ButcherBox Review + Unboxing: Is Butcher Box Worth It?

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We bought our first Butcher Box in early 2020 and have gotten lots of questions asking ” Is ButcherBox worth it? ” So we put together our honest review of Butcher Box , where you can find all the information you need to see if ButcherBox is right for you!

ButcherBox Review : Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Quality of meat: organic, wild-caught, pasture-raised, free-range, and heritage-breed
• Unparalleled taste: I’ve found that all the ButcherBox meats (and I’ve tried most of them!) are better-tasting than the meats I buy at the grocery store.
• Always free shipping!
• Customizable subscription schedule: you can manage delivery frequency directly through your account
• Option to cancel at any time: if for some reason you’re not happy with ButcherBox, you can easily cancel – no strings attached!
• Fantastic customer service: seriously some of the best customer service I’ve ever experienced.
• Sustainable sourcing.
• Very convenient: Your box of meats is delivered literally to your doorstep. No store trips required!
• Eco-friendly packaging.
• They almost always have amazing deals that make your first box a ridiculously good deal! Click here to see ButcherBox ‘s latest deal.

Cons:

• Relatively higher price point: while I believe ButcherBox well-worth the cost, it is still on the higher-price point compared to conventional meats.
• They sometimes are out-of-stock on certain cuts: in this case, ButcherBox will recommend and replace the cuts with (in my experience) a better cut. But if you were really wanting a specific cut, this may occasionally happen depending on demand (it has only happened to me once)
• No same-day delivery.
• No A-La-Carte Options: you have to buy a box, and can add-on to that box, but you can’t buy single cuts without getting a box. If you are only looking for an a la carte meat delivery service, you can check out Crowd Cow.

What is Butcher Box?

Butcher Box is a high-quality meat delivery service. Similar to a subscription box format, ButcherBox specializes in organic free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, heritage-breed pork, and wild-caught seafood and offers a service to deliver your order directly to your door according to your custom ButcherBox subscription schedule. All Butcher Box meat is completely free of antibiotics and growth hormones.

LIMITED TIME DEAL: Use this exclusive link and get a FREE BBQ bundle in your first ButcherBox (this is 6 burgers, 8 hot dogs, and up to 3 lbs of chicken breasts – FREE!)

How Does ButcherBox Work?

As a monthly subscription service, Butcher Box allows subscribers to choose between different meat packages. After you register for a ButcherBox account (which you can get a bunch of FREE meat with this link), you can then select your box, as well as set your delivery frequency. Essentially, delivery frequency determines how often you want your Butcher Box delivered (for example: monthly or bi-monthly). You’ll then be able to add on any of their special offers (for example: 5 lbs of ground beef, thick-cut bacon, or a pack of free-range chicken breasts). Once these options are set, all you need to do is wait for the shipping notification and your box should arrive within a few days on dry ice!

Let’s Talk Butcher Box Cost : How Much is ButcherBox?

At the time of this ButcherBox review, the company offers multiple package options that cost between $129-$270. The final cost depends on the type of box and box size (which determines the amount of meat you get).

• Curated Boxes (ButcherBox team chooses the cuts of meat for you – see package options below)
  • Classic Box: $129/month for 8-11 lbs meat
  • Big Box: $238/month for 16-22 lbs meat
• Custom Boxes (subscribers can choose the cuts of meat you want)
  • Classic Box: $149/month for 9-14 lbs meat
  • Big Box: $270/month for 18-26 lbs meat

If you select a custom Butcher Box, you’ll be able to choose whatever meats you want to see in your box, including their seafood selection. Personally, I love getting the big custom box! It comes with so much meat, and I know I’m getting the types of meat we love most.

If you select a curated Butcher Box, you can choose the kinds of meat to go in your box, but you can’t select the exact cuts. With the curated box, you can choose between four package options:

• Mixed Box (contains beef, chicken and pork)
• Beef & Pork
• Beef & Chicken
• All Beef

ButcherBox Review: Is ButcherBox Meat Good?

After trying virtually all the meats available on Butcher Box, I can honestly say that each one I’ve tried has been spectacular! While ButcherBox is most known for its beef, chicken, and pork, my favorite is their wild-caught salmon (and I’m picky with the quality of my seafood)! That being said, my husband LOVES the heritage pork and my brother can’t get enough of their grass-fed beef. I guess it’s safe to say we think ButcherBox meat is amazing across the board!

According to the ButcherBox website,

We partner with people who are dedicated to doing the right thing—never cutting corners, and always looking for ways to improve. Discover why we’re the trusted source of high-quality protein for families across the country.

