Stacie and I have been long-time ButcherBox members, going on 7 years now. The first time we’d ever heard of ButcherBox was while attending a conference in Austin, TX in 2017 when we somehow found ourselves in a shuttle with the company’s founders when it was pouring rain and we needed a ride back to our hotel room. As we made conversation along the way we couldn’t help but notice how passionate they were about what they were building with their meat subscription service. We knew then that we just had to learn more and check them out for ourselves.
Fast forward more than seven years and we’re now avid users of this subscription service that delivers high quality meat, poultry, seafood and more to our doorsteps each month. Since then, Jessie has also become a ButcherBox member and she too enjoys the quality and convenience the service offers.
In this review I’ll be sharing more about what ButcherBox is, why it’s different from other grocery delivery services, their focus on quality, the convenience, and the cost to help you decide if ButcherBox is a good fit for you.
But before we jump right into what we think of ButcherBox let me fill you in on what it is. Put simply, ButcherBox is a meat subscription service that delivers 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, organic chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish and seafood, heritage breed pork, and more to your door each month (or as often as you like). They also offer one-time purchase gift boxes that you can send to friends or family.
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Our Verdict
After 7 years of having meat and seafood delivered to our doors, here are our takes on ButcherBox.
Overall – Our team of dietitians all agree that ButcherBox meats and seafood are really high quality. The beef and pork are definitely on par with the best quality meat available in our local grocery stores, if not better. The chicken, while convenient to have delivered, is roughly the same quality as the organic chicken we buy locally. That said, we all enjoy the boneless, skinless chicken things so we do add those to every box. In addition to the whole muscle cuts (steaks, chops, roasts) and ground beef, we’ve all been enjoying the expanded line of precooked or convenience options ButcherBox now offers.
Jessica – I absolutely love the quality of their grass-fed ground beef and ground sirloin, steaks, and pork. Having several cuts and types of meat, poultry and seafood on hand in my freezer makes meal planning, prepping, and cooking much easier. When I plan our meals, I start by ‘shopping’ my chest freezer to find the cut(s) I want to use, then build the meals from there. Lately, I’ve also appreciated the wide variety of pre-cooked proteins like carnitas, chicken breakfast sausage patties, and chicken nuggets because I have teenagers and these are easy for them to prepare themselves. Some of the other cuts I always keep on hand include ground sirloin, flank steak, wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, free-range boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and boneless thick-cut pork chops.
Stacie – As a mom of 3 kids ages 4 and under I value convenience and ease over most anything these days. But it still needs to be healthy so I’ve found the frozen meatballs, chicken nuggets, precooked chicken breast, and egg bites to be so helpful for those nights and weekends when I need to get a meal on the table with minimal fuss. Plus, they taste great and my kids love them. Of course, I also love the quality of the ground beef and turkey and their pork chops, baby back ribs, and pork shoulders are some of the best I’ve ever tried. Our family purchases half of a cow from a local farm each year so we get most of our steaks and roasts there but I do love the ButcherBox steaks too. The ribeyes and filet mignon are some of my favorites.
Jessie – I’m also a mom of 3 and a wife of a firefighter so I have several nights a week where I’m on my own to round up dinner. Now that I’m also coaching my son’s baseball team, time is even tighter, so I often turn to the precooked options that ButcherBox has to offer, like the meatballs, apple gouda sausages, cooked carnitas, and chicken nuggets. But for those nights when our entire family eats together, I like to make a meal from scratch. Some of my go-tos in every box are ground beef, boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs, sirloin tips, smoked salmon, boneless pork butt (for the slow cooker), and baby back ribs (for a delicious night on the smoker-grill).
