What are the best alternatives to \u201cBig Meat?\u201d Finding a grass-fed meat box delivery company that ships beef, chicken, & pork<\/strong> across the United States from small family farms. But what about their practices? What do they feed their animals? Do they raise their animals on pasture? Are antibiotics or hormones used? Mamavation reached out to the most popular meat box delivery companies and asked them very specific questions about their practices. After reviewing their responses and online materials, we\u2019ve put together a list we believe you can use to shop. You\u2019ve trusted Mamavation to bring you investigations like (1) safest cooking oil tested for phthalates<\/a>, (2) safest rice tested for heavy metals<\/a>, & (3) safest Vitamin D tested for pesticides, heavy metals, phthalates & PFAS<\/a>; now join us for our favorite meat box delivery companies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Meat Box Delivery Companies have become very popular as a way to buck \u201cBig Meat\u201d and go direct to farmers. Most companies offer beef, chicken, & pork for you to purchase and will ship to anywhere in the continental United States. It took us a few years to investigate this industry, but we\u2019ve created the most useful list online to help you try new meat box delivery companies OR go direct to farmers and cut out the middlemen completely.<\/p>\n Mamavation has partnered with the American Grassfed Association<\/a> for many years. Their Executive Director, Carrie Balkom, is a tough, no-nonsense staple in the ranching community. She grew up on a cattle ranch in Florida connected to multi-generational ranching. Today, she runs a non-profit that certifies farms \u201c100% grass-fed\u201d and promotes pasture-based livestock production. It\u2019s always a pleasure to spend time with Carrie, so we visited her at the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association\u00a0<\/a>annual conference in Florida this year. We also interviewed several farmers about their farm practices while we were there.<\/span>\u00a0APPPA represents independent pastured poultry farmers who primarily sell direct to consumers across the United States. They currently count more than 1,000 active member farms and have been the association of record for the growing pasture poultry movement.<\/p>\n Although this was a chicken-focused event, many of these farmers also process beef & pork, so we were able to focus on everything while there. It was important to hear directly from farmers about how they were handling the animals and what best practices were for small American producers running family farms that sold directly to the consumer.<\/p>\n The first thing most people want to know about the meat they purchase is what those animals ate while on the farm. Several different things could be happening here: good & bad. Different animals eat different things, so it\u2019s not always the same. For instance, what cattle can survive on may not be appropriate for chickens or pigs. Overall, you\u2019ll want to consider animal feed, whether they were grass-fed, pasture-raised, or in confinement. Are they grass-fed, grass-finished, or mostly grain-fed? To make this simple, we\u2019ve focused our efforts below on beef, chicken, & pork.<\/p>\n Grass-fed beef has roughly 62% less total fat and 65% less saturated fat compared to grain-fed beef. It also contains higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, the same family of fats found in salmon and flaxseed that support heart and brain health. Grain-fed beef, by comparison, is higher in omega-6 fatty acids, which most people already get plenty of from processed foods and cooking oils. Therefore, Grass-fed beef is superior and part of a healthy diet. But to get the benefits, you need to make sure you\u2019re getting the real deal. Labels can be confusing, so we broke this down to make it easier to understand what you are getting.<\/p>\n Broiler chickens, also known as \u201cmeat birds,\u201d are raised to grow rapidly from day-old chicks to adulthood in 5-8 weeks, ready for slaughter. They are fed differently than \u201clayers,\u201d which are egg-laying hens because their nutritional needs differ. Conventional farmers focus on rapid weight gain, while small-scale operations focus more on organic or pasture-raised systems and animal welfare issues. However, it\u2019s also important to know that \u201cpasture-raised\u201d is a similar term to \u201cgrass-fed,\u201d whereas it\u2019s possible to have a \u201cpasture-raised\u201d chicken that is not raised as perfectly as you would find with AGA-certified birds.<\/p>\n Conventional pigs eat a formulated grain-and-soy-based diet with fats, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids that supports fast, efficient growth in intensive indoor systems. This differs from pasture-based systems, where forage makes up a substantial portion of the diet.<\/p>\n The living conditions of the animals are important. This tells you how much stress and comfort they had while they were alive, which directly impacts the meat you feed your family at home. Here, we\u2019ll explain the main differences between what is out there. Please note that each farm is slightly different in how they manage their farm, but there are some main categories we can slot them in.