makes Butcher Box unique is they only source the highest quality meats. All of the beef is grass fed and finished, chicken is organic, and pork is heritage breed. Not to mention all the animals are humanely raised. So, when you purchase a box of meat from Butcher Box be assured you’re getting the highest quality meats AND supporting local farmers.
How Does Butcher Box Work?
Butcher Box is a monthly subscription service. You can choose to order every month or every other month.
They currently offer 3 boxes to choose from:
The Mixed Box (Chicken, Beef, and Pork), Beef and Pork Box, and Beef and Chicken Box. All are $129 and provide 8.5 – 11lbs of meat.
The Custom Box. This box is $149 a month and has 20% more meat than the curated boxes. You choose all the meats in this box.
For the curated boxes you can go to the Butcher Box website to take a look at the cuts of meat that were in last month’s box. This give you a better idea what to expect with the curated boxes.
For all the boxes you can choose to purchase a larger box. This is great if you have larger families or need more meat. Another benefit to buying a larger box is it’s cheaper. So, just like with most bulk purchases, the more you buy the less you pay. The big curated boxes are $238 and the custom big box is $270.
The type of box (and how much) you order depends on your needs. I ordered the $129 mixed box and was happy with the cuts. However, my next purchase will be a custom box. It’s easier to plan out my meals in advance when I know the meats I’m ordering. Also, when I order a custom box I don’t have to try to eat cuts of meat that I wouldn’t normally purchase.
Is Butcher Box Worth It?
When I started on my journey to healthier eating habits one of the things I didn’t compromise on (and still don’t) was meat quality. I’ve been purchasing grass-fed beef and organic chicken for years so I’m used to paying a premium for meats. I know high quality meats cost much more than the alternative and personally I think it’s worth it. It’s actually a cost I put right into my grocery budget.
So, do I think Butcher Box is worth it?
Here are my thoughts….
Just like with other meal and food delivery services out there Butcher Box is not in the “money-saving” business. They are in business to deliver the highest quality meats to your door. Therefore, it’s expected that the cost is going to be higher than purchasing conventional meat at your local grocery store. Your paying for quality + convenience. Please keep that in mind.
One argument against Butcher Box is that the same quality meat CAN be purchased at the grocery store for less. Yes and no. I live near a Wegmans and Whole foods, both offer organic chicken and grass-fed beef. Their prices are very comparable. Depending on the cut, the price can be a little lower or higher. For example, organic chicken tenderloins are $10.19 a pound and grass-fed strip steak is $18.09 a pound. I paid around $10 – $11 a pound for my curated mixed meat box, so when all was said and done it was cheaper to order from Butcher Box. And, to be honest, I felt the quality was better. Not to mention, I need to drive to the store if I want to purchase meat. This cost me time and money. Is this a huge deal? Maybe, maybe not but something to keep in mind.
Also, I live near 2 other grocery stores, and a wholesale store, that don’t offer organic chicken and grass-fed options. So, it’s likely that some people don’t have access to high quality meats at their local grocery store.
Another argument, is that it’s cheaper to source your own farmers and purchase meat locally. Again, this is an option for some but certainly not all. I can tell you it didn’t work for me. I loved the idea of purchasing locally but couldn’t find a farmer that offered organic or grass-fed. The one time I did purchase beef from a local farmer (not grass-fed) I needed to organize with 2 other people because there was a lot of beef to go around. It was a huge hassle, took a lot of time, require a large upfront cost, and I didn’t think the meat was that tasty. Also, keep in mind, this was just for beef if I wanted pork or chicken I had to repeat that process. In my experience, sourcing farmers didn’t work for me.
With all that said I think Butcher Box is absolutely worth the cost. I find their prices to be comparable considering the high quality meat they conveniently deliver to your door. Boxes can easily be ordered online and, if you order a custom box, you know what you’re getting.
The last thing I want to bring up about pricing is Butcher Box offers many special deals specifically to subscribers. So, there’s opportunity to get special prices on quality meats.
However, at the end of the day, whether or not Butcher Box is worth it is a question only you can really answer. Grass-fed beef or organic chicken might not be a priority for you. If that’s the case then Butcher Box isn’t worth it. However, if you want to purchase the highest quality meat sourced from farmers then, yes, I think Butcher Box is worth it.
If you’re ready to try Butcher Box, and don’t want to read my entire Butcher Box review, you (new subscribers) can use my link to get 2 packages of bacon and 2lbs of breakfast sausage free <– That’s quite a deal!
