When it comes to buying meat, you usually have two main options: the supermarket or your local butcher shop. Most people buy their meat at the nearby supermarket since the meat there is cheaper, but if you want to buy fresher, healthier, and higher quality meat, for your family, the best thing you can do is to choose to shop at your local butcher.
Butcher shops offer far more variety and the meat is always fresh, plus it supports the local economy and helps you to lessen your carbon footprint as well because it travels less to get to your plate. Take a look at five of the biggest reasons to buy from your local butcher shop:
1. Animal Welfare
Local butchers have a deep respect for animals, so if you care about animals and how they are treated, you should always buy your meat from local butchers. Their animals are well-treated, fed natural diets, and live happy lives, which means they're free of steroids and antibiotics. When you're buying from a local butcher, you always know what you're getting and it is fresh, healthier, and higher quality meat.
2. Better Selection and High Quality
Butchers often offer a much better selection and higher quality meat. At your local butchery, you can see various cuts of meat you can't find anywhere else because supermarkets stock what they know will sell. And not only that, the meat you will buy at your local butchery has been raised ethically, humanely slaughtered, properly cut, stored, and free of hormones. This means that when you purchase from a butcher, you will get fresher, tastier, and higher quality meat, unlike the supermarkets, which tend to be more concerned about profitability and the shelf life of their products.
3. It's Healthier and Better for The Environment
In addition to being tastier, local food is generally healthier for your family and also for the environment. Knowing where your meat actually comes from and how it was raised leads to a healthier lifestyle. The meat purchased from local farmers is often free of any hormones, preservatives, and antibiotics, which means that it's healthier. Also, when you're purchasing locally, you're helping to cut back on emissions, because farmers don't have to travel far to get the meat to your plate.
4. Better Customer Service
Buying your meat locally allows you to build a relationship with your butcher who is passionate about what they do. Good butchers know their customers well and often offer excellent customer service. Whether it's a cooking tip, a free sample, or a custom cut of meat, your local butcher will do whatever they can to make sure that their meat is the best thing you've ever eaten. They want you to be happy with the meat you purchased, so that you can come back again and tell your friends and family about them.
5. More Knowledgeable Staff
The owners or the employees at your local butcher shop are highly trained and usually have a deep knowledge of butchery techniques, which means that you can find a plethora of different cuts from different animals. You can be sure that all meat products will be safe, delicious, and free of any bacteria because they want the meat you buy from them to be the best, whether it's pork, beef, lamb, or chicken.
The staff at your local butchery are experts when it comes to meat, so they can give you advice, cooking tips, and recipes to help you improve your eating experience for the whole family. You can also tell your butcher your budget, so they can give you ideas and help you choose a cut of meat that will fit into your price range. Your butcher will be happy to share their knowledge, therefore, don't be afraid to ask for tips and suggestions.
6. Support Your Community
Buying from your local butcher is the best way to support a local business and the local economy. Small businesses like these always tend to suffer because of the large supermarket chains, so buying your meat from the local shops will support them and help keep them in business. When you're buying local food, your money stays local instead of ending up in big meat manufacturers, which means that you're supporting the local economy and creating a better economic situation in the area where you live, which is very important.
One thing you should keep in mind when you're purchasing meat is to always choose quality over quantity. The local meat will always be much more delicious than the meat you buy at grocery stores, so always make sure that you're purchasing the best meat that money can buy.
