(originally published 4/16/18)
Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative is a farmer-owned, sustainable livestock cooperative and delivery service for small-batch chicken, beef and pork. All meats are grass fed, hormone free, pasture raised, and GMO free. The company reached out to us and asked if we would like to try a box and share our thoughts with all of you, and they also offered to provide a free box that we'll be giving away to one of our readers - see the details at the bottom of this post. But first, let's talk about this company and what they are all about.
What’s better about “pasture-raised?” Grass Roots animals consume a varied diet and get lots of exercise, resulting in a more flavorful meat. The chickens scratch and hunt insects, the pigs root for grubs and acorns in Ozark forest (called “forested pork”), the cows munch on a variety of fresh grasses and never eat grain. The animals are rotated daily to enhance the land and restore valuable nutrients to the soil.
The meat from Grass Roots animals is healthier because they are never given hormones, antibiotics, or other additives. The product is considered “better than organic,” because organic certification can still allow for unsanitary factory-farmed conditions. Even “free range” chickens usually live their entire lives indoors, with a tiny access door to the outdoors that is rarely used. This does not happen in Grass Root farms and you can read more here: https://grassrootscoop.com/aboutsustainable-farming-coop/practices/
By scanning the label on each package of meat, you'll gain access to all the information about the animal - the name of the farm and the size of the batch, the size of the pasture it had access to, the name and date of where/when it was processed and how many other animals were processed in the same batch. Grass Roots is the only company in the world that does this kind of tracking for 100% of their products.
You can order meats from Grass Roots by placing individual box orders or you can set up a subscription for recurring deliveries of your favorites.
How does the subscription work? Your order is set to renew every 30 days. You’ll receive an email reminder about this 10 days before your renewal date, and also 1 day before.
This is what I saw when I opened the box. There was a sample of some organic steak rub and an info card about the packaging in the box. Everything used is 100% biodegradable and can be composted, recycled, dissolved in water, or burned.
How does shipping work? Grass Roots ships to all 48 states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Shipping is free for orders $75 or above. For orders below $75, a shipping rate based on your region will apply.
Under the first insulated layer was some padding created with crumpled brown paper.
Under the paper I found some chunks of dry ice enclosed in a bag.
And under the dry ice was this nice reusable thermal tote!!
Inside the tote I found the meat that I ordered.
I may have been just as excited about the tote as I was about the meat!
Everything arrived ROCK solid frozen. It's understandable to be a bit concerned when being shipped such a perishable and temperature-sensitive product and I was impressed by the care that was taken to ensure everything arrived perfectly frozen. The packaging was truly first class.
Here's everything I ordered (these prices reflect 2018 pricing)
12oz Bacon - $12.06
2.5lbs Beef Chuck Roast - $15.24
16oz Chicken Tenders - $11.93
16oz Ground Italian Sausage - $7.97
16oz Mesquite Lime Sausages - $9.13
8 Mild Sausage Links - $8.55
40oz Pork Spare Ribs - $22.50
16oz Skirt Steak - $10.37
Order Total: $97.75
We tried the mild sausage links first by simply cooking them in a pan on the stove and eating them alongside a pancake breakfast. They were delicious and mild enough for my young kiddos to enjoy as well.
Next I used the chicken tenders in a healthy one skillet meal made from riced cauliflower, carrots, and onion. The tenders were well-trimmed and didn't have that creepy grisly white tendon that you'll sometimes see on this type of chicken cut.
The bacon was incredible! The slices were so thick and they crisped up perfectly. My bacon-loving toddler had no complaints about me making a classic Southern treat meal of biscuits and country gravy made from the leftover drippings from the bacon.
The mesquite lime sausages were positively begging to be cooked with some sauteed peppers and onions - that's a meal all on its own, mmm...
The ground Italian sausage got piled with some sauce, cheese, and onions onto a crispy cauliflower crust for a weeknight pizza meal. The sausage was exploding with flavor and made for a totally fantastic pizza. I bet it would make a killer spaghetti sauce as well, mmm.
