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If you’re like me, you’re in a never-ending quest to find environmentally friendly, organic food. I always have my eyes open for a locally grown or raised products and ones that don’t include anything unnatural or harmful. As I look at my neighbors spraying pesticides on their lawns in a battle against nature, I look at my imperfect lawn – clover, wildflowers and all – and see a refuge for nature. I’ve gone to farmer’s markets and shop locally whenever possible. However, this is always a dilemma with meat which is not as abundant in my area as it is in others. Most of the local meat is pretty expensive, or it was actually shipped from somewhere else anyway. We don’t eat a lot of meat but I don’t think that means we should settle for a lesser quality product because of it. I tried ButcherBox organic meat hoping it would be the answer to my (food) hopes and dreams.
What is a ButcherBox Organic Meat Subscription Box?
You may be wondering what ButcherBox is. There are a lot of subscription boxes out there on the market, but they are not all created equal. Plus, there are boxes that feature essentially whole meals, which this is not. Instead, ButcherBox is an organic meat subscription service that offers products like grass-fed beef and heritage breed pork. It’s the sort of thing I struggle to find at most grocery stores in my area.
How Does It Work?
Whoever developed the program understood that simple choices make life easier. First, you choose your classic or large box sizes. The classic box is 9-14 pounds of meat, while the large box is 18-26 pounds. Next, you can either customize the meat you’d like to receive in your box or choose from a standard box like all beef or beef and chicken. Last, you choose the frequency of your deliveries.
Add Ons and Special Offers
I’ll be honest, I love that my meat is delivered to me and I don’t have to go out to get it. I’m excited to know that it’s organic and healthy too, but what’s just as amazing to me are the special offers and add-ons that come up every month. I’ve gotten 2 pounds of free ground beef for the life of my subscription from the start (an offer when I signed up) and just started receiving a free package of bacon that will also go on for the life of the subscription. Fantastic deals like this come up all the time at ButcherBox.
Plus, since not everything can be free, they also have add ons. These are things that aren’t available as part of the regular box but you can add to your next box – or choose to have it come with every box. These selections widen as ButcherBox grows. Last month, the apple Gouda sausage was amazing. I can’t wait to try the Italian sausage, and I’ve been eyeing the salmon for a bit now. You can also grab extra packages of what’s available in the box already or get seasonal things like a barbecue box. Every time I sign in, I see new products.
The Box Itself
Ok. I’m always down on Amazon for the amount of wasted packaging. ButcherBox does its best to eliminate this. Yes, the meat is in plastic but I’m not sure there’s a great alternative at this point. They do, however, go above and beyond when it comes to the box itself. The insulation is made of paper and the box is fashioned in a way to insulate the meat and keep everything where it belongs. I know, it’s still paper but – it’s all 100% recyclable!! The dry ice to keep the box cool does come in a plastic bag but that’s the only plastic you’ll find and you can recycle that in most places too.
The Verdict
You’re probably waiting for my verdict, so…[drum roll please] here it is: I simply love Butcher Box. There are a few things I’d love to change like being able to put some of the recurring add ons in the box itself and finding a plastic alternative for the meat packaging but it goes a long way to satisfy my wishes as a eco-conscious consumer. The meat is absolutely delicious and I know it’s organic. I can feed it to my family without breaking the bank.
