We often get this question and like an obnoxious attorney on repeat, the answer is it depends. There are several considerations that go into selecting the right option for your family. Let's spend some time breaking those considerations down so you can order yours with confidence. But first what are my options?
The three biggest factors to consider when selecting the right beef share for your family are:
How many people are in your family?
How often you do you beef on your menu?
How big is your freezer storage?
How many people are in your family?
This is a big factor to consider when selecting the right size share for your family. If your family is 1-3 people in size, you are probably going to select our 1/12th beef share (35lbs of beef) or our ¼ beef share (125 lbs of beef). If, it is 4-5 people in size, a ½ beef share may be more appropriate for you. The next factor will help you decide between the two.
How often do you have beef on your menu?
If you are a family that doesn’t eat much meat, or likes to mix it up with chicken, pork, or fish, your needs are probably going to be met with a smaller beef share. Let’s say your family has 1-2 people, and you only eat meat once or twice a week, you will only need 28-56 lbs of beef for the year. You can satisfy this need with our 1/12th beef share purchased once or twice over a year. If, however, you are a family of 4-5, who eats beef two meals a week or more, you will need a package with at least 112lbs of meat to satisfy your family. See the chart below to help you better decide which share is best for your family.
How much storage do you have?
Of course, another factor you must consider is how much storage you have at home. A general rule is one cubic foot per 35-40 pounds of packaged meat (see source 2 below for reference). Our 1/12 beef would fit perfectly in a bottom/top drawer freezer in the house leaving room for other freezer items if you don’t own a chest freezer. The bigger beef share you buy, the better the price is, but we know that not everyone has a way to store a whole beef. Purchasing smaller beef shares is still a great option if storage is a concern. See the chart below for quick comparisons on minimum cubic feet requirements for our beef shares.
Rest assured, if you end up purchasing too big of a beef share, our beef lasts at least one year in the freezer, but I have been known to pull out cuts well over that year mark which are still completely safe to eat. Just double check the packaging for freezer burn to determine if it is still edible. Our beef is vacuum sealed so it isn’t likely to get freezer burn.
Summary
We hope this post has helped you to select the right beef share for your family. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at 937- 403-4135 and we will be happy to assist you! If you are really avoiding math at all costs, feel free to use this simple two question tool to help you pick the best option for you and your family.