Grocery stores have every foodstuff you can possibly need, but that does not always mean they have the highest quality things or the most selection within the categories. Many grocery stores have a section where you can get fresh meat, but often there is not as much selection or quality as from a proper butcher shop. While a chain grocery store can keep their prices low, a butcher shop will have numerous advantages over a grocery store when buying your meat.

The first reason to buy from a butcher shop is the greater knowledge of where the meat is coming from. When a butcher cuts the meat themselves, there is no question where the meat is coming from and if it has any cost saving measures in it. While grocery store meat is not something to be afraid of, the fewer middlemen between you and your meat the better.

The second reason is that a butcher is very knowledgeable about meat and can help you figure out which meat is right for what you want. A butcher spends all his time around meat and should know which meat is right for whatever you are cooking and can help you figure out which cut and how much meat you should be using.

Third, a butcher shop has better variety than a grocery store. A butcher will cut parts of meat out himself and can give you any section or thickness you may like. The butcher may even offer animals you can’t find at your grocery store.

Fourth, a butcher shop keeps your money local. Giving your money to a butcher rather than a grocery chain will help keep money within your city.

Shopping at a butcher shop may seem inconvenient when the grocer nearby also has meat, but the benefits of shopping at a butcher shop far outweigh the time spent going to a butcher shop. And who knows? You may even enjoy going to a real butcher shop.