Requisite cheese pull.
I still have the ribs, chuck roast, and skirt steak in my freezer waiting to be used, but from what we've already tried, we're pleased with every single facet of our experience with Grass Roots. The packaging is top notch, the customer service is responsive and friendly, the website is easy to use, and the prices are what you would expect from a company with such a high quality product and that holds itself to a strong and commendable set of practices.
John Howison
Although most of these meats are probably excellent, Most working people can't afford $9.00/ pund for ground chicken.
It seems these prices could be more budget friendly
Asheli
Bummer I missed this. It looked pretty dang amazing.
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Buddy Garrett
I would love to eat healthier. I like that their meat doesn't contain any additives commonly found in other meats.
BRYAN E.
Grass fed meats & poultry have a better fat profile that that of factory farmed products !
Philip Lawrence
I want to try it because I want to start eating grass fed meats.
Jake B
I want to try the grass roots meat because its good quality and healthy. I like trying new brands/things all the time also and I've never had this.
Elizabeth
I've been trying to eat paleo in order to lower inflammation. Getting high quality meat is an important part of keeping inflammation low!
Leela
I'd love to try something new, the food looks awesome!
Meme
I have just started looking into grass fed beef as I need to put my 14 year old on a gmo free diet and grass fed meat one the top of the list of foods to eat from his dr.
Leesa R McClure
I like that Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative is a farmer-owned, sustainable livestock cooperative and delivery service for small-batch chicken, beef and pork. I bet it is delicious meat.
Breanne
I want to try it since the meat sounds high quality.
Courtney
I love when food is shipped to me! And 'good' meat is all we eat so would love to try.
Bryan Vice
I've never tried a subscription box but if i did I would rather have 100% healthier for me and my family
Juanita May
Grass fed, hormone free meat sounds healthy, and would love to try it!
Veronica L
I have been trying to eat healthier and cook better for my family, we would love to try this
julie l.
i love trying new things and grass fed, hormone free meat sounds excellent. I would love to try their meats in some of our fave dishes.
Docia Vagnerini
I would love to try it because I always want to do things as healthy as possible. Thanks for this opportunity! 🙂
Tracey Byram
My family loves meat but I want to feed them meat that is healthier for them than what I can buy in the grocery store.
kathy pease
I would love to win this to make an awesome dinner for my husband
s. carter
I would love to try Grass Roots because the meat is all free of hormones, antibiotics, or other additives
Judy Gregory
There look like the meat we used to get from my uncle who raised his own animals. Many years ago.
Rose Santuci-Sofranko
Wow...Why? Because everything looks amazing and I think it's great to support "the little people", and so does my hubby. He would love this company and this box of goodies! Thanks and God Bless!
Ed
The mesquite lime sausages are making my toes curl!
Jessica
I want to try this to see if I can taste the difference between grass fed and non grass fed .
Nicole Zerbini
We only eat grass fed meats and we just broke out our Big Green Egg smoker this past weekend! This would be perfect!
Betsy Barnes
I am interested in trying Grass Roots because their animals are healthier because they are never given hormones, antibiotics, or other additives.
Mary Beth Elderton
We have been trying to "clean" our diet, but access to better meats is still an issue in our area. I'd love to try out an online store.
allison
I would love to try the healthy convenient option for my family! Thanks so much for the chances to win.
Deana
I want to try Grass Roots because all their meats are grass fed, hormone free, pasture raised, and GMO free.
Tim
We eat a lot of meat in our home, but we usually only buy the meats that are in sale at the time. I don't think we have ever had premium meats like these.
Bianca Cote
This would be a great way to get my family on track to healthier eating.
Elizabeth Brooks
I would love yo try grass fed
Molly
I want healthy home made meals.
Jenny Scheldberg
I love this idea!so often meal planning on the fly is tough. Plus I love knowing what I’m feeding my family.