Pros And Cons
After having used this service for over seven years, these are the pros and cons that we’ve come up with to help you decide if ButcherBox is a good fit for you.
| Pros | Cons |
| High-quality cuts of meat, poultry and seafood consistent with the best cuts available at local grocery stores. | Packaging can sometimes tear during shipping due to the very low temperatures that the meat is frozen at. This can cause the packages to leak when thawed. |
| Large selection of beef, pork, and poultry cuts available. Typically there are over 25 cuts to choose from. | Selections can change so you may not always be able to get the same cuts every month if you have a custom box. |
| Curated box selections vary month to month so you get exposure to new cuts of meat. | Curated box selections change so you don’t always get the same cuts each month. |
| No more having to shop several stores to find the quality meat, poultry and seafood in your area because it comes right to your door. | Cost is higher than average grocery stores or big box stores for similar cuts (though the quality may not be the same). |
| ButcherBox sources its meat and seafood from ranchers, farmers and fishermen and women who are dedicated to doing the right thing for the animal, the workers, and the environment. | Cost per serving is higher than your local grocery store in some cases because of the focus on sourcing and quality. |
| Packing is 100% recyclable in many urban and suburban areas via curbside recycling and recycling centers. | Packaging, while made from recyclable materials, may not be accept for recycling in your area. |
What Comes In The Boxes?
There are two types of boxes to choose from: curated (they choose for you) and custom (you choose your cuts). Both types are offered in two sizes – classic and big boxes – to accommodate different size households.
Curated – Contains 8-11 pounds of meat (Classic size) or 16-22 pounds (Big box size) and the cuts are selected for you. There are 3 types of curated boxes to choose from including:
- Beef, Pork & Chicken
- Beef & Chicken
- Beef & Pork
Curated boxes are available in 2 sizes: Classic ($146) and Big Box ($269)
Custom – Contains 9-14 pounds of meat (Classic size) or 18-26 pounds (Big box size) and you choose your cuts. This option gives you 20% more meat than a curated box of the same size. Enjoy the ability to choose from over 25 cuts each month and make changes to your box each month to switch things up.
Custom boxes are available in 2 sizes: Classic $169 or Big Box ($309)
Our team of dietitians opt for the custom box so that we can choose the cuts we use most often which helps a ton with meal planning. Knowing what we have on hand in the freezer means we’re one step closer to making meals we know our families love.
Does It Taste Good?
What stands out most for us is the quality of the meat we get from ButcherBox. When compared side-by-side with meat from local grocery stores, we think that the flavor is unbeatable. While we love the convenience and variety this service offers, the way the meat tastes tops the list of reasons we continue to use ButcherBox to source our meat, fish, poultry, and more. We’re huge fans of their pork. It’s some of the most tender and flavorful pork we’ve ever eaten and the steaks are well cut, well trimmed and perfectly aged.
Flavor is definitely one of the big reasons why we choose ButcherBox for the meat we feed our families but we also believe that meat that is well-raised – with respect to how it’s raised, what it eats, and how it’s processed – is better meat. Better for the health of the animals, the farmers, and the environment. And of course, better for our families.
Are ButcherBox Meats All Grass-Fed And Organic?
All ButcherBox beef is 100% grass-fed and grass-finished which means their cattle have been raised on pasture their entire lives. Grass-fed beef tends to be leaner than conventionally raised beef but it’s still incredibly flavorful and it’s a good source of omega-3 fats. Choosing quality red meat is important to me as a mom and dietitian and this service makes it easy to do.
While their beef is not certified organic, their chicken is USDA Certified Organic. ButcherBox chickens are free-range and fed organic chicken feed.
Our Favorite Cuts.
Jessica – Some of my favorite cuts include the flatiron steaks, wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, bone-in pork butt, and ground sirloin.
Stacie – Boneless chicken breasts and thighs, pork tenderloin, bone-in pork butt, boneless pork chops, and baby back ribs are some of our most ordered cuts.
Jessie – Our family loves ground beef, chicken nuggets, baby back ribs, cooked beef and pork meatballs, boneless pork butt, boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Cost And Value: Is ButcherBox Worth It?
