ButcherBox Review 2023: Is This Meal Delivery Service Worth It?
Updated on
- Written by Ellie Busby, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by
Melissa Mitri, MS, RD
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10.0
Quality
7.0
Brand’s Transparency
9.0
Value
Features
- Convenient and time-saving
- Flexible, customizable boxes to suit your needs
- Humanely raised meat, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and bison
- Wild-caught fish, including cod and salmon
- Pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed beef
- Certified organic free-range chicken
Brand Information
- Founded by CEO Mike Salguero
- Established in 2015
- Based in Boston, Massachusetts
- Certified B Corporation
Medical Benefits
- High in anti-inflammatory omega-3
- High omega-3:omega-6 ratio
- Certified organic chicken
- Complete proteins for muscle growth
- Easily digestible animal-based protein
- Antibiotic- and hormone-free meat
- High protein diet supports weight loss
About The Brand
ButcherBox is a subscription delivery service for high-quality grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, and organic poultry. With flexible offerings and high welfare and environmental standards, ButcherBox is becoming a popular choice among individuals and families who eat meat for convenient, ethical, and healthy protein sources.
Still, it’s a bit more expensive than the meat or fish you’d buy at the grocery store, so you might be wondering whether ButcherBox is worth the investment. In this article, we look at all the ButcherBox reviews online to bring you the ultimate low-down on what ButcherBox is, where they source their meat, how much it costs, and whether it’s worth it.
What Is ButcherBox?
ButcherBox is a subscription delivery service in the United States (U.S.) offering exceptional quality meat, poultry, and fish delivered nationwide, directly to your door. It’s a perfect subscription delivery for those following meat-based diets such as the paleo diet or the carnivore diet.
The company was founded by CEO Mike Salguero in 2015, who struggled to find his own humanely-raised meat before connecting with a local cattle farmer to source his beef. They are based in Boston, Massachusetts.
What Does ButcherBox Offer?
Butcher Box sells 100% pasture-raised grass-fed beef, humanely raised pork, organic free-range chicken, free-range turkey, 100% grass-fed bison, and wild-caught sustainable fish.
They offer various subscription levels with different-sized boxes and delivery frequencies to suit your needs. You can also choose between a curated or custom-built box.
Is ButcherBox Ethical?
The ButcherBox company is a Certified B Corporation, meaning they are guaranteed to meet the highest standards of social and environmental impact. Their products have a range of certifications ensuring overall quality, including animal welfare standards from the Global Animal Partnership and Certified Humane, as well as USDA Organic certifications on their poultry.
Feature Product & Coupon
Best Reputation
ButcherBox
- Convenient and time-saving
- Flexible, customizable boxes to suit your needs
- Humanely raised meat, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and bison
- Wild-caught fish, including cod and salmon
- Guaranteed free delivery
- Subscription service, cancel anytime
- Pasture-raised, 100% grass-fed beef
- Certified organic free-range chicken
How Does ButcherBox Work?
Ordering from ButcherBox couldn’t be easier.
Choose Your Box Type
First, you start by choosing your box: basic, curated, or custom.
Know exactly what you want to order? If you choose custom, you get to choose your types and cuts of meat, such as different steak types, ground beef, or various pork products.
Want to be surprised? If you choose curated, your types and cuts of meat are chosen for you.
- Custom box: Choose 9-14 pounds (lbs) of meat from 25+ cuts of beef, pork, chicken, and wild-caught seafood.
- Curated boxes: A selection of 8-11 lbs of beef, chicken, and/or pork.
- Basic box: A selection of 7-7.5 lbs of beef, chicken, and pork.
If you choose a custom box, you can change your choices for every delivery. In the curated boxes, the specific cuts you get each time will vary depending on availability and region.
An example curated box usually includes five different cuts, ranging from sirloin steaks, ground beef, whole pork tenderloin, whole chicken, boneless chicken breasts, chicken wings, chicken thighs, bacon, and boneless pork chops.
