ButcherBox Review: My Honest Thoughts

I’ve had a ButcherBox subscription for years now and people ask me all the time: Do you like it? What are the advantages? How much does it cost? What are your favorite cuts of meat? So, I put together this comprehensive, honest ButcherBox review to help you decide if it’s right for you. I’ll also share how to get the best deal when ordering.

Affiliate links included, but all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

DEAL ALERT! ButcherBox is running an awesome promotion right now called the Free Essentials Bundle. If you sign up right now through our link, you’ll receive 2 lbs of pork chops, up to 3 lbs of chicken breasts, and 2 lbs of ground beef for FREE in your first box!! Good through 5/9/21.

What is ButcherBox?

If you’re unfamiliar with ButcherBox, it’s a subscription service that sends a box of high quality meat to your door every month (or every 6 or 8 weeks…it’s flexible).

How Does ButcherBox Work?

Their site is super easy to navigate. Here’s how it will work for you, if you go through our special discount code link…

1. Enter your email to take advantage the latest and greatest deal.

ButcherBox runs specials for new customers regularly. To get started, enter your email to have the latest and greatest discount or deal applied to your order. (You can find the most current special through this link.)

2. Choose your box.

Next, you can choose what kind of box you’d like for them to send you. You can choose between 5 different types of boxes:

• Custom Box – Your choice of 9-14 lbs of grass-fed beef, organic chicken, heritage-breed pork, or wild caught seafood. Flexibility to change up what comes in your box each time. 20% more meat than the curated boxes below.
• Mixed Box – Curated mix of 8.5-11 lbs of grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork.
• Beef and Pork Box – Curated mix of 8 – 11 lbs grass-fed beef and heritage-breed pork.
• Beef and Chicken Box – Curated mix of 8 – 11 lbs grass-fed beef and organic chicken.
• All Beef Box – Curated mix of 8-10 lbs of grass-fed beef.

With the exception of a Custom Box, the items in the curated mixed boxes will vary each month and will be automatically selected for you. You can update which box you receive from month to month, so don’t stress…you’re not locked in forever.

I’ve tried out a few different boxes, including the Mixed Box, Beef & Chicken, and the Custom Box, to get a good feel for the type and quality of meat they offer. You can find out more about my box recommendation below.

3. Choose the size of box you want.

Once you choose which box you’d like, then you’ll pick what size of box (how much meat) you want. You can choose between a Classic Box for smaller families ($129-$149/month) or a Big Box for larger families or big freezers ($238-270/month). The price varies depending on which type of meat box you chose. The price works out to be $5.38/serving, at least for the curated boxes. Again, you can change the size from month to month.

4. Pick your cuts of meat and/or add-ons.

If you selected the Custom Box, you’ll then select what cuts of meat you want. This part is fun! Keep reading to find out my (and Polly’s) favorites.

If you selected any of the boxes, you’ll also have a chance to add on other cuts of meat or products if you’d like. Sometimes they even offer special deals for you, as a member.

5. Enter payment information and you’re done.

Lastly, input your payment information and you’re done.

IMPORTANT TIP: Wait a minute on the payment page, because an offer should pop up to add free bacon to your first box if you do! Like this…

What Box and Cuts of Meat Do You Recommend (or Not Recommend)?

I personally do a Custom Box because it allows me to select the meat that I want, so nothing goes to waste. When I’ve ordered the mixed, curated boxes, I’ve sometimes ended up with cuts of meat that I didn’t really know how to use off the top of my head, like top sirloin cap or beef eye round roast. With the Custom Box, I like that you can see exactly what your options are and you can figure out how to get the best bang for your buck!

My absolute favorite cuts of meat from ButcherBox are ground sausage, pork tenderloin (they are small, so I order two), pork chops, and ribs. All of those are hard to find a healthy version of where I live. We also really like their grass-fed ground beef, uncured bacon, uncured hotdogs, and wild salmon. Delicious! I like their chuck roasts, too, but they are usually too small for our family of 5.

Polly’s favorite cuts are the ground beef, pork shoulder, uncured bacon, chicken drumsticks, and chicken breast.

The only product I haven’t loved from ButcherBox–and I’ve tried almost everything over the years–have been their hamburger patties. They were too dense and flavorless for my taste. I prefer to make my own with their grass-fed ground beef, because they are more flavorful and juicy that way.

7 Advantages of ButcherBox (In My Humble Opinion)

If you’re trying to decide if ButcherBox is right for you, take a few minutes to read through what I personally feel like are the advantages.

1. Trusty-worthy sources

Where you source your meat from really matters. Are the animals healthy (so your meat is healthy)? Are they treated humanely? Are the workers treated right? ButcherBox is committed to working with farmers and companies who are “dedicated to doing the right thing—never cutting corners, and always looking for ways to improve”. Here’s more:

• Their cattle are humanely raised, 100% grass-fed, and free to roam on grassy pastures throughout their entire lives.
• Their hogs are raised on pastures or in hoop barns, with their natural tendencies, safety, and comfort in mind. These hogs are fed an all-vegetarian diet and raised with traditional, sustainable farming methods. 
• Their free-range chickens have access to the outdoors seasonally, have windows within non-overcrowded barns, are fed an organic diet, and are NEVER given antibiotics or hormones.
• All the seafood they offer–wild salmon, scallops, lobster, cod, and halibut–is sustainably harvested to keep the ecosystem healthy for future generations. They “partner with people who uphold strict fishing and handling practices to guarantee an unprecedented level of quality and sustainability.”
• Fair labor practices – They pledge on their site, “In line with our family and community values, we seek partners who treat their employees as part of a team—and we’re ever thankful for that team.”