The cost per cut, while higher than what you’d pay at a big box store like Costco or Walmart, is actually very similar to what you’ll find at local grocery stores for comparable quality. Where I live, I can expect to pay $6.99-15.99 per pound (or more!) for grass-fed and grass-finished ground beef, organic chicken and heritage breed pork. I have found the price of ButcherBox to be very competitive with local pricing when I compare items cut for cut – meaning I’m comparing NY Strips to NY Strips and not filet mignon to chicken drumsticks.
As a working mom who values time with my family and active outdoor pursuits, the one thing I can’t put enough value on is the convenience of ButcherBox. I love having a variety of high-quality beef, chicken, pork, seafood, and prepared convenience items like pre-cooked breakfast sausages and grilled chicken breasts in my freezer that I can use to prepare healthy, delicious meals for my family. The first thing I do when I meal plan each week is to head downstairs to see what I’ve got on hand, then I choose recipes based on that and make my grocery list for what I’ll need for the week.
Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for each kind of box that ButcherBox offers:
- Curated Box (Classic) – $149
- Custom Box (Classic) – $169
- Curated Box (Big) – $269
- Custom Box (Big) -$309
While the custom boxes are more expensive than curated boxes you do receive 20% more meat in a custom box and you get to choose the cuts you receive. I love this option – and so do Stacie and Jessie – because I know that there are cuts I use often such as ground beef and sirloin, chicken thighs, flat iron steaks, flank steak and pork butt.
Recipes We Made With ButcherBox Meats
We’ve made so many recipes with the meats we get in our monthly boxes over the past seven years that it would be impossible to list them all here. One of my family’s favorite recipes is for these saucy beef tips that Jessie created which we serve over creamy mashed potatoes. And this hearty soup is one of Stacie’s go-to for freezer meal preps.
Who Is ButcherBox For?
ButcherBox may be a great option for you if you identify with any of the following:
- You don’t have access to high-quality meat in your area – Whether you live in a rural area or an urban area sometimes you just don’t have access to high-quality meat. ButcherBox fills that gap by delivering high-quality protein right to your door. They deliver everywhere in the contiguous 48 states and shipping is always free.
- You value convenience – We don’t have to tell you this because we’re pretty sure that you already know that shopping at multiple stores for the best variety and prices takes a lot of time! Because there are only so many hours in the day, you may have to consider how much your time is worth.
- You value quality – If you love a good steak, a tender chicken breast, an insanely delicious pork chop, or fresh seafood and go out of your way to find the best quality, then ButcherBox might be a great fit for you. They’ve done the leg work when it comes to sourcing and only offer the best quality they can find.
- You want to try new things – When you choose a curated box from ButcherBox, they choose the cuts that you’ll receive. This is great for those who tend to buy the same cuts in the grocery store over and over because you’re forced to think outside the box when it comes to meals. You can also choose from a wide variety of member deals and add-ons regardless of the type of box you choose (curated or custom). We love this feature because there is always something new to try and add to our menus.
Who it’s not for
There are some for whom this service might not be a good fit. Here are a few cases that come to mind:
- You don’t eat meat – This probably goes without saying but if you don’t eat meat, ButcherBox isn’t going to be a good fit for you.
- You have access to locally-raised meat – If you raise your own meat, purchase meat from a local farmer or rancher, or belong to a meat CSA (community supported agriculture) then ButcherBox might not be a fit for you. However, if you only have access to one kind of meat then check out the different types of boxes ButcherBox offers. The chances are good that their offerings are a perfect complement to what you are able to source locally.
- You enjoy shopping at several stores to get what you need – If time is on your side or you truly enjoy visiting multiple stores in search of high-quality meat and seafood then ButcherBox may not be a good fit for you. However, if it’s the variety that you crave more than the actual shopping, then we encourage you to check out the ButcherBox Custom box where you can choose from more than 20 different cuts of meat each month.
- You’re on a very tight budget – ButcherBox may not be a good fit for households with very tight grocery budgets. If, however, feeding your family high-quality meat is a priority but so is minding your monthly grocery budget, you can maximize your investment by purchasing a Big Box (either curated or custom) every other month and taking advantage of Butcher Box’s member-only specials whenever available. The Big Box works out to be less expensive per pound and when supplemented with meatless meals or meat from your local grocery store you might find that it works with your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy to sign up and choose your first box. Because it’s a subscription service, their default is to deliver a box to your door every month but you can easily change your delivery date by logging into your ButcherBox account and selecting the date and frequency that works best for you. You can also change your box type or box size, and choose any one-time member deals or recurring add-ons you’d like in your next box.