Choose Your Box Size
If you chose a custom or curated box, you then choose your box size: the classic box or big box.
ButcherBox recommends the classic box for individuals and small families, while the big box is best for mid-size families and large freezers.
For custom boxes, the classic and big box sizes are slightly larger than the curated boxes (according to ButcherBox, you get 20% more meat than in the curated boxes). The basic box comes in one size.
Custom box:
- Classic: 9-14 lbs of meat (30 meals)
- Big: 18-26 lbs of meat (60 meals)
Curated box:
- Classic: 8-11 lbs of meat (24 meals)
- Big: 16-22 lbs of meat (48 meals)
Choose Your Delivery Frequency
The delivery frequency is automatically set to every four weeks, but you can change this to every six or every eight weeks if this suits you better.
Choose Your Proteins
If you chose the custom or curated boxes, you’ll then need to choose your protein types. Custom boxes include the option for fish, whereas curated boxes are meat only.
For curated boxes, you have the option between
- Mixed box: Beef, chicken, and pork box
- Chicken & beef box: Beef and chicken box
- Pork & beef box: Beef and pork box
You won’t always get the same cuts, although common favorites such as ground beef will usually be included in every delivery.
Choose Your Cuts (Custom Box Only)
If you’ve chosen the curated box, your cuts of meat will be chosen for you.
If you’ve chosen the custom box, you’ll then need to select your cuts of meat from 25+ options. Each time you click “add” to the cart, you’ll be notified how many items you have left to pick.
Choose Member Deals And Add-Ons
Next, you can choose from a list of deals available in a limited quantity for a limited amount of time.
Finally, you have the option to choose regular add-ons to your boxes, such as breakfast sausage or extra grass-fed ground beef. These are recurring but you can change them month-to-month.
Pros
- 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef
- 100% organic, free-range chicken and turkey
- All meat is free from antibiotics and hormones
- Free delivery
- Different delivery frequency options
- Custom box option with high flexibility
- Certified B Corporation
- High animal welfare standards
- Delivered frozen
- Eco-friendly insulated packaging
- Cancel anytime
Cons
- No organ meats
- Fish and specific meat cut options are only available on the custom plan
- More expensive than grocery store prices
- No vegan or vegetarian options
- Requires a lot of freezer space
- Some bad reviews on delivery quality
How Much Does ButcherBox Cost?
ButcherBox’s prices start from $99, $146, and $169 for the basic, curated, and custom boxes.
Custom Box
- Classic: $169 per month for 9-14 lbs of meat (30 meals)
- Big: $306 per box for 18-26 lbs of meat (60 meals)
Curated Box
- Classic: $146 per month for 8-11 lbs of meat (24 meals)
- Big: $269 per box for 16-22 lbs of meat (48 meals)
Basic Box
- From $99 per month
So, a basic box will cost as little as $99 per month, while a big custom box would cost you up to $306 per month.
Shipping is always free forever, no matter which box you order.
ButcherBox Reviews
Still not sure whether ButcherBox is right for you? Read on for our review of ingredients, quality, convenience, taste, and more so you can decide for yourself.
Quality Of Ingredients
ButcherBox’s main focus is on the quality of its ingredients. All their animals are raised as humanely as possible, and none of their animals are ever given antibiotics or hormones. Studies show that residual antibiotics from meat may have adverse health effects on humans[1] and can promote antibiotic resistance.
ButcherBox also put a lot of effort into keeping up their animal welfare and environmental standards, as confirmed by third-party accreditors such as USDA Organic and the Global Animal Partnership.
Where Does ButcherBox Meat Come From?
Butcher Box takes the guesswork out of having to choose the most ethical, sustainable, healthy meat because they do it for you. They source their meat from the most ethical farms around the world with the highest animal welfare standards.
Australia has the highest animal welfare standards in the world, especially for cattle, which is why Butcher Box sources most of its beef from Australia.
