Best Meat Delivery Services of 2023, According to a Dietitian

Meat delivery services allow you to order meat online and have it delivered directly to your home. They offer a convenient way to purchase meat for your household.

Many meat delivery services carry a variety of hard-to-find cuts, uncommon types of meat, and a wider range of options than your grocery store, to help you keep your meals fresh and exciting.

Additionally, even though delivery services tend to be significantly more expensive than purchasing meat at your local grocery store, they may also provide higher quality meat than what you’re able to purchase locally, including grass-fed beef or organic chicken.

Using a meat delivery service is great for placing bulk orders to stock your freezer or prepare a large meal for a party.

Also, expecting consistent deliveries can streamline meal planning because you’ll know what meats to expect and when to expect them.

Here are the best meat delivery services of 2023.

Summary of Our Picks

• Best Overall: Crowd Cow
• Best for Seafood: Sizzlefish
• Best American Meats: Porter Road
• Best Selection: Good Chop
• Best High-Quality Meats: ButcherBox
• Best Budget Option: Perdue Farms

Best Overall: Crowd Cow

Best Overall

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Rating Breakdown

• Product Quality:4.0
• Product Selection:5.0
• Subscription Terms:5.0
• Value for the Price:4.0

Overall Rating:

4.5

Pros

• Wide selection of meats including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, venison, and more.
• Very transparent about partner farms and their farming practices.
• Subscription or one-time orders.
• Subscription orders receive a discount and access to special sales.

Cons

• Minimum order of $75.
• Small orders under $149 for members subject to $24.99 shipping fee as well.

The Experience

Crowd Cow is an online meat market that offers one-time orders and cost-saving subscriptions.

They have a very large selection of meats covering the basics like beef, chicken, pork, turkey, salmon, and shrimp.

However, they also sell harder-to-find meats like duck, venison, swordfish, bison, and Wagyu beef, a type of beef that originated in Japan that’s high in fat and heavily marbled. (1)

They also sell a variety of side dishes, seasonings, and desserts.

Crowd Cow exclusively partners with humane farmers and fisheries and highlights each farm they work with on their website.

As you’re shopping, you’ll notice that the name of the farm is prominently displayed next to each available product. You can click the farm’s name to learn more about where they’re located and their quality standards.

How It Stands Out

Crowd Cow differentiates itself from others thanks mostly to its wide variety of meats at different quality levels and price points.

For instance, Crowd Cow offers 100% grass-fed beef. However, they also sell grass-fed and grain-finished beef, which receives higher ratings for taste, although it may be less nutritious than grass-finished. (2)

Likewise, they sell more moderately-priced pasture-raised chicken in addition to higher-priced organic free-range chicken. This allows Crowd Cow to provide meat at a variety of price points to suit a larger number of households.

Additionally, Crowd Cow is the most open and transparent meat delivery service I’ve come across in regard to farmers and farming practices.

They provide detailed biographies on each farm, and each product is listed on the website with the farm it came from.

They also provide extremely flexible subscription options, as well as the option to place one-time bulk orders.

Who It’s For

Crowd Cow may be a good fit for your household if knowing exactly where your meat comes from is really important to you.

Crowd Cow makes it really simple to do just that, thanks to all of the information about their partner farms included on their website.

Additionally, Crowd Cow is a good fit for families who need a more flexible meat delivery service.

They provide an optional subscription, which offers a slight discount compared to their regular pricing.

You can also cancel your subscription, skip orders, change the frequency of your deliveries, or edit which meats you receive at any time on their website.

Cost

Crowd Cow’s meat prices start at about $7.00, but you can expect to pay roughly $400 or more for premium cuts of Japanese Wagyu beef, such as prime rib roasts or ribeye steaks.

They require a minimum order of $75, and shipping is $24.99.

However, if you become a subscriber, you get 5% off of subscription orders, free shipping on orders over $149, and access to member-only sale prices.

They allow you to create subscription orders that are as large or small as you want, as long as they meet the $75 order minimum, composed of whichever items you choose.