I love that they are serious about caring for the animals, the laborers, the earth, and their customers.

2. High quality, healthy meat

Of all the foods that I’m willing to spend more on, meat is at the top of my list. That’s because conventional meat can be filled with antibiotics and hormones, and the animals can be treated inhumanely and/or fed foods that aren’t natural to their environment (i.e. corn, non-organic foods, etc). Enter: ButcherBox meat. Here’s the healthy meat they offer:

• 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef – Humanely raised, never given antibiotics or added hormones ever, pasture-raised, and a good source of omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals.
• Heritage-Breed Pork – All vegetarian feed, humanely raised, never given antibiotics or added hormones ever. The uncured bacon, hotdogs, ground sausage, ham, and brats are gluten-free and have no nitrates, nitrites, or added sugar. That is hard to find!!
• Free-Range Organic Chicken – Free-range, USDA certified organic (with certified organic feed), humanely raised, never given antibiotics or added hormones ever.
• Wild-Caught Seafood – Wild-caught, sustainably harvested, no artificial coloring, no additives, never given antibiotics or added hormones ever.

3. Convenience

Here’s the thing I tell people who ask me if ButcherBox is worth it. If you live in a semi-urban area, you can probably find the same quality of meat in various places throughout town at a cheaper price tag. Some people like to deal hunt like that, and I used to when I stayed home with my young kids (the farmer’s market, a local meat market, and a few different store stops throughout the month provided much needed outings!). But, I just don’t have time for that anymore.

So, in my opinion, the real value with ButcherBox is the convenience. I select meat I feel good about in just a few minutes online, and it shows up at my door when I want it. It really couldn’t be easier.

4. Flexible and customizable

Each time, before my next box ships, I get an email notifying me and asking if I want to make any changes. I really appreciate this feature, so I’m never caught off guard. Then, you can click on your account and do these things:

• You can skip a month, if you need to.
• You can choose when it will arrive (so you can work around when you’re out of town).
• You can change up what kind of box you get each time.
• If you opted for the Custom Box, you are given the option to change up what cuts of meat you get each time.
• You are offered deals on additional products, if you want to add something to your next box.

5. Free shipping & cancel anytime

The price you see is the price you pay. No added shipping fees.

It’s easy to cancel, too. You can do it right from your account (no calling or emailing someone).

6. Good customer service

I’ve never had a problem with any of my products or shipments…ever. But, I’ve emailed to ask questions in the past, and they responded quickly and courteously.

7. All packaging is recyclable

I hate when I get a package that’s stuffed full of huge styrofoam pieces. Not only is it filling the landfill, but it’s also filling up my trash can. So annoying! I absolutely love the minimalist, recyclable packaging that my ButcherBox arrives in.

Is the Meat Fresh Tasting?

Every cut of meat we’ve gotten has tasted fresh and delicious once it’s thawed and cooked properly. The only exception was the hamburger patties, which I mentioned above. Nothing was inherently wrong with the product. I just didn’t care for the texture personally.

Is the Meat Fully Frozen When It Arrives?

The meat is packed on dry ice in very solid (recyclable) packaging. As long as you get it off your porch and into the freezer the day it arrives, the meat will stay frozen solid.

I’ve never had problems with the packaging of the meat itself. I throw it all in the freezer immediately. Or, I thaw it and either make it into a fresh meal or make it into one of our freezer meals. (Yes, it’s safe to thaw meat, prepare it for a freezer meal, and then refreeze it. Just don’t leave it thawed for long if you plan to do that.)

How Much Does ButcherBox Cost?

You can choose between a Classic Box for smaller families ($129-$149/month) or a Big Box for larger families or big freezers ($238-270/month). The price varies depending on which type of meat box you chose. The price works out to be between $5-$6/serving depending on your box. Free shipping and no hidden fees. You also will get some free products if you take advantage of the latest ButcherBox deal here.

Is It Easy to Cancel?

If you want to cancel your subscription or pause it, you can easily do so at any time. No need to call or email them. You can just go into your account and cancel. I’ve done it before myself and had no problem.

My Honest Review of ButcherBox (2021): Overall Thoughts

I’ve really enjoyed ButcherBox over the years. I get a box every other month and use it to fill my freezer with the healthy meats that I have a harder time finding in my area. It feels like Christmas when it arrives!

Although it would be cheaper to deal hunt and hit up several places around town for the same quality of meat, I think the real value of ButcherBox is the convenience and that I trust them to source high quality meat that’s good for my family!

Is it right for you? I can’t answer that. But, I do think it’s easy to to try out one time and then cancel if you don’t like it. Be sure to use our Thriving Home link to receive a bonus when you sign up.

Looking for a ButcherBox Discount Code or Bonus?

DEAL ALERT! ButcherBox is running an awesome promotion right now called the Free Essentials Bundle. If you sign up right now through our link, you’ll receive 2 lbs of pork chops, up to 3 lbs of chicken breasts, and 2 lbs of ground beef for FREE in your first box!! Good through 5/9/21.

If you’re looking for a ButcherBox discount code or bonus, be sure to head here to see the latest and greatest deal!