**REVIEW** Good Chop Meat Subscription

 I tried Good Chop, you guys. Here are the pros and cons of my experience:

PROS:

1. Sign-up was easy & with LifeMart, I got a good discount of $170 over the first 4 boxes.
2. It was easy to choose my box size, delivery frequency, and which items I wanted in my box.
3. The website makes it easy to change the choices for each box.
4. The website gives detailed information about each type of meat or seafood.
5. Choices include beef, chicken, pork, and seafood. There were also a few desserts.
6. The delivery is very controlled to make sure the meat stays frozen until it reaches you.
7. The box and the packing are all of recyclable materials.
8. Each meat selection was very securely sealed and labeled.
9. The website has chat and phone call options for you to contact help.
10. The delivered box lists the contents on one of the inner flaps (though not the weight or piece count).
11. For the quality and the healthy aspects of the meats, the price was fair.
12. You "send a 'free box'" to friends and family via their email addresses. (I sent out 4, I think, and still had more to go.)

CONS:

1. The website needs work, IMO.
2. You can only reach help via chat or phone during certain hours.
3. I did not get a promised tracking number - even after I contacted them about this and was told I would be given a tracking number via email.
4. The chat reps were very nice but not all that helpful. They don't seem to be that knowledgeable. I got some bad/useless info.
5. There is no phone app for the service (even though I was told via chat that I would be able to make changes via "mobile").
6. I could not figure out how to "pause" my service. I ended up deactivating the service (which then put it into "pause" mode. Weird).
7. The LifeMart discount did not include the free-for-life option (free packet of chicken or bacon for the life of the account).
8. I had to screenshot my order. There was no other way (that I could see) to keep track of what I'd ordered before the shipment arrived.
9. Finally, it pays to check this out on Truth in Advertising before making a decision. You will learn more about the Hello Fresh controversy and about those  "free for life" chicken wings, so...

What I wish I'd known:

• Good Chop is owned by Hello Fresh (and there has been some concerning controversy with them...). You can Google up quite a few articles on the subject.
• That the customer service was so... iffy.
• That I'd have to "cancel" just to "pause".
• That there are quite a few reviews out there - good and otherwise. Of course, everyone's opinion might not seem so legit. (One guy complained about "missing info" on the products when he could have contacted them or Googled the info. Most of the info was right on the website so I'm not sure why he overlooked it.)
• I wish I'd known someone who used the service. (This is why I was the guinea pig for my family!)

That's the short take. Despite all the negative aspects, I plan to sign back up for the service when my dental work is finished. Here's why:

• I am determined to eat better, even if it means eating less because of my budget.
• Every single thing in my box was DELICIOUS. The meat and seafood were gorgeous, filling, and so tasty!
• Buying the same meat locally with the same qualities is almost as much as what the box costs. Sometimes, depending on the availability of seafood, the box selection is cheaper. (For instance, jumbo shrimp bought locally is also non-GMO, etc, etc., but it's no larger than what I got in the box. Also, the pink shrimp in the box is wild-caught and has a better taste and texture. (But shout out to Walmart for having a decent selection of jumbo shrimp for around $9/lb.) I priced out similar local selections of what was in my box and it would have cost me around $170. Also, I would have to go to 3 different stores. The sockeye salmon was only available at the butcher's and did not have all the options of what came in my box.
• The delivery schedule options are 4, 6, or 8 weeks. You can also skip a box if needed. I would only have to order 1 box about every 12 weeks - versus buying locally. Again, I would have to shop in more than one place to get the same options.
• It's convenient to get my different meat types delivered in one box. 
• I can change my selection from box to box. (Since I will have all my teeth the next time I order, I will probably try the baby back ribs!)

Here are some photos and comments about the box:

This is the opened box, It is well-insulated & all my items were 

          still frozen rock-solid. I am in Iowa & the box shipped from Kansas.

These are the contents of the box. I got the "medium" box (there is no "small") and it includes 6 items of my choosing: Sockeye Salmon, Florida Pink Shrimp, Uncured Bacon, Mild Italian Sausage, Chicken Wings, and Ground Beef.

This is the bacon. I loved it but will probably only order it in every other box.

It's 12 ounces & cooks up deliciously but not quite as crisp as I like.

This is the ground beef. It is AMAZING. I will be ordering more. It cooked nicely with almost no water noticeable.

The wings are good but I wished I'd gotten more of the winglet than the leglet, if that makes sense. This bag was around 20% leglet, which I could do without.

I am still raving to my brother about the sausage. It did NOT shrink at all during 

cooking.  They are so plump and juicy that I went through them too fast!

The salmon reminded me of home a little. It didn't take long

to bake and it absorbed the seasonings really well.

You can see that I got some nice cuts. Some didn't look the same

weight but I have a scale. They were pretty even, with some

just bit thicker or thinner than the others.

I've never had this type of shrimp. It

better than any I've had here in Iowa but not as

tasty as some I had in Alaska.

Because they aren't shelled, I had to either thaw & shell them

or cook them shell-on. I found them not to be as 

"sweet" as I like & I won't rush to order more.

And this was on top of the contents.

Verdict:

So, yeah, I like it. For future boxes (I'll have my teeth fixed then, the Lord willing), I want to try the scallops, ribs, pork chops, and halibut. I thought about the crab legs but they are fully cooked. At any rate, I am a fan of the box and selections I've tried.

Initially, I thought the price was a bit high. It does seem pricey at the outset, especially for someone on a small budget. However, there are always coupons and discounts. (I see that now there is a promo on the boxes. The smallest box (called "Medium") which is normally $149 ($108 with the LifeMart promo I used) is currently $99. Not bad at all! The most important thing is whether it is worth it to eat more healthfully and I know that it is.

Once I decided to work the box into my budget, I talked it over with my family. My brother, SIL, and my niece and her family considered going in together on the Large box ($269 regularly or $219 with the current promo as I write this). The problem there was choosing meat options! We are all so picky. Going family by family is what we decided on - with me as the guinea pig.

When I was trying to compare shopping locally for everything in the box, it got tricky. For instance, Walmart has a lot of the same things but I would have to hit the butcher's, Hyvee, and Aldi to get the complete list. Also, local availability can be iffy. What I can get this week, might not be available the next time I shop.

Again, I really do like the convenience, the quality, and the selection of products. I cannot wait until all my chompers are in working order! I might eat nothing but meat and hard apples for weeks. 

Do I recommend the subscription based on my experience? I can only say that I will definitely be using them again - when I get my chompers! Perhaps someone you know can send you an invite for the "free box".

By the way, I checked with my brother. I gave their email to Good Chop for the "free box". It was free (but they had to pay the $15 or $16 for shipping). They were able to select 3 meat or seafood cuts. I think they chose the chicken wings, ground beef, and bacon. I will try to update this post when they get their box and I hear their feedback.

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMER: I am not/will not be compensated in any way for this review. I have no affiliation with Good Chop or its parent company except as a paying customer.