Best for Seafood: Sizzlefish

Best for Seafood

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Rating Breakdown

• Product Quality:4.0
• Product Selection:4.0
• Subscription Terms:4.0
• Value for the Price:4.0

Overall Rating:

4.0

Pros

• Large selection of fish and seafood, along with grass-fed beef.
• All wild-caught or farmed fish is sustainably sourced.
• Allows subscription or one-time orders.
• Filets are individually wrapped with all bones removed.

Cons

• $65 order minimum.
• Shipping is $20 on small orders under $100.

The Experience

Sizzlefish is a seafood delivery service. They began as a seafood supplier for restaurants, but now sell directly to consumers as well.

They carry a large variety of fish and shellfish, along with a small selection of grass-fed beef products.

Sizzlefish works closely with the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch to ensure that all of their seafood is sustainably-sourced, whether it comes from a humane fishing operation or from a fish farm.

Additionally, all of their seafood is individually portioned with the bones removed, which can save customers time and make it easier to prepare and portion out meals.

With Sizzlefish, you can place one-time orders or sign up for a seafood subscription.

How It Stands Out

Sizzlefish stands out mostly for its large selection of fish and shellfish, which goes far beyond the basic salmon, cod, shrimp, and scallops that many other meat delivery services offer.

For example, Sizzlefish offers 14 different types of fish along with shrimp, scallops, lobster, calamari, mussels, clams, and crab.

They also offer seafood-only subscription boxes, which aren’t available from any of the other services on this list, unless you were to fill a custom box with only seafood.

But again, the seafood selection is severely limited to other meat delivery services.

Who It’s For

Sizzlefish is best for pescatarians, or people who eat fish and shellfish but no other types of meat. It’s also a good fit for people who want to include more fish and shellfish in their diet.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most people should try to eat at least 8 ounces of fish per week. (3)

Fatty fish like salmon is an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fat, and ocean fish and shellfish are also good sources of minerals like iodine, which helps regulate thyroid health. (4, 5)

Cost

Sizzlefish’s seafood starts at $10.95, but may cost up to $249.95 for wild-caught Alaskan king crab legs.

For a one-time order, you must order at least $65 worth of product. Shipping is $20, or free if you spend over $100.

Sizzlefish also offers subscription boxes that range in price from $119.95 to $125.86 per box.

If you choose their Wild Seafood Favorites Box, you will receive 12 portions of seafood curated by Sizzlefish.

The Prime Box and Prime Plus Boxes are custom and allow you to add either 14 or 28 individually-packaged portions of your choice.

Shipping is free on subscription boxes, and you can choose to have your subscription sent out every week, two weeks, month, or two months. You can also skip or cancel at any time using the Sizzlefish website.

Best American Meats: Porter Road

Best American Meats

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Rating Breakdown

• Product Quality:4.0
• Product Selection:4.0
• Subscription Terms:4.0
• Value for the Price:4.0

Overall Rating:

4.0

Pros

• All meat is American and pasture-raised.
• Uncommon cuts like beef tongue and marrow bones available.
• All beef is dry-aged for 14+ days.
• Subscription or one-time orders available.
• Flat-rate shipping on orders over $125, price depending on state you live in.

Cons

• Can’t customize subscription boxes, other than add-ons.
• High shipping rates on small orders under $125.

The Experience

Porter Road operates as an online butcher shop, offering a variety of locally sourced meats. They also have a storefront in Nashville, Tennessee.

They provide pork, beef, and chicken exclusively from partner farms in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Kentucky, so their meat is 100% U.S.-made.

In addition, they sell cured meats, beef jerky, beef and chicken stock, and seasonings.

All of their meat is pasture-raised, and their beef is dry-aged for at least 14 days.

Dry aging involves hanging cuts of meat in a controlled environment, where harmless molds form and begin breaking down the issues. This imparts a deeper flavor to the meat and makes it more tender. (6)

You can order individual items on Porter Road, but they also offer bundles for bulk purchasing and holiday packs, including seasonal items like glazed ham. In addition, you can sign up for a monthly subscription box.

