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An Honest ButcherBox Review: Is It Worth the Cost?

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Have you heard of ButcherBox? Ever wondered if it is worth the cost? In this ButcherBox review, we dive into the pros and cons of this meat delivery service that promises high-quality, grass-fed options when building your very own custom box. In this honest review I will explore our personal experience after six months with this meat delivery subscription service and conduct a detailed cost comparison with Whole Foods.

Why Care About the Quality of Meat?

ButcherBox is a subscription service designed for those who prioritize quality meat in their diets. Unlike conventional grocery shopping, it offers grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, and wild-caught seafood delivered right to your door. This service caters to health-conscious consumers who want to invest in high-quality ingredients rather than opting for cheaper, mass-produced options. 

The Choice of Quality Over Quantity

Over the past couple of years, we have been convicted to start focusing on sourcing higher quality food to support our family’s health. I was convicted to look at options for healthier, grass-fed and finished meat after reading the book What Your Food Ate by David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé. This book details the health benefits of grass-fed beef and highlights what happens to the composition of meat when it is grain-fed. It was incredibly well-researched and informative. If you are on the fence about seeking out higher-quality protein options, I highly recommend you read this book! 

Sourcing Quality Meat

Often, it is difficult to source good quality meat, especially for those of us who live in rural areas. ButcherBox becomes a convenient solution when access to quality meat is limited. The appeal lies not just in the product itself but in the commitment to healthier eating habits. On our homestead, we aren’t just focused on eating better for our health; we are continually seeking out ways to source sustainable food options. This is one of the main missions of ButcherBox, and we appreciate that commitment.  So, is this company right for you? This ButcherBox review highlights why it may be the right choice for some while acknowledging that it isn’t for everyone.

Who Should Consider ButcherBox?

Customers Looking for Quality

A ButcherBox subscription is tailored for specific consumers. If you value high-quality, ethically sourced meat, this is a fantastic option. We were impressed with the quality of the meat in the box. If you aren’t used to cooking with grass-fed beef, there can be a bit of a learning curve when cooking. Thankfully, the recipes and cooking instructions on the ButcherBox website are top-notch, and now they have even added video cooking classes. We have had great success preparing the meat by following their instructions.

Rural Customers

Another type of customer for whom ButcherBox is excellent is those who live in rural areas with limited access to quality grocery stores. We live in an area where we don’t have many options outside Walmart. While we could get cheap meat at a big box Walmart, we sought a higher-quality solution. Traveling to stores offering truly healthy options would take us two hours. This isn’t just a time and gas cost for us; considering the four-hour round trip and the time it would take shopping, we would likely need to eat out, which is incredibly costly. If the ButcherBox cost is even remotely comparable to those options (and in our experience, it is) we would otherwise have to travel to; then we consider this to be a massive addition making it truly the best value. 

Who is ButcherBox Wrong For?

If you aren’t concerned about quality and want the most meat for your dollar, then ButcherBox might not be the best choice for you. You can absolutely find cheaper meat. Walk into Walmart or another discount grocer, and you can absolutely buy cheap, low-quality meat to feed your family. We have found that the higher the meat quality we cook, the less we need to use to be filling for our family. We used to cook a pound and a half of ground meat to make tacos; now, we only use a pound of quality meat. 

The other people that ButcherBox may not be right for are those with several healthy options in their area. I mentioned that we live two hours away from a bigger city where we have healthy food options. If you live closer, I always recommend doing a price check of your own and seeing what deals you can find at a local store. You may have a wonderful family farm you can support which would always be the best option. 

Average Monthly Cost

Typically, the monthly cost for ButcherBox meat hovers around $300 for our family, depending on the cuts selected and any additional deals snagged. We get the subscription for $169, and I pay close attention to the deals throughout the month.

Take Advantage of the Deals

Even though the deals only last a few days, adding them to your cart locks in the price until you check out with your next order. This is really what makes ButcherBox affordable, they have some really fantastic deals. The only downside is that you have to pay attention to the sales page throughout the month.

