Updated 30 September 2026
Ready-made meat boxes are great value, but sometimes you want to build your own hamper: more steak, no sausages, extra chicken for meal prep, or a joint for Sunday. Picking your own mix means you get exactly what your household eats, with nothing wasted. Here's how to build a meat hamper that works, a simple formula for the right balance, portion sizes, and when a ready-made box is the better buy.
How to build your own meat hamper online
Our build your own box page lets you pick cuts from the lookbook, and we pack them together at our butchery in Cornwall and send them in a cold box. Alternatively, simply add the products you want to your basket: every order is packed and delivered together.
The butcher's formula for a balanced hamper
For a week or two of dinners, we suggest a mix along these lines:
- Two quick-cook staples for weeknights: chicken breast and lean mince are the workhorses.
- One steak or chop option for a treat night: sirloin, rump or pork loin steaks.
- One breakfast or snack item: bacon or sausages.
- One slow-cook or roasting cut for the weekend: a joint, brisket, chuck or braising steak.
- Optional extras: burgers or meatballs for the kids, a glaze or sauce to ring the changes.
That gives you variety without buying cuts you won't use.
Example hampers
Family of four, one week - 1kg chicken breast (two dinners) - 800g lean beef mince (bolognese and cottage pie) - 4 pork loin steaks (one dinner) - 6 or 12 sausages (toad in the hole, plus breakfast) - 454g back bacon (breakfasts) - A 1kg topside or pork loin joint