However, they don’t offer custom boxes at this time. Instead, all of the subscription choices they offer are “Butcher’s Choice,” meaning they’re filled with cuts of their choosing. You are able to select add-ons for each shipment, though.

How It Stands Out

Porter Road stands out from others thanks to its “nose-to-tail” commitment, meaning you’ll find things like beef or chicken stock, as well as uncommon cuts like beef tongue, marrow bones, oxtail, heart, liver, pork back fat, and pork jowl (cheeks).

These products and cuts help ensure that as much of the animal is used as possible, limiting waste.

Additionally, all of Porter Road’s beef is dry-aged, including their ground beef. This gives it a distinct flavor and richness.

Finally, Porter Road also specializes in U.S. meat from a select few trusted farms. However, they don’t offer any fish or seafood.

Who It’s For

Porter Road may be a good fit for anyone who wants to stick to American meat. All of their meat comes from farms in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.

Additionally, they’re one of the only online meat markets offering harder-to-find cuts like beef tongue or pork jowl.

You may also be interested in Porter Road for their dry-aged beef. They are one of the only online meat delivery services who dry-age all of their beef.

Cost

Porter Road meats start at $8, but more expensive cuts like a whole beef tenderloin may cost as much as $175.

There is no minimum order size. Orders over $125 are eligible for flat-rate shipping of either $15, $35, or free, depending on what part of the U.S. you live in.

Their curated subscription boxes range in price from $115 to $165.

Shipping is free on all subscriptions, and you can choose to have a box sent every two, four, or eight weeks. You can also skip a box or cancel anytime on the Porter Road website.

Best Selection: Good Chop

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Rating Breakdown

• Product Quality:5.0
• Product Selection:4.0
• Subscription Terms:4.0
• Value for the Price:4.0

Overall Rating:

4.3

Pros

• 59 different meat selections to choose from.
• You can choose exactly which items you want in each box.
• Grass-fed and organic meats and premium cuts available for an extra fee.
• All U.S. meat with no hormones, antibiotics, or additives.

Cons

• Subscription required.
• Only frequency option is every 4 weeks.
• A $9.99 shipping charge.

The Experience

Good Chop is a fairly new meat delivery subscription service that offers American meat, fish, and seafood subscription boxes.

When you sign up, you can choose between a medium box offering six cuts (up to 15 lbs of meat and seafood) or a large box offering 12 cuts (up to 30 lbs of meat and seafood).

You are able to select whichever cuts of meat you want, including beef, chicken, pork, and seafood.

Additionally, for an extra fee, you can choose 100% grass-fed beef, along with premium meats like filet mignon or organic whole turkey.

In total, Good Chop’s menu features 59 different options to choose from.

Good Chop sends a box every four weeks, but you can also skip or cancel at any time.

How It Stands Out

Good Chop is unique in that they only offer meat that was completely raised and processed in the U.S. All of their meat is free of antibiotics and added hormones.

Additionally, their seafood is free of additives and colorants. Additives are sometimes added to scallops to make them appear more plump, while coloring agents are sometimes added to salmon to give it a more vibrant color. (7, 8)

Additionally, Good Chop offers 100% grass-fed beef for an extra fee, making the service more appealing to a larger number of households.

Good Chop is also the only service on this list that offers fully customizable subscription boxes containing only American meat. Other services on this list offering only American meat either don’t offer subscriptions or don’t offer custom boxes.

Who It’s For

Good Chop is an ideal choice if you want American meat in a subscription box, but still want the option to choose exactly which cuts you’d like.

With its flexible subscription terms, you can also use the service when you need a one-time or infrequent order, as long as you remember to cancel before your billing date for the next box.

Cost

The medium box (six cuts) is $149, and the large box (12 cuts) is $269. Shipping is a standard fee of $9.99.