However, due to the lower welfare and sustainability standards in the U.S., they’ve also recently developed their own domestic grass-fed beef industry. This means 20% of the beef they sell now comes from their own farming program. Their pork and chicken come from the U.S. and Canada, and their fish, bison, and turkey all come from the U.S.
100% Pasture-Raised, Grass-Fed Beef
All of ButcherBox’s beef products, including steaks and ground beef, are 100% pasture-raised, grass-fed, and even “grass-finished.” This means that their cattle are fed grass throughout their lives. Grass-fed cows produce the highest quality, most nutritious meat with a high omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio.
Many beef brands sold in grocery stores that claim their cows are “grass-fed” are only fed grass when they’re young but are “finished” as grain-fed.
Crate-Free Heritage Breed Pork
ButcherBox’s heritage breed pork products are sourced from breeds such as Berkshire and Chester White. This means the pigs grow more slowly and naturally than commercial crossbreeds, and have a healthier fatty acid profile[2]. This higher-quality pork meat also tends to contain more vitamins and minerals[3].
While most pigs are raised in gestation and farrowing crates, ButcherBox guarantees their pigs are raised on pastures and are entirely crate-free.
Free-Range Organic Chicken
ButcherBox partners with chicken farmers in the U.S. and Canada who raise free-range chickens fed on 100% organic feed.
Chickens with access to more outdoor space are less stressed[4], which may translate to higher meat quality. A higher number of free-range days also leads to less[5] water weight in the meat without slowing overall growth.
However, the distance a chicken will go depends on its foraging[6] behavior, so good foraging spaces may be important for chickens to utilize the space they’re given. As it’s not clear exactly how much space the chickens have, how often they have access to the outdoors, or what environments the chickens are provided above USDA organic standard requirements[7], it’s hard to say how much time the chickens actually spend outdoors.
Convenience
Ordering from ButcherBox com is a very convenient way to get ethical, high-quality meat without leaving your door. You don’t have to do any of your own research, and you can rest assured that your animal protein sources are coming from healthy, happy animals.
Taste
ButcherBox has mixed reviews in regard to taste. Some reviews on TrustPilot say the meat from ButcherBox is the best they’ve ever tasted, while others say it’s sub-par or even worse than meat from the grocery store.
Overall, it looks as though the taste of the meat is variable, and you never know what you’re going to get from box to box.
Packaging
ButcherBox strives to deliver its meat in 100% recyclable eco-friendly packaging. The meat arrives frozen in insulated packaging with dry ice.
However, some recent ButcherBox reviews say their meat arrived partially thawed, while others say the packaging was not airtight. One reviewer said their meat arrived without insulated packaging or dry ice at all.
Delivery
Delivery of your ButcherBox is always free. Although the deliveries are on time, most of the negative reviews on TrustPilot are due to delivery issues. One or two reviewers discovered their meat had already spoiled after defrosting.
Customer Service
Most customers say the customer service isn’t great but complaints are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. However, some customers who felt they deserved a refund due to spoiled meat were only offered a small partial refund or a discount voucher for their next order.
Most customers say it’s easy to cancel your subscription, but it’s impossible to cancel an order once it’s gone through.
Alternatives To ButcherBox
BistroMD
25% Off Coupon + Free Shipping: healthcanal25
- Low-calorie meals
- 24/7 support from Registered Dietitians
- Easy recipes with minimal preparation
- More expensive than similar meal delivery services
- No subscription, so have to remember to re-order
Splendid Spoon
60% Off Coupon: WELCOME60
- Convenient
- Vegan and gluten-free options available
- Nutritious meal options
- Some reviews say the taste and ingredients aren’t fresh
- Not 100% organic ingredients
- Small portion sizes
Hungryroot
- Nutritious, low-calorie meal delivery service
- Quick meal and snack recipes
- Meals and recipes are easy to customize
- Organic ingredients
- Recipes can be repetitive
- Meals tend to be simple with limited ingredients
Final Thought: Is ButcherBox Worth Trying?
ButcherBox’s prices are slightly higher than you’d pay at the grocery store, but we think the high ethical standards, low environmental impact, and better taste are worth the extra cost.
