ButcherBox Review: Is It Worth It?

If you're looking for high-quality, grass-fed, and organic meats for your family's dinner table, then this ButcherBox review is for you. I'll cover how it works, how much it costs, what you get, my favorite recipes to use it, and my honest thoughts on whether (or not) it's right for you.

I had a hard time finding grass-fed and organic meat in my local grocery store for too long – and lately, grocery shopping has been even more of a challenge. It's time-consuming and frustrating. Especially when you don't have a lot of choice for where you can locate and purchase that meat in the first place.

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Even having a local Whole Foods doesn't guarantee you that you'll actually be able to find the cuts you're looking for.

And even if you find what you're looking for, that clean cut of meat is going to be expensive.

Luckily, you don't need to spend a small fortune sourcing high-quality cuts of 100% paleo, keto, and Whole30-compliant meats. Grass-fed, grass-finished beef, organic free-range chicken, heritage breed pork, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon and other seafood? ButcherBox checks all those boxes and more.

ButcherBox Discount Code

Have your order shipped directly to your door—you'll never have to worry about sourcing high-quality meat again.

With this in mind, here's my honest review after thoroughly testing out the meat delivery service. I've included how it works, their ordering, shipping, and delivery process, what's inside a typical box, pricing, and even a couple of tips to help you get even more value from your subscription.

How does ButcherBox work?

ButcherBox partners with a collective of farms raising 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork, and they have access to the whole animal. They also partner with fisheries to source wild-caught salmon, scallops, lobster, cod, and halibut.

If you're prioritizing clean meat then you're already all too familiar with the headaches of deciphering meat labels. Understanding USDA meat labels and how they are regulated has become increasingly confusing. But with ButcherBox, I know exactly what I'm getting.

I'm a big fan of ButcherBox for a number of reasons.

(And I only recommend products I use and love, so I wouldn't write this review if I didn't love their service.)

But the single biggest reason? I'm never worried about what's in my meat. I know that my order will always contain high-quality meats from animals that have been humanely raised, and they're never given antibiotics or hormones.

And I know that every single item in my order is paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly.

(You don't even realize how much time you spend worrying about this until it's off your plate!)

How do you place an order?

ButcherBox's ordering process is so simple:

1. Choose your box option and size,
2. Select your order frequency,
3. Wait for it to be delivered,
4. And then fill your freezer so you can cook when you're ready!

No matter which curated mix you choose, they will always be sourcing your products from their beautiful high-quality cuts of grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, or heritage breed pork.

You'll have a choice of 5 different box options:

• The Mixed Box
• The Beef & Pork Box
• The Beef & Chicken Box
• The All Beef Box
• Custom Box

And you'll have a choice of 2 different box sizes:

• Classic Box
• Big Box

In the Classic Box, you'll receive 24 to 30 meals and in the Big Box, you'll receive 48 to 60 meals.

I started with a curated box (Mixed Box), but now I order the Custom Box. I made the swap so that I can always make sure we're stocked on our family favorites plus whatever else I’m out of. And I always get a pack of bacon (their bacon is so good!). I have the Classic Box size delivered every other month. This seems to be the perfect size order for me, my family, and my small freezer.

I've got to say that I love unpacking my ButcherBox deliveries (see the video!). It gets me excited to start cooking with them and I also love knowing that my freezer is stocked and ready for plenty of dinners ahead.

What's inside your ButcherBox delivery?

Want to know what I get in a typical order? Watch the unboxing video to see what I included in my Custom Box!

If you want to try ButcherBox, you can get a special offer on your first delivery here! 

Here's a detailed look inside my last Custom Classic Box order:

• Whole Chicken - approx. 3.5 - 4.5 lbs.
• Boneless Skinless Thighs - 3 x 1 lb.
• Pork St. Louis Style Ribs - 45 oz.
• ½ Boneless Pork Butt - 1 x 3.85 lb.
• Whole Tri-tip - 1.5 lb.
• Ground Pork - 2 x 1 lb.

My Custom Classic Box also included these add-on items:

• Sugar Free Bacon - 1 pack
• Ground Beef 85/15 - 2 x 1 lb.

And here's the serving and weight breakdowns of the other items I've received in previous orders:

• Boneless Skinless Breast - 3 x 1 lb.
• Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon - 2 lb.
• NY Strip - 2 x 10 oz.
• Chuck Roast - 2.25 lb.
• Boneless Pork Chop - 4 x 8 oz.

(Remember, with a Classic Custom Box you'll receive 6 choices and in a Big Box you'll receive 12 choices. And you can also bump up the size of your box with monthly specials and add-ons.)

Here's what I’ve ordered so far:

• Grass-fed ground beef - used for meatloaf, meatballs, tacos & burgers
• ground turkey - used for meatloaf and bolognese
• Boneless chicken breast - grilled and used for chicken salad
• Boneless chicken thighs - used for Instant Pot salsa chicken (cooked from frozen!)
• NY Strip steaks - cooked on the grill
• Whole Tri-tip - my husband requested this again for our next order (it's that good!)
• Steak tips - they come cut ready to skewer and grill
• Ground pork - used for breakfast sausage
• Boneless pork chops - I grilled them with pineapple salsa
• Pork tenderloin - so easy to bake
• Bacon - this is hands down my family’s favorite bacon (it's honestly the best!)
• Whole chicken - perfect for roasting and crockpot cooking
• Salmon - used for both grilled and baked recipes
• Pork butt - used for Instant Pot pulled pork
• Ribs - made Instant Pot ribs
• Scallops - seared in ghee
• Lobster tails - I made these for New Year's Eve and they were amazing!
• Cod - the whole family loves the cod and I'm including it in every order now

What about shipping & delivery?