At the moment, Good Chop does not offer add-on items. However, you can choose grass-fed beef or premium cuts, like filet mignon, for an extra fee.

Best High-Quality Meats: ButcherBox

Best High-Quality Meats

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Rating Breakdown

• Product Quality:5.0
• Product Selection:4.0
• Subscription Terms:4.0
• Value for the Price:4.0

Overall Rating:

4.3

Pros

• All beef is 100% grass-fed, all chicken and pork are pastured, and all fish is wild-caught.
• Includes custom box options.
• Can choose how often you’d like to receive a delivery.
• Free shipping.

Cons

• Subscription required.
• Some items are only available as add-ons.

The Experience

ButcherBox is a meat delivery subscription service specializing in high-quality cuts, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, bison, fish, and shellfish. I’ll explain more about their quality standards below.

They are one of the first online meat delivery services, and arguably the most well-known.

With ButcherBox, you can choose curated boxes containing a combination of beef, pork, or chicken, or you can choose a custom box containing whatever you choose, including seafood.

With a ButcherBox subscription, you’ll receive meat monthly around the same time each month, making it easier to plan your shopping trips and meals.

How It Stands Out

Of any service on this list, ButcherBox’s quality standards are the highest.

They require all of their beef to be fully grass-fed and grass-finished. Likewise, their chicken and pork must be fully pasture-raised, and their fish and seafood are all wild-caught and free of additives or colorants.

Because of their high-quality standards, they are picky about the farms and fisheries they choose to partner with and focus on working with those that prioritize animal welfare.

ButcherBox also offers a fairly wide selection of meat options, along with many add-on items for subscribers that typically aren’t available in a standard box, including things like smoked salmon, cooked chicken breasts, lobster tails, and more.

Who It’s For

ButcherBox is ideal for households that want the highest quality meat possible.

No matter what selections you make on the ButcherBox website, you can be assured that 100% of the meat you receive is pasture-raised, fully grass-fed and finished (in the case of beef), and sustainably wild-caught (in the case of seafood).

Cost

ButcherBox’s box prices start at $146, and larger boxes may cost as much as $306.

If you want full control over what’s in your box each month, you’ll need to choose the Custom Box option.

Shipping is free. The price of add-ons varies depending on the item and quantity.

Typically, once you sign up, you will receive a box every four weeks, but you can also choose every six or eight weeks. Additionally, you can skip a box or cancel your membership anytime through the ButcherBox website.

Best Budget Pick: Perdue Farms

Best Budget Pick

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Rating Breakdown

• Product Quality:5.0
• Product Selection:4.0
• Value for the Price:4.0

Overall Rating:

4.3

Pros

• Sells a variety of meats from Perdue family of brands.
• Different quality levels available at different price points.
• Wide variety of cooked and uncooked chicken products.
• Cost-saving bundles available.

Cons

• No subscription option available.
• Orders under $159.99 subject to $19.99 shipping fee.

The Experience

Perdue is a fairly well-known chicken company that you might regularly see at the grocery store, but they also own a number of other meat brands, including Niman Ranch pork.

On the Perdue Farms website, you can purchase meats, pet food, sides, and desserts from Perdue’s entire family of brands, which includes Perdue, Perdue SimplySmart Organics, Perdue Harvestland, Coleman Natural Foods, Draper Valley Farms, Petaluma Poultry, Prairie Grove Farms, Niman Ranch, Panorama Organic, Spot Farms, and Full Moon.

You are able to shop by meat type, brand, or quality preference.

Additionally, you can shop their bundles, which provide significant cost savings if you’re planning to make a bulk purchase. Bundles can include one type of meat, a variety of meats, or a full meal including meats, sides, and desserts.

How It Stands Out

Perdue stands out because they offer a variety of meat quality options from their entire family of brands, making the service a good fit for nearly any budget.

For example, they have Perdue brand chicken, which is a moderately-priced, conventionally-raised option.

Additionally, they have Pasturebird brand chicken, which is completely pasture-raised on a natural diet of insects, grass, seeds, and grain, that has a higher price point.