To help with this, you can sign up for their text messages, alerting you when a new deal is on their website. They also send this information via email so you never have to miss a deal. I add any deal to my cart that I might be remotely interested in, and then at the end of the month, I remove items I don’t want until my budget is met. This is the easiest way to ensure I’m getting the lowest price possible on their delicious meat. 

Try New Cuts

The sales page has also encouraged us to try new cuts of meat we otherwise wouldn’t have. Because of the robust recipe section I mentioned earlier, we can try different types of meat confidently, knowing that we can make a delicious meal if we follow their simple instructions. Our daughters have enjoyed gaining new skills in the kitchen by cooking some of the deals we have come across. 

Does $300 Feed You For the Whole Month?

This $300 is the only meat we purchase for our family of four each month. We do supplement with other protein sources that we have available on our homestead. Each year, my husband and daughter bring home two to three deer to fill the freezer; in addition to this, we have eggs from our chickens. Between ButcherBox, deer meat, and eggs, we have enough protein to get us through each month. 

How ButcherBox Works

Understanding how ButcherBox operates is crucial for maximizing its benefits. The service offers various subscription plans, with the smallest plan starting at $169 per month. Here’s a simplified overview of how to make the most out of your subscription. 

Choose the Small Box

First, choose the smallest subscription. At $169 for six cuts of meat, the cost is equivalent to $28 per cut. This is definitely on the high side and if you get the bigger package, you are simply adding more expense. Each month, when you select six cuts of meat from the available options, I will choose only the cuts that cost $28 or more, if you choose cheaper cuts, you are essentially wasting your credits. 

Monitor the Deals Page

Once you have the expensive cuts in your cart for your subscription slots, monitor the deals page regularly to add items on sale to your cart. We’ve already discussed the importance of this step, but it’s worth mentioning again because this is truly where the value of ButcherBox lies. As you will see when we look at the cost comparison, you can find some excellent deals. 

It is worth noting that it if you are going to simply sign up for the subscription and let them choose your cuts for you, ButcherBox will absolutely not be a good value. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking advantage of the member deals page.

Take Advantage of Free Offers

As an added bonus, ButcherBox is always running a special offer where you get different cuts of meat for a year or for the lifetime of your subscription. These can significantly add to the value of your box as well. 

Consider pausing your subscription if you’re stocked up or not needing anything on your delivery date. Allowing pauses is one of the fantastic features of ButcherBox; this makes it easy on months when your budget is tight, you are going out of town, or your freezer is just getting too full. 

By being strategic about your selections and keeping an eye on sales, you can optimize your ButcherBox experience and save money.

ButcherBox Review of the Unboxing Experience

When your ButcherBox arrives, the packaging is impressive. Each cardboard box is insulated and packed with dry ice to ensure that your meats stay frozen, even during the hottest of summers. We have tried several meal delivery services in the past and one of the most difficult things is getting our food before it goes bad. Not only do we have incredibly hot summers here in Southeastern Oklahoma, we live in a rural area. This means that packages often take extra time to get to us. There is nothing fun about opening a melted, smelly box of food. We have never had this experience with ButcherBox. Their packing is so well insulated that everything has always stayed perfectly frozen, even if we were gone for the day and it had to sit out. 

Labeling of Individual Cuts

As you open the box, the variety of cuts available is evident. The cuts of meat are well-labeled and easy to see. Each box has a packing label affixed to the inside to make inventorying your box easy. With every unboxing, you also get to see how well the items are organized. It’s clear that ButcherBox takes care in its presentation, making it easy to identify each cut and its intended use. This attention to detail enhances the overall experience, making it feel premium and special.

ButcherBox Review and Comparison with Whole Foods

When considering a butcher box, one of the key factors is the cost comparison with traditional grocery stores. For the purposes of our ButcherBox review we chose Whole Foods because it was the closest place for us to find comparable organic meat. Like I mentioned before, this is still two hours away from us, so it would take more than just breaking even to make it worth the trip. However, as you will see, by utilizing the member deals, ButcherBox wins hands down. 