ButcherBox's shipping and delivery services are pretty impressive.

For starters, shipping is free. I hate paying for shipping, so I really love that my meat deliveries are free.

They also ship their orders in biodegradable (or recyclable) packaging materials. You'll receive your order packed with dry ice in an insulated box, with all of your order still fully frozen. And it will arrive directly on your doorstep! So convenient. From there, it's as easy as unboxing and packing everything away in your freezer.

And for those worried about your meat thawing during the shipping process:

I was hesitant too...before I saw a fully packaged ButcherBox delivery. They really and truly do an incredible job with their packaging. I'm never worried about thawed meat. My deliveries have always arrived fully frozen---as you can see in my unboxing video!

Does ButcherBox require a subscription?

Yes, the good news?

ButcherBox has made their subscription service incredibly flexible. In fact, you can pause your subscription for up to 6 months at a time. You can also change up your delivery frequency between monthly and bi-monthly deliveries, depending on your family's needs and lifestyle.

You can also change the date of your deliveries. I had to skip a delivery recently because of traveling and customer service changed the date to when I knew I’d be back in town. Their customer support team is really invested in making deliveries easier and more convenient for their members.

Easy to pause and easy to cancel (should you decide you don't want any more deliveries). This is one of the few grocery subscription services that isn't a total pain to deal with.

What about ButcherBox prices?

As you would expect, these high-quality meat prices are higher than conventional meat you might find in the grocery store. That said, they're about the same as what I would pay for this quality (grass-fed, heritage, free-range, hormone-free, etc.) locally. If I can find it. And that's a very big "if."

I live in an area with limited options when it comes to choices for high-quality meats. Even our local Whole Foods is small and only stocks a limited selection. In my pre-ButcherBox days, this challenge had me buying conventional grocery store cuts more often than I liked.

ButcherBox breaks down the prices of their meats a little differently. They price by meal, instead of weight. And this actually makes a lot of sense if you think about your meals as cost per plate. A "meal" is considered one 6oz portion size. So, if you choose a Classic Box, you'll receive 24 meals (i.e. plates).

The curated Classic Box is $137, so when all is said and done, their meats work out to less than $6 per meal. This is close to the same pricing as my local options, but the quality of the ButcherBox meat is better. And I have a wider selection of meats to choose from.

With a Custom Classic Box, you get more meat and you select which cuts you want. At $159 that works out to about $5 per meal.

Bottom line? To me, the price is totally worth it because I know I’m getting delicious, clean high-quality meat that's free of antibiotics and hormones.

How to get even more value

I always check the monthly specials for extra savings on different cuts. The monthly specials are seasonal and depend a lot on availability. I'll typically add a special to my order if it’s something we use regularly. For example, this month’s exclusive member deals included a BBQ bundle and a steak sampler. It's a no-brainer deal for grilling season!

If you have room in your freezer, the Big Box is double the size and it's the best value.

Alternatively, you also have the choice to include add-ons in your box. These are auto-renewing purchases and will remain on your order until you remove it. While these aren't as deal-oriented as the monthly specials, ButcherBox offers some pretty awesome add-ons to new subscribers.

Love bacon? Click here to get your first delivery!

Easy Recipes To Make With Your ButcherBox Meats

Having a fully stocked freezer of healthy meats makes it so much easier to cook up my favorite meals. And you know I couldn't write this review without including my favorite recipes to cook with your ButcherBox meats.

Here are a handful of my go-to recipes that are perfect for your  meat boxes:

• Easy Keto Meatloaf Recipe
• Easy Baked Meatballs Without Bread Crumbs
• Best Taco Meat Recipe
• Slow Cooker Beef Chipotle Barbacoa
• Instant Pot Pulled Pork
• Grilled Pork Chops and Pineapple Salsa
• Paleo Breakfast Sausage
• Crock Pot Whole Chicken
• Easy Roast Chicken
• Chili Roasted Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce
• Perfectly Cooked Bacon
• Broccoli Salad with Bacon
• Mustard Crusted Salmon with Roasted Asparagus (this is my favorite salmon recipe!)

If I'm in a rush, I'll cook from frozen (like the Instant Pot chicken thighs pictured above). If I have more time, I'll thaw my meat in the fridge or in a bowl of cold water.

Is ButcherBox worth it for you?

As with most subscription grocery services, the answer is "it depends." Here are a few thoughts to consider as you make your decision:

ButcherBox is perfect for you if you...

• Prioritize purchasing healthy meats, but are struggling to source locally
• Love having groceries delivered straight to your door (who doesn't?!)
• Like free shipping (again, who doesn't?!)
• Love the convenience of having your freezer stocked with clean antibiotic and hormone-free meats
• Nerd out at really beautiful, high-quality cuts of meat

You should skip ButcherBox if you...

• Have a local butcher that you like and trust
• Typically cook with fresh meat only
• Don't eat meat at all

Yes, in my opinion, those are the only reasons you shouldn't try ButcherBox. You can always cancel if you don't like it.

The great thing is that you have total flexibility. You can pause your subscription for up to 6 months at a time and you can even switch back and forth between monthly and bi-monthly deliveries or change your delivery date if you find that your freezer stays stocked longer than you were expecting.

My final thoughts

I've been using ButcherBox for a few years now, and I am especially grateful I had a subscription this past year. I was able to move up my deliveries and increase my order size when we started cooking at home more. And I didn't have to worry about meat being out of stock at the grocery store.

So, there you have it: my full review (and why I use and recommend it). Butcher Box not only gives you delicious high-quality meats, but also peace of mind in knowing that you'll always have paleo, keto, and Whole30-compliant meats on hand. So you can always whip up a healthy meal from the freezer.

Ready to get cooking? Get your first box delivered here!