Likewise, they offer pasture-raised, grain-finished beef from Niman Ranch, along with 100% grass-fed beef from Panorama Organic.

Additionally, Perdue Farms has a large selection. They offer many different cuts of chicken, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, and seafood.

In addition, they offer some pre-cooked meats, including chicken nuggets or cooked chicken breasts, as well as side dishes, desserts, and even dog treats.

Who It’s For

Perdue Farms is a good fit for anyone who needs to make a one-time, bulk purchase of meat — for example, to stock the freezer or feed a crowd.

Their bundles offer a convenient way to do so, while also offering some cost savings over purchasing items individually.

It’s also a good fit if your family eats mostly chicken.

While many of the other services on this list provide some chicken, they have more of a focus on beef and pork. On the other hand, Perdue Farms has a wide variety of cooked and uncooked chicken.

Finally, it may be a better fit for families with smaller grocery budgets. They offer some conventional and less expensive brands, and the bundles can provide additional savings even on top of these prices.

Cost

Perdue Farms prices begin at $7.99 for individual items. Their bundle meals begin at $92.99, although you can customize your own bundles for less.

Shipping is free on orders over $159.99, and $19.99 otherwise. There is no minimum order size. However, they don’t offer a subscription option at this time.

Quick Comparison Table

Things to Consider When Choosing a Meat Delivery Service

The following are the criteria I used to choose the meat delivery services that made this list. These are also important for you to consider when trying to narrow down your options to the service that’s best for you.

Product Selection

When you’re looking for a meat delivery service that’s a good fit for your household, you’ll want to consider the product selection.

For example, if your family eats a lot of seafood, you may want to choose a service that specializes in seafood.

This service is likely to offer a wider selection of different types of fish and shellfish compared to a meat delivery company that delivers seafood in addition to other types of meat.

To assemble this list, I looked for meat delivery services with large selections that would appeal to most households that eat meat.

Flexible Subscription Terms

Additionally, you’ll want to find a meat delivery company with flexible terms.

While many of these companies offer subscriptions, they also allow for one-time orders, which is more flexible than being locked into a weekly or monthly subscription.

However, even if you do want a subscription, you should look for one that allows you to skip or cancel easily, change your order size, choose the meats you receive, or alter your delivery day.

In making this list, I chose services that had at least some degree of flexibility in their subscription terms, as well as services that allow one-time orders.

Meat Quality

Finally, you’ll also want to consider meat quality. Some households may want the highest possible quality of meat, such as grass-fed beef or organic chicken.

This is because certain factors in the animal’s diet and lifestyle may influence the nutrient content, taste, and texture of the meat.

For example, conventionally-raised cows are given a grain-based feed, but their natural diet consists mostly of grasses. Grass-fed beef actually has higher levels of anti-inflammatory, heart-healthy omega-3 fats than grain-fed beef. (9)

Generally, higher-quality meat comes from animals who lived as closely as possible to their natural habitat and ate a natural diet.

For seafood, this means wild-caught instead of farmed. In fact, research shows that wild-caught fish has lower levels of contaminants than farmed fish. (10)

For livestock, this means pasture-raised as opposed to being confined to a cage, pen, or warehouse.

For example, free-range chickens have improved leg health and less stress than chickens confined to pens, which may result in improved meat quality. (11, 12)

However, because quality also dictates price, I included a variety of different quality levels in this list so that there would be some options for households with lower grocery budgets.

That being said, all of the meat sold by companies on this list is free of unnecessary antibiotics and added hormones.

The Bottom Line

Meat delivery services are a convenient way to take care of meat shopping for your household. They may also offer a larger variety of items or meats that are better quality than what’s available at your grocery store.

When trying to find the meat delivery service that’s best for you, look for one that:

• Has a large selection of meats your household will enjoy.
• Offers meats at the quality level you prefer.
• Has flexible subscription terms.

Any of the services on this list offer a great starting point if you’re interested in trying out meat delivery.