Is it safe to order meat online?

Yes, from established sellers that ship it frozen in insulated boxes. Check that it is still frozen or very cold when it arrives and freeze it right away.

How long can meat stay in the freezer?

Meat kept frozen at 0°F or colder stays safe indefinitely. For best quality, use vacuum-sealed steaks and roasts within 12 to 24 months and ground beef within 3 to 6 months. Meat in regular store wrap is best within 4 to 12 months for steaks and roasts and 3 to 4 months for ground meat.

Is frozen meat safe after the date on the package?

Yes. If it was safe when it went into the freezer and has stayed frozen at 0°F, it is safe to eat. Package dates are for quality, not safety, once meat is frozen.

Where to Buy Meat Online

Good recipes start with good meat. When you can't get to a butcher you trust, ordering online is a great way to get grass-fed beef, quality steaks and freezer-friendly boxes delivered to your door, packed frozen.

We may earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our recipes free.

Our picks

Florida Premium Beef: Grassfed Beef Steak Lovers BoxGrass-fed steaks, shipped frozen
A box of grass-fed steaks delivered to your door, made for the ribeye, strip and filet recipes on this site.
Shop the Steak Lovers Box
Florida Premium Beef: Pastured Non-GMO Whole ChickenWhole chicken, shipped frozen
A pasture-raised whole chicken for roasting, soups and our lemon herb roast chicken.
Shop whole chicken
Meatzy: meat delivery boxesMeat boxes, shipped frozen
Meat delivery boxes shipped frozen, handy for stocking the freezer before game day or a cookout.
Shop Meatzy

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Tips for ordering meat online

Unpack the box as soon as it arrives. The meat should still be frozen or very cold; put it straight into the freezer.
Thaw in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Allow about a day for every 4 to 5 pounds. See our cooking guide for safe cooking temperatures.
Write the date on each package so you know how long it has been in the freezer.
Not sure which cut you need? Our beef cuts chart and steak recipes by cut can help.

How long meat and seafood keep in the freezer

Keep your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or colder and meat stays safe to eat for as long as it stays frozen. At that temperature bacteria can't grow. The catch is that it has to stay frozen the whole time, from the store or delivery box to your freezer, without thawing along the way.

What changes over time is quality, not safety. Meat slowly dries out and loses flavor, and air is the main culprit, which is why the packaging matters so much.

Vacuum-sealed, flash-frozen meat

These times are for vacuum-sealed, flash-frozen meat, the way most mail-order meat and seafood arrives. Meat in regular store wrap is best used sooner; rewrapping it airtight helps.

Meat	Best within
Beef steaks and roasts	12 to 24 months
Ground beef	3 to 6 months
Chicken	9 to 18 months
Pork	6 to 12 months
Fish and seafood	6 to 12 months

Meat in regular store wrap

For meat frozen at home in its supermarket tray and plastic wrap, the USDA recommends these shorter times. If you plan to keep a store package frozen for more than two months, wrap it again in heavy-duty foil, freezer paper or a freezer bag with the air pressed out.

Meat	Best within
Beef, pork and lamb steaks and roasts	4 to 12 months
Pork chops	4 to 6 months
Ground beef and other ground meat	3 to 4 months
Whole chicken or turkey	12 months
Chicken or turkey pieces	9 months
Lean fish, such as cod, flounder and haddock	6 to 8 months
Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna	2 to 3 months
Shrimp, scallops, crab and lobster	3 to 6 months

Past these times, meat is still safe to cook. It just may not taste as good.

Bottom line: these are best-by guidelines for quality, not expiration dates.

Store-wrap times follow guidance from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to order meat online?: Yes, from established sellers that ship it frozen in insulated boxes. Check that it is still frozen or very cold when it arrives and freeze it right away.
How long can meat stay in the freezer?: Meat kept frozen at 0°F or colder stays safe indefinitely. For best quality, use vacuum-sealed steaks and roasts within 12 to 24 months and ground beef within 3 to 6 months. Meat in regular store wrap is best within 4 to 12 months for steaks and roasts and 3 to 4 months for ground meat.
Is frozen meat safe after the date on the package?: Yes. If it was safe when it went into the freezer and has stayed frozen at 0°F, it is safe to eat. Package dates are for quality, not safety, once meat is frozen.

More guides: Safe temperatures | Cooking times | Steak doneness chart | Beef cuts chart | Kosher and halal cuts