Breakdown of Costs

Here’s a breakdown of what we found when comparing ButcherBox prices to those at Whole Foods:

• Grass-finished Beef Chuck Roast: ButcherBox: $19.80 vs Whole Foods: $24.73
• Free Range Chicken Wings (3 lbs): ButcherBox: $10.50 vs Whole Foods: $20.97 (we got 4 of these in this box)
• Boneless Pork Tenderloin Chops: ButcherBox: $10.50 vs Whole Foods: $13.98 (we got 2 in this box)
• New York Strip Steaks: ButcherBox: $28.17 vs Whole Foods: $27.48 (we got 2 in this box)
• Grass-fed Rib Eye Steaks: ButcherBox: $28.17 vs Whole Foods: $28.73 (we got 2 in this box)
• Applewood Smoked Bacon and Hamburger Patties Bundle: ButcherBox: $13.00 vs Whole Foods: $25.27
• Filet Mignon Steaks: ButcherBox $28.17 vs Whole Foods: $31.19 (we got 2 in this box)
• Grass-fed Beef Tips: ButcherBox $0.00 vs Whole Foods $10.99
• Free Range Chicken Tenders (3lbs): ButcherBox $22.40 vs $23.97
• Free-Range Organic Chicken (4 lbs): ButcherBox $11.90 vs Whole Foods $17.96
• Free-Range Chicken (3.5 lbs): ButcherBox $9.90 vs Whole Foods $13.97
• Hamburger Patties (2lbs): ButcherBox $9.00 vs Whole Foods $16.98

Total Cost–>ButcherBox $300.18 vs Whole Foods $378.57

Thoughts on Value

Overall, ButcherBox provided substantial savings, totaling $78.39 less than Whole Foods for the same quality and quantity of meat. This significant difference makes it a compelling option for those prioritizing high-quality meat without breaking the bank.

To be fair, we are essentially comparing the sale price at ButcherBox to a nonsale price at Whole Foods, but the odds of us making a trip up and finding everything on our list on sale would be almost non-existent. It would take several trips and still not be guaranteed to find all the sales we hoped for. ButcherBox makes their sales incredibly accessible with just a click of a button.

ButcherBox Review of Convenience vs. Cost

One of the biggest advantages of ButcherBox is the convenience it offers. Accessing high-quality meat can be challenging for those living in rural areas. With ButcherBox, you get meat delivered right to your door, saving you time and the hassle of long trips to the grocery store.

However, it’s important to note that ButcherBox may not be the best fit for everyone. If you have access to a local grocery store with good quality meat at competitive prices, it might be worth exploring those options. ButcherBox is ideal for those who prioritize convenience and quality over price.

The cost savings are real, but the convenience factor is a game changer, especially for busy families or those with limited access to quality meat sources. By eliminating the need for regular grocery trips, ButcherBox allows you to focus more on preparing healthy meals for your family.

ButcherBox Review of Our Favorite Cuts 

We have discovered several favorite cuts and deals over the past several months. One of my personal favorites is the hamburger patties. These make for a healthy and convenient option for lunches. I can easily heat one up for just one person or for the whole family. We have also really enjoyed having the various cuts of chicken around, particularly the wings. My daughter enjoys cooking these in our air fryer. Another staple in our orders is the chuck roast. This is a regular Sunday lunch for us as we can throw it in the instant pot while we are at church and come home to a delicious meal.

Final Thoughts in This Honest ButcherBox Review

After six months of using ButcherBox, I can confidently say that it has been a valuable addition to our kitchen. The quality is exceptional, and the variety of meats keeps our meals interesting. There are so many different options for customizing each box, making it a great fit not matter what meat types you enjoy. While it may not be the cheapest option out there, the savings compared to other quality meat sources are significant.