1. 100% Grass-fed and Grass-finished Beef: ButcherBox sources the majority of their beef from Australia, where “they’ve built an entire system on certifying pasture-raised meat. Australia has very high animal welfare standards as well as the climate and pastureland to allow cattle to spend their entire lives grazing.” ButcherBox exclusively picks cattle that are humanely raised on grassy pasture, and never administer antibiotics or hormones to their cattle.
2. Heritage Breed Pork:  ButcherBox’s heritage-breed pigs “include (but are not limited to) Duroc, Berkshire, and Chester White, with distinguished ancestry. Their natural, “old-world” genetics mean that during their slow maturation process, they develop the fine marbling and great flavor that nature intended them to have.” Their hogs are raised with sustainable farming methods, which means no tail docking or slatted floors typical of commercial pork.
3. Free-Range and Organic Chicken: ButcherBox ensures that all their chickens are fed certified organic feed and have a GAP 3 certification. This means that the birds are raised humanely with “no cages, no crates, no crowding. Chickens live in a spacious indoor structure, are provided space to express natural behavior and are given seasonal outdoor access, and outdoor shade and enrichments.”
4. Wild Caught Seafood: ButcherBox only sources sustainably harvested seafood with no artificial coloring, no additives, and no antibiotics or added hormones ever.
   • Salmon: ButcherBox’s sockeye salmon (my favorite!) is wild-caught and sustainably harvested from Bristol Bay, Alaska. They partner with “people who uphold strict fishing and handling practices to guarantee an unprecedented level of quality and sustainability.”
   • Scallops: The sea scallops from ButcherBox are all-natural with no added water or chemicals. “They’re caught in the cold water of Georges Bank, landed in New Bedford, Massachusetts and are traceable using the technology of Legit Fish. They’re sold “dry,” which means there are no added chemicals to make the scallops retain water and overcook.”
   • Lobster: Butcher Box lobster is “wild-caught by independent harvesters in the cold, clean waters of the North Atlantic. [ ButcherBox ] partners with a family-run business off the coast of Maine to bring our members delicious, high-quality lobster—sustainably.”
   • Cod & Halibut: The wild-caught cod and halibut from ButcherBox are “sustainably harvested in the pristine waters of the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. We’re proud to partner with a fishery that’s managed under strict standards to maintain long-term sustainability, helping to ensure access to delicious, wild-caught seafood for generations to come.”

Snag This Great Deal!

FREE BBQ BUNDLE: 6 burgers, 8 hot dogs, and up to 3 lbs of chicken breasts FREE in their first box!

My Personal Review of ButcherBox

Packaging & Delivery

Since I started with ButcherBox back in early 2020, I have to say that I’ve been incredibly impressed by the speed of their shipments. I was initially worried that the meat would come spoiled, especially since it has to travel a few days. However, after receiving several shipments now, I can say that their packaging is phenomenal! The meat is packed in an insulated bag, which is then packed in an insulated box covered with dry ice. The use of dry ice has always left all the meats in my box frozen, ready to transfer to my freezer, and defrost as needed. Yes, even when they were delivered at 9 am and it was left on the front porch (in the hot Kansas heat!) until I came home from work at 5:30 pm!

Also, similar to what I noted in my recent Kencko review, I have to say that I really appreciate it when companies use eco-friendly boxes – as is the case for Butcher Box! Inside each box, you’ll also find a packing list that details exactly what you ordered so you can double-check! Plus, free shipping on all orders!

Quality of ButcherBox Meats

As explained above, Butcher Box strives to provide only quality meat to its subscribers. While the subscription is arguably more expensive than conventional meats, I personally believe it is 100% worth it. Our entire family is a fan of Butcher Box meats, and that’s because we actually taste the difference in their meats! For example, I often find that farm-raised salmon have a stronger “fishy” aftertaste, while Butcher Box’s wild-caught salmon is incredibly fresh, perfectly flaky, and so delicious! I always make sure to get at least (3) 2-pound packs of their salmon in my custom box. We’ve tried most of the beef, pork, chicken, and seafood cuts from Butcher Box – and each time, we’ve found it to be incredibly delicious.

Butcher Box Customer Service

One time (after returning from a long work trip), I forgot to delay one of my ButcherBox shipments, and the order was processed before I was able to change it. I contacted the ButcherBox customer service, and though it was at no fault of theirs, Butcher Box offered to cancel the shipment and credit my account for my next order. This allowed me to make the changes I needed and the entire process took no longer than a 10-minute phone call.

ButcherBox Value

To determine the cost value of ButcherBox meats, I reviewed prices for similar cuts of meat at a few of my local grocery stores: Sprouts, Kroger/Dillons, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Aldi. What I found was surprising. While ButcherBox meats cost more than conventional meat (as expected), it is actually comparable (and sometimes even cheaper!) to similar quality cuts.

When comparing the value of the box, I believe it’s only fair to compare apples to apples (i.e: organic, the grass-fed meat price at ButcherBox vs. organic, grass-fed meat price at my local grocery store). In this case, the convenience factor of having the meats shipped to my front door, as well as the overall quality of the meat, makes ButcherBox a phenomenal value in my case.

For price reference, I live in the Kansas City area.

ButcherBox Review: Final Thoughts

We bought our first ButcherBox in early 2020 after a friend recommended the service to us. Since then, we’ve continued to subscribe, and believe that ButcherBox is 100% worth the price. After factoring in their incredible Butcher Box meat quality, convenience, and price point (which is more cost-effective when buying good quality meats where we live)– it was a resounding “YES! ButcherBox is well-worth it!”

ButcherBox Recipes

If you’re looking for meal inspiration on how to cook your ButcherBox meats, here are some of our favorite recipes!

• Qdoba Grilled Chicken ( Copycat Recipe )
• Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)
• Glazed Honey Garlic Salmon with Roasted Zucchini
• Easy Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl)
• Ribeye Steak with Egg Noodles Puttanesca
• Easy Chicken Curry (GF, DF)
• Perfect Sous Vide Scallops with Herbed Brown Butter
• Qdoba Grilled Chicken ( Copycat Recipe )
• Easy Chicken Pad Thai with Crushed Peanuts
• Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken

ButcherBox Alternatives

Looking for something other than ButcherBox? Check out these alternative meat subscription boxes:

• Crowd Cow (check out our full Crowd Cow review here)
• Good Chop (check out our full Good Chop review here)
• Snake River Farms
• Chicago Steak Company
• Thrive Market Meat & Seafood Program
• Holy Grail Steak
• Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics

Do you have a Butcher Box subscription? If so, what did you think? Please leave your comments below – I’d love to hear!

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