Sue Barney
I would love to try Grass Roots because I have heard great things about this company and the great quality of their meats!
Karen Gonyea
I would love to try Grass Roots because the products are hormone free and GMO free !!
beth casey
i would like to try a different way of doing things
Joseph Gersch
i want to try this for a healthier meat
Diane baum
I want to try grass fed because it appears to be better for your health.
Mark Marville
Because it looks tasty!
jenny
I am very limited on natural foods selection where I live, and when I do find a great option, it is very pricey! This looks like a great way to avoid all of these issues! I would love to give this a try and see if this fits into our lifestyle!
Heather S
Their products sound amazing and I LOVE their vision!
Rebecca C
I want to try grass roots because I love knowing where my food, especially my meat, comes from. The details they provide are amazing and it would be great to know so much about my meat. What a cool concept!
Tina W
For years I lived on a ranch that raised grass-fed beef. I've been spoiled and supermarket meats just don't cut it anymore. I'd love to find a new source for quality meat.
Susan Smith
I want to try because their meats look healthier than meats that I buy at the grocery store.
Wehaf
I am a big fan of grass-fed beef; I like it because it is better for the animals, better for consumers, and tastes better, too! Unfortunately we have only limited availability of grass-fed beef locally.
elizabeth miller
I would like to win to test out their product in order to consider ordering from them in the future. I love the naturla side of their items.
Wendy R.
It's sometimes hard to find really good cuts of meat at our local grocery stores. My husband would love to try Grass Roots!
viktoriya
I love eating things that are healthy and clean! So this is great!
Linda Lansford
The meat sounds inviting
Sharon Yarrell
I think it is healthier to eat.
Angie S
hormone free and grass fed. The meats look AMAZING!
Shelton Rogerson
I've never been able to afford such high quality meats like this. I love to see if the difference in price is worth it. Very impressive.
RONDA PATRICK
So tired of the same old meals, this would be a great chance to spice up the week with something different that I didn't need to think of!
angela smith
They sound amazing and i would love to try cause i am changing my eating habits and i think this would help me stick to some of my goals ..I love that it's hormone free
Amity J
The meat looks to be of high quality, the packaging looks fool proof and I have had to turn to ordering as much food online as possible due to my health issues and there are very few affordable places to do so. Thank you for the chance to win.
HilLesha
I love that they consider their products better than organic!
Richard Hicks
I want to try because their food is so much more wholesome
Janine Hwang
I’d like to try it bc it looks delish
Tracy Shafer
I would love to try something that is more humanely raised.
Heather S
I want to start eating healthier foods and this seems like a great start.
Jaque Richards
I have been quite disappointed in the meats offered at my local grocery....I definitely want to try Grass Roots for higher quality for my family.
april taylor
I would love try home delivery of meats. The fast that it's grass fed and hormorne free makes all the more appealing.
doug g.
I think it would be good to eat !
Nickole Heim
I like that the meat is grass fed and hormone free. Love that its quality meats
beth shepherd
I would love to win to try this! I love healthy choices and this looks fabulous! Thank you
Cathy Kendrick
I am excited to try this grass fed selection of meats.
SHANNA
Hormone free and grass fed!!!!!!! AND MAILED!!
Charlene E
I would like to try it because it is hormone free and pasture raised
heather Kaufman
I want to try pasture-raised meat.
paige chandler
I love high quality foods and especially without having to go to the grocery store.
Elizabeth C.
I would love to win this because All meat is pasture raised and grass fed. Everything that I’m looking for.
David Basile
Anytime we can go greener we do
susan smoaks
i hate factory farming and refuse to eat anything that is not humanly raised. i would love to try this.
Antoinette M
This is good quality meat and I like the way they ship to your home.
nickie
I like that the meat is grass fed and hormone free
Christina Sparks
I would like to try the steaks from Grass Roots.