We recommend ButcherBox to people who eat meat but don’t have enough time to go to local farmers’ markets to source good-quality, ethically-raised meat and wild-caught fish. You can easily cancel your subscription anytime if you find out it’s not for you.
However, due to the recent negative ButcherBox reviews on the quality of the delivery, it may be worth checking out some alternatives to ButcherBox, such as Crowd Cow, Greensbury, or Wellness Meats.
Frequently Asked Questions
ButcherBox is a popular subscription meat delivery service choice for humanely-raised, organic, and pasture-raised meat. However, the company has received increasingly worse reviews over the last year, so don’t have as good a reputation as it used to.
Yes, ButcherBox prides itself on focusing on offering high-quality meat from ethical farms. The company and its products are certified by several third-party organizations that hold them to their high standards.
ButcherBox’s prices start from $99, $146, and $169 for the basic, curated, and custom boxes. The most expensive box is a big custom box would cost you up to $306 per month (without add-ons). Each month, you can choose to add extras, which will increase the price.
The best part about a ButcherBox subscription is that you can cancel anytime. However, once your next box order has gone through you can no longer cancel it, even if you don’t need it.
ButcherBox delivers their meat frozen in insulated packaging and dry ice. You should transfer your order directly to your freezer as soon as you receive it, where it should keep until your next delivery (in 1-2 months). However, some customers had said their meat wasn’t properly frozen upon delivery and had already gone bad by the time it arrived.
ButcherBox sources its meat from the U.S. and Australia, which have the highest welfare standards for cattle. Only 20% of their beef is sourced from within the U.S. and comes from their own farming programs to guarantee humane production.
+ 7 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Chen, J., Ying, G.-G. and Deng, W.-J. (2019). Antibiotic Residues in Food: Extraction, Analysis, and Human Health Concerns. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, [online] 67(27), pp.7569–7586. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b01334.
- Zhang, Y., Zhang, J., Gong, H., Cui, L., Zhang, W., Ma, J., Chen, C., Ai, H., Xiao, S., Huang, L. and Yang, B. (2019). Genetic correlation of fatty acid composition with growth, carcass, fat deposition and meat quality traits based on GWAS data in six pig populations. Meat Science, [online] 150, pp.47–55. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.12.008.
- Testroet, E.D., Yoder, C.L., Testroet, A., Reynolds, C., O’Neil, M.R., Lei, S.M., Beitz, D.C. and Baas, T.J. (2017). Iodine values of adipose tissue varied among breeds of pigs and were correlated with pork quality. Adipocyte, [online] 6(4), pp.284–292. doi:10.1080/21623945.2017.1356953.
- Taylor, P.S., Hemsworth, P.H., Groves, P.J., Gebhardt-Henrich, S.G. and Rault, J.-L. . (2020). Frequent range visits further from the shed relate positively to free-range broiler chicken welfare. Animal, [online] 14(1), pp.138–149. doi:10.1017/s1751731119001514.
- Tong, H.B., Wang, Q., Lu, J., Zou, J.M., Chang, L.L. and Fu, S.Y. (2014). Effect of free-range days on a local chicken breed: Growth performance, carcass yield, meat quality, and lymphoid organ index. Poultry Science, [online] 93(8), pp.1883–1889. doi:10.3382/ps.2013-03470.
- Ferreira, V.H.B., Simoni, A., Germain, K., Leterrier, C., Lansade, L., Collin, A., Mignon-Grasteau, S., Le Bihan-Duval, E., Guettier, E., Leruste, H., Løvlie, H., Calandreau, L. and Guesdon, V. (2022). Foraging Behavior Shows Individual-Consistency Over Time, and Predicts Range Use in Slow-Growing Free-Range Male Broiler Chickens. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, [online] 9. doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.814054.
- Usda.gov. (2013). Organic Livestock Requirements | Agricultural Marketing Service. [online] Available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/publications/content/organic-livestock-requirements.
Written by:
Ellie Busby, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