<\/p>\n This idea is a bit controversial, but I\u2019ll try to explain it as best I can so you can get a good idea of what is happening here from the perspective of a city dweller. USDA Organic standards and certifications are expensive and very time-consuming to upkeep. Ask any USDA Organic farmer. It\u2019s basically a farming plan that is certified by the USDA and audited annually. Now, my mother\u2019s side of the family comes from farming in the Midwest, and they\u2019re the most honest, hardworking, kind, independent, salt-of-the-earth people I\u2019ve ever met. They would give you the shirt off their back to help you, but if you tell them what to do, think again. They do not want to be told what to do by anyone, especially the Federal government. This is the rub with the USDA Organic standards. Putting proud farm folk into the path of the Federal government telling them what to do with their private property is like having a bunch of cats and expecting to herd them in a straight line. It\u2019s not going to happen as planned. So if you want to purchase from small family farms, you\u2019ll need to understand that right off the bat. This will be about trust and relationships.<\/p>\n Most of the small family farms we ran across were not USDA Organic. You\u2019ll notice that below, right away, when you see what we are recommending. My thoughts are it\u2019s likely because (1) it\u2019s too expensive and time-consuming and (2) they don\u2019t like to be told what to do and constantly monitored by the Feds. Whether you like that or not, if you want to get into the habit of avoiding \u201cBig Meat,\u201d you\u2019ll need to get over that part. Most small family farms producing livestock are not USDA organic. But plenty of American Grassfed Association (AGA) Certified farms are available.<\/p>\n Plenty of small family farms market their farms \u201cbeyond organic\u201d or \u201csimilar to organic,\u201d and what they are trying to communicate in simple terms is how they manage their pasture, how they avoid antibiotics & hormones, and what their animals eat. Mamavation has no problem with this at all. Sure, it\u2019s nice to have standards and people verifying those standards, but in the culture of small family farms, that\u2019s not what you are going to get most of the time. But if you really want USDA Organic, we\u2019ve identified those farms for you down below.<\/p>\n The more the cattle weighs at slaughter, the more they can be sold for. Therefore, conventional ranchers have used several types of growth-promoting technology over the years to increase weight. These growth-promoting technologies can be categorized as hormones or antibiotics.<\/p>\n The use of all hormones and antibiotics that are listed above is prohibited by American Grassfed Association (AGA) Certified cattle or USDA Organic cattle. Many small family producers that focus on grass-finished beef also avoid these practices. Deworming and parasite control are handled a bit differently by conventional ranchers vs. ranchers in the American Grassfed Association (AGA) certified program or USDA Organic programs. Conventional ranchers practice calendar-based routine deworming. This would incorporate a wide range of synthetic dewormers like ivermectin, moxidectin, fenbendazole, combinations, pour-ons, injectables, & feed additives. Insecticides could also be used to control flies and lice.<\/p>\n For AGA or USDA organic producers, deworming and parasite control focus more on creating a grazing management system as part of the certification plan that provides a healthier environment for the cattle, broiler chickens, and pigs. The hope is that these synthetic dewormers will not need to be used because the livestock will not be in an environment where worms are as common. However, when preventive measures fail, they may use selective treatments for emergencies, but Ivermectin is prohibited. This is part of the \u201cfarming plan\u201d they follow for certification. As for broiler chickens, their shorter lifespan and access to pasture make worms less of a problem, and many natural remedies are available for routine use, such as garlic, food-grade diatomaceous earth, pumpkin seeds, and other herbal blends added to the feed, or apple cider vinegar in water. For pigs, some of the same natural methods can be used as with broiler chickens, including wormwood and additional herbal medicines. However, if stronger medications are needed, they would be ineligible for the program and would no longer be certified.<\/p>\n Small producers have various ways of handling their cattle, broiler chickens & pigs; however, we have noticed that small family farms producing grass-finished beef and pasture-raised chickens are less likely to use conventional deworming and parasite control and may adopt a grazing management system similar to what the AGA requires with more natural remedies.<\/p>\n Animals raised on the farm can get very sick and need medical intervention. Therefore, routine vaccinations, deworming, and parasite control are common in conventional cattle raising. Most cattle producers, including USDA organic or AGA Certified, vaccinate animals against common diseases such as bovine respiratory disease complex, BVD, IBR, BRSV, blackleg, etc. Broiler chickens are not mandated to receive vaccinations, but if they do, they would receive vaccinations for coccidiosis, Marek\u2019s disease, Newcastle disease, and a few others. Outdoor pasture-raised pigs are more susceptible to disease from exposure to wildlife, so their vaccinations may be more important. USDA Organic & AGA certified producers are known to be more selective about the types of vaccinations they use on their cattle, broiler chickens, & pigs, but they can use the same number as any other farm.<\/p>\n We ran across many claims by small family ranchers that they do not use mRNA vaccines. The truth is no mRNA vaccines are currently licensed or approved for use in beef cattle or dairy cows in the United States. However, mRNA trials are happening in the United States (for BVD, bovine coronavirus, & foot-and-mouth disease) in labs and universities, but those cattle would not be able to be sold for beef afterward because they are experimental. Therefore, the \u201cNo mRNA\u201d claims for beef cattle are like saying \u201csalt is gluten-free.