No. 02September 24, 20263 min read
Where Our Meat Actually Comes From
Most grocery store beef comes from cattle that spent their last months in a feedlot. The USDA says feedlots with 1,000 or more head sell about 88 percent of U.S. fed cattle.
Where does grocery store beef come from?
Most of it comes from cattle that spent their final months in a feedlot, a pen where cattle are fed before slaughter. The USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that feedlots with 1,000 or more head sell about 88 percent of fed cattle in the U.S. (2022 Census of Agriculture). That figure is for fed cattle sold for slaughter, so use it as a guide, not as an exact share of every package in the case.
About six months ago I learned how much of the beef I was buying came through feedlots, and it stuck with me.
What does “USDA Inspected” tell you?
You have probably stood in the meat aisle and wondered what a label like that means. The USDA mark of inspection is about food safety and honest labeling. It doesn’t tell you how the animal was raised or what it ate.
Spencer and I ran into this ourselves, years before Primal500 existed. We couldn’t find meat we trusted for our own kitchen.
How is Primal500 different?
We buy from American ranchers we work with directly, and we vet each one ourselves. That is also why we cap Primal500 at 500 families. Past that, we would be guessing about where some of the meat came from.
What do you get with Auto Ship?
Three box sizes:
- Single: $129
- Couple: $199
- Family: $269
On your first order, you hand-pick the cuts, so you can take more chicken, more pork, or whatever mix your household eats. You choose how often boxes arrive when you sign up.
Order by 10 AM Pacific (1 PM Eastern), Monday through Thursday, and your box usually ships that day. FedEx estimates delivery the next business day. Weekend orders usually ship Monday and arrive Tuesday. Weather and holidays can shift those dates, so check your tracking. See our shipping page for details.
What if my first box isn't right?
Contact support@primal500.com within 5 days of receiving your first Auto Ship box. Send your order number, photos of the products and packaging, and a short explanation, and we will refund 100% of that first delivery. You do not need to ship any food back. A refund does not cancel future deliveries, so tell us if you want to cancel too. For damaged or defective items after that, contact us right away and we will make it right. The full terms are on our refund policy page.
Prefer to watch instead of read?
Here’s me walking through all of this myself.
Ready to try it? Build your box. To read how Primal500 began, see Why We Started Primal500. If you eat low-carb or carnivore, see our guide to carnivore diet meat delivery.