Jennifer Maslowski
We really focus on the quality of our meat. This sounds like a very responsible source.
Kara@K&R Adventures
The quality of the meat seems incredible and I love that it's farmer owned. I have a hard time trusting the meat in grocery stores and tend to seek out higher quality meats from trusted sources, so I'd love to try Grass Roots!
Tari Lawson
I want to try Grass Roots meats because they "are grass fed, hormone free, pasture raised, and GMO free."
Virginia
I like the idea of a subscription meat box, I didn't know this even existed. Thanks for the giveaway.
Rebecca Joiner
I've never heard of Grass Roots but I always like to try new things, I am usually pleasantly surprised
Kimmy Ripley
I would love to try it because cooking is my #1 passion in life. Eating meat is essential to my paleo diet plan.
Adrienne Gordon
I would ove to get good sustainable foods.
Aaron
I want to try Grass Roots because it seems high-quality and delicious.
Nicole Lancaster
I want to try Grass Roots because its organic high quality meat and I like Grass Roots wide selection . I would love to try the Mesquite Lime Sausages.
Alexandra Y
It sounds healthy and delicious.
Mary Somerville
I like that their products are healthy, and they care about animal welfare.
Cheryl Repeta
I like that the meat is grass fed and hormone free
Karley Moore
I would like to try Grass Roots because it looks fabulous and I love to try new things for my family!
Michelle Horstman
Lots of good food options we would love to try!
Lisa V.
I am definitely a meat lover and would love to try quality foods.
Donna Jacoby
This would make a great gift for my son. Thank you for the giveaway!
Jacquelyn O'Neil
Everything looks so delicious! Especially the bacon!
Natalie
I would love to try Grass roots because you know exactly where your meat is coming from!
barbg
I am wondering if the shipping is included on this giveaway? I do not want to enter if it is not free shipping.
Carmela
My toddler and I live a Paleo lifestyle and I only purchase GMO-free, pasture-raised and 100% grass-fed meats, (as well as wild fish) because I consider them to be optimum over conventional. Although, it can be more expensive, living this way has taught me to live within my means and learn to better budget. I have done the research and continue to do so when it comes to the foods we consume and so it is a no brainer for me as to why I choose this path. Based on all I have learned about Grass Root's Farmer's Cooperative, I am very impressed with them. I think they strive to be at the forefront of the "grass-roots" movement in the way they sustainably and humanely raise their happy animals, which is promoting a healthy ecosystem that supports rich, fertile soil. I also applaud them for paying their farmers fairly and the tracking system they have in place for their products, which I really do appreciate, because as a consumer, I value information. Information is what lead me to this healthy path in the first place. I am truly a fan of their business model and it is one that I can support.
Ann Fantom
I like that Grass Roots Farmers' cooperative doesn't use hormones, antibiotics, or other additives in their meat.
Jennifer Williams
Everything sounds tasty and healthy! It's fantastic that they offer straight-to-the-door delivery.
cyndi br
I would want to try because there meats look fressh
Cheryl
I want to try Grass Roots because they sound top notch and the best quality.
Annette
I enjoy using/eating grass feed meat, but its' hard to find where I live in a small city. I'm interested in trying a brand that ships this to my door.
LynneMarie
I would like to try because I'm looking for better quality meat then that which is sold in supermarkets.
Holly Chernoff
I would love to try this company I am really trying to be more aware of the meat that I buy that is healthier choice for my family!
Emily Herndon
these look delicious! and I think I would be excited for a tote too!!
Ashley
These meats seem healthier than your regular option. Can't wait to try.
Remington
"grass fed, hormone free, pasture raised, and GMO free" are ALL things I find desirable for meat products.
Eugenia Hall
I've tried ButcherBox and I'm about to try Strauss - we're exploring the different companies offering this type of product. I think its important to eat grass fed beef and humanely raised poultry / pork etc and I'm glad to see more companies are offering this type of product in a convenient service.