\u201d It doesn\u2019t really mean anything.<\/p>\n This is different for pigs, though. One RNA-based vaccine (Sequivity) is licensed for swine (pigs) against influenza strains. But again, this is not a practice for cattle yet. Claims that cattle are routinely given mRNA vaccines (sometimes linked to COVID-19 vaccines or \u201cmandates\u201d) have been repeatedly debunked as false.<\/p>\n Not all small family farms will decide to vaccinate their animals. Those practices are up to each farm and how they want to run their operation. If you are curious which ones don\u2019t, click through our links; they proudly share those details on their websites.<\/p>\n This category includes conventional beef, chicken & pork meat box delivery companies. Some meat may be from small ranches that are grass-fed but not grass-finished, and we are also concerned about potential use of antibiotics and hormones. However, these brands don\u2019t make their animal care part of their primary story, so it\u2019s hard to tell what is happening here. Some didn\u2019t answer our emails and don\u2019t have public information to tell this story, so we had to assume the worst. There is likely plenty of CAFO meat in this section.<\/p>\n This category is full of grass-fed meat boxes. It may be unclear how \u201cgrass-fed\u201d the animals are, or they may have most of their beef coming from outside the United States. We don\u2019t think that is bad, but we prefer to support small American farmers in our investigation, so we\u2019ve marked which ones are from outside the United States. We\u2019ve also included companies that have been acquired by large corporations (i.e., \u201cBig Meat\u201d), which kinda defeats the idea of getting away from \u201cBig Meat.\u201d In other words, part of this category is where we just weren\u2019t sure after all our communication and review of their online materials. Contact us if we are wrong, and we will be happy to move you.<\/p>\n This category includes grass-finished (100% grass-fed) meat box delivery brands sourcing from American farmers. Chicken is either pasture-raised or organic. No hormones or antibiotics are ever used on animals, and if they are, those animals are removed from the herd. (In some instances, they are sold, but they make that clear on the site.) Some of the supply may come from outside the United States, but the vast majority will be from American small family farms. For inputs like chicken feed, assume organic and non-GMO feed comes from outside the United States because there isn\u2019t enough USDA organic farmland to feed all animals.<\/p>\n![\"Cattle](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMost Grass-Fed Meat Box Delivery Companies are Offering Beef, Chicken, & Pork<\/h2>\n
![\"Grassfed](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAnimal Diet \u2014 What the Animals Eat<\/h2>\n
Beef Cattle\u2013Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished, Grain-Fed, etc.<\/h3>\n
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![\"Pasture-raised](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-14.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nBroiler Chicken Feeding System\u2013Conventional vs. Organic vs. Pasture-Raised<\/h3>\n
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![\"Pasture-raised](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-13.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nPigs\u2013Conventional vs. Pasture-Raised with Supplemental Feed<\/h3>\n
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![\"Buryat](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-5.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPasture Management: CAFO Vs. Pasture-Raised<\/h2>\n
Basic Pasture Management Types<\/h3>\n
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![\"Pink](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-15.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nPasture-Raised vs. Organic \u2014 Which is Better? You Decide<\/h3>\n
![\"Cattle](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-6.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMedications<\/h2>\n
Use of Antibiotics & Hormones<\/h3>\n
![\"Cattle](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDeworming & Parasite Control<\/h3>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-9.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nVaccines & MRNA Technology<\/h3>\n
![\"Herd](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-10.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMamavation\u2019s Investigation on Meat Box Delivery Companies<\/h2>\n
Not Our Favorite Meat Box Delivery Companies<\/h3>\n
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![\"Cattle](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-11.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nBetter Meat Box Delivery Companies<\/h3>\n
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![\"Best](\"https:\/\/mamavation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/best-meat-box-delivery-companies-for-beef-chicken-pork-12.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBest Meat Box Delivery Companies<\/h3>\n
100% Grassfed Meat Box Delivery Companies (more than one farm sourcing box)<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Cut Out the Middleman \u2014 100% Grassfed & Pasture-Raised Chicken\/Pork Ranches Operating Direct to Consumer Online<\/h4>\n
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