You can cancel or stop your membership, without penalties or hidden fees, anytime before your next billing date.
A custom big box will give you the best value because it has 20% more meat than a curated big box which lowers the average price per pound by about a dollar. It is a lot of meat (18-26 pounds) so you may need to change your delivery to receive a box every other month if that’s too much meat for your household each month.
ButcherBox is incredibly convenient and they have a lot of great options with over 25 different cuts available. We think that the flavor is better than most of the meat we’ve purchased in local grocery stores and big box stores but what sets ButcherBox apart is their attention to sourcing.
They work with big and small farms and are very selective about the producers they allow into their programs. They carefully vet all of their suppliers to make sure that they meet specifications and claims and all operations and facilities are routinely inspected to maintain the highest quality. They also rely on third-party audits from organizations like Certified Humane and Global Animal Partnership (GAP).
Like anything you have delivered to your home, your ButcherBox will come with packaging. However, the good news is that the packaging is 100% recyclable in many areas. The cardboard box and fiber-based insulation can be placed right into your curbside recycling bin while the plastic bag that the dry ice comes in can be taken to your local recycling center or a grocery store that has a bag recycling drop-off. Contact your local recycling center for more information about what you can and cannot recycle in your area.
ButcherBox does not source any of its meat from China. When they started in 2015 they sourced all of their grass-fed beef from Australia which has an entire system built specifically for certifying pasture-raised meat. Australia also has very high animal welfare standards as well as the climate and pastureland to allow cattle to spend their entire lives grazing.
As of 2024 ButcherBox continues to source the majority of its beef from Australia (80%) with the remaining 20% coming from the United States. Their continued investment in the U.S. grass-fed beef industry to support and grow sustainability and scalability efforts is another reason we love ButcherBox.
Their pork and chicken come from the U.S. and Canada, and other proteins such as wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, wild-caught cod, bison, and turkey all come from the U.S.
Alternatives To ButcherBox
While ButcherBox was one of the first meat subscriptions out there they aren’t the only one. Here are a few others that come to mind. But please note that we have not tried any of them so we can’t speak to their value or quality.
- Good Chop — This service is very similar to ButcherBox in that it’s a subscription service, the variety of cuts and products are similar, they also have monthly member deals and recurring add-ons and they offer boxes in two sizes. All of their meat and seafood is sourced from the U.S. The big difference, however, is that their beef is not grass-fed and grass-finished (it’s grain-finished) and the poultry is not organic. The prices appear to be comparable.
- Primal Pastures — Like ButcherBox, this meat subscription service offers pasture-raised beef and organic, pastured corn- and soy-free meats. The price is comparable to ButcherBox and shipping is available nationwide. To make changes to your delivery date, you do need to contact them via email to make that request. You can choose which types of protein you’d like in your box (beef, chicken, or pork) but you cannot choose specific cuts (similar to the curated boxes from ButcherBox).
- Red Star Beef — If it’s only grass-fed and grass-finished beef from the U.S. that you’re looking for, this meat subscription service may be a good option for you. Located in Loma, CO, they offer curated and custom boxes in two sizes plus the ability to make one-time purchases.
I started a Butcher Box subscription September 2022. We buy our beef from a rancher in our state but needed a source for good chicken and pork.
My husband and I have been very pleased with BB’s quality, prices, and convenience. It’s not for everyone and we don’t order often and it’s wonderful knowing our freezers are stocked with very good meats. Generally we are sugar-and-gluten-free and love the health benefits of eating foods that keep us healthy. We’re in our 70s and are in better condition than we were in our 30s.
We are happy to hear you are enjoying your Butcher Box subscription Nancy! Thank you for this feedback!