Who Would Benefit from Butcher Box?
Like I’ve said, I think Butcher Box would work great for people who put high quality meat on the top of their priority list. Even more if you don’t have time to go to the store or source farmers. So, if high quality meat + convenience = you then I recommend giving Butcher Box a try. It could the meat solution you’ve been looking for.
Who Shouldn’t Even Bother With Butcher Box?
I don’t think Butcher Box is for everyone. If you’re not concerned with organic chicken or grass-fed beef then this service isn’t going to be of interest to you. If you have access to high quality meats, and don’t mind grocery shopping, then you probably won’t experience the benefits of Butcher Box.
Butcher Box Review
Okay, let’s get to my own personal experience and Butcher Box review.
I have to say out of all the products and services I’ve tried I was most excited about trying Butcher Box. Like I said, high quality meat is a priority to me and I love the idea of getting a box of meat delivered to my door every month or so.
Also, I like the idea of planning my meals around the meat in the box or vice versa. I think this will be very helpful with organizing my meals for the month.
Let’s get started with my Butcher Box Review.
When you’re ready to order from Butcher Box simply go to their home page and enter your email address and zip code. From there you’ll be able to choose your box. Before you choose a box you can also take a peek at previous boxes to see what was sent the month before.
I decided to get the mixed box for my first box.
After I selected my box I was taken to this page to select any add-ons I want. I didn’t choose any additional items at that time.
From there I was brought to my order summary. As you can see I got the free ground beef promotion, along with some free bacon, in my order. One of things I like about Butcher Box is they often have some type of promotion going on. Right now new subscribers can get 2 packages of bacon and 2lbs of breakfast sausage free.
For all my coupon deal-seeking friends you’ll be happy to know that Butcher Box offers special subscriber only deals. After you purchase your first box you have access to all the insider stuff. I was really impressed with this feature.
Another feature I was very impressed with was their “online support” . They offer a ton of recipes and have a great Youtube Channel that includes many tutorials to help you learn about and cook the different meats. I’d think this is most beneficial for those that get the curated boxes because you might not be entirely sure how to prepare some of the cuts you get.
It obvious that the people behind Butcher Box believe in their company and want you to have success with the service they offer. I found this to be a nice touch.
If you’re ready to try Butcher Box, and don’t want to read my entire Butcher Box review, you can use my link to get 2lbs of ground beef in every box for the life of your subscription <– That’s quite a deal!
Okay all that sounds great but what about the meat? When I first ordered Butcher Box I was a little apprehensive because other Butcher Box reviews, and Facebook comments, mentioned that the meat was thawed by the time the box got delivered.
So when my box came I didn’t know what to expect.
When I saw it on my front porch it was sitting there for at least a half hour or so in the blazing heat – it was over 80 degrees the day I received my Butcher Box. Regardless, there didn’t seem to be any leaking and box was still cold.
I opened it right away. The meat was kept frozen with dry ice and thick insulation.
My box came with a large black freezer bag as well. I thought this was cute.
If you’re ready to try Butcher Box, and don’t want to read my entire Butcher Box review, you (new subscribers) can use my link to get 2 packages of bacon and 2lbs of breakfast sausage free <– That’s quite a deal!
Now for the moment of truth. Was the meat still frozen? And the answer is…
Yes! All of the meat was frozen solid. I was pretty shocked because it was super hot outside and the meat felt as if I just took it out of my deep freezer. I actually grabbed my phone to do a quick video so you can see for yourself that all the meat is frozen. I didn’t think pictures would do this justice, I wanted you to hear me slam it on the counter. This was completely on the fly so please excuse my minimal makeup and basic clothes 🙂 #bloggerlife
This is everything I received in my box.
4lbs of ground beef
2 package of bacon
4 top sirloin steaks
2 strip steaks
3lbs of chicken tenders
4 boneless porkchops
Besides boneless pork chops these are all cuts that we eat regularly so overall I was happy. I do plan to order a custom box next month because it just makes it easier with meal planning.
If you’re ready to try Butcher Box, and don’t want to read my entire Butcher Box review, you (new subscribers) can use my link to get 2 packages of bacon and 2lbs of breakfast sausage free <– That’s quite a deal!
How Does Butcher Box Meat Taste?
Of course none of this means anything if the meat taste gross, right? Good thing that’s not the case. So far we’ve made beef and bean burritos using the ground beef. Mike said these were the best burritos he ever had.
I also made beef stroganoff using the sirloin which was tender and delicious. Yum!
I made asiago chicken and baked chicken parmesan using the chicken tenders. The chicken was very tasty.
This weekend I plan to make pasta fagioli and stuffed pork chops.
I’m very satisfied with the quality and taste of the meat shipped by Butcher Box. It’s easily some of the best meat I’ve ever had.
However, even though taste is important, along with everything else I talked about, I have to say I feel really good eating meat that I know was humanely raised. These animals lived a good life and were treated with respect. This is important to me because, without getting into all the horrors of the conventional meat industry, I want to know that I’m feeding my family quality meat. This makes Butcher Box worth it to me.
My overall Butcher Box Review:
- Prices are comparable to grass-fed and organic meats in the store. Depending on the cuts it could be a little more or less. I think having the option to purchase a larger box for less is good.
- I like that you can get a custom box. This can be a deciding factor for many people. Personally, when I’m spending money I like to choose my items.
- The company seems to go over and beyond to assure that you are successful with their service.
- Meat came frozen solid. Keep in mind this is just one box so I can’t predict future shipments. However, it was over 80 degrees that day so if there was a day to have the meat thaw that was it.
- The quality of the meat was as expected.
- They offer deals to offer cuts of meat at a lesser price.
- Overall, I think Butcher Box is a great service for those that would benefit from it.
If you’re looking for a service that delivers high quality meat directly to your door then I recommend trying out Butcher Box. I hope my Butcher Box Review helps you make an informed decision about whether or not it’s a good fit for you. If you’re ready to try Butcher Box you (new subscribers) can use my link to get 2 packages of bacon and 2lbs of breakfast sausage free <– That’s quite a deal!
I would love to hear your opinions on Butcher Box? What’s been your experience?
**This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you decide to subscribe to Butcher Box. However, this is my completely honest review and you are by no means obligated to use my links. If you do thanks so much for supporting my site.
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We’re downsizing to a large apartment complex soon, so how would delivery be handled to an inside door, nothing to stop theft?
That a great question. I would ask the apartment complex how they handle deliveries like this. I would think it’s the same with any larger delivery. I know in my sister’s complex they deliver it right to their door (inside the complex). But I would think every complex is different.
How did it work for you that all of the meat was frozen? I can NEVER seem to remember to thaw meat before I need it!
I agree! Ha! I actually prefer to freezer meat as part of a recipe. Basically, I just had to remember and plan our meals around what was in the freezer. I also thawed a few things at once when I prepped for the week.
I’ve actually had a bad experience with them. I signed up during a bacon for life offer and they will not honor it. I have a screenshot with date and time metadata on it and they are not budging. They also have forgotten things in each of the three custom boxes I received so far. They resolve to make it up by sending bacon in the next box but they’ve forgotten that all three times too…
I’m sorry you had that experience. I’ve had great experience with their customer service. I hope it all work out for you.
I just got my first box and signed up during a $20 off first two boxes + free first box bacon.
Also! Was looking on the site and at the bottom there is a “student” link! $20 off every box + bacon in every box through a Unidays account (easy to sign up for). Very excited to keep using this service especially with the student discount.
wow that’s great! I didn’t know about the student discount.
Received my first order today after finally getting through to Fedex on a Sunday and they were very nice and within 15 minutes my meat was here but unfortunately it took four days to get to Cape Cod Massachusetts and that should not have been. There was no longer any dry ice. All the meats were defrosted and close to room temperature. I was so disappointed Especially with company coming for Fourth of July
I called butcher box and they will replace my order after next week when I return from holiday. I was advised by them to throw it all out because it was too close to room temperature and that was sickening to have to do that.
What “GRADE” is the Beef? There are three Grades of Beef from which to choose. They are “PRIME,” “CHOICE” and “SELECT.” Which GRADE is the Beef from Butcher Box?
I was not impressed with Butcherbox.com. While it was great for convenience purposes, the meat itself was not great and the cuts were clearly skimpy. I did get the feeling that there was not much care in the product. I had a terrible customer service experience. In the end I cancelled when they refused to cancel my order after I was evacuated for a hurricane. Although they knew that the hurricane was imminent, they sent the box. Of course, since I was forced to evacuate all the meat was rancid and the food sinfully wasted. They had the option to postpose the order but chose not too. I disputed the charge to my account, and prevailed. They not only lost the product, their profit but they lost a customer.
My recommendation, find another service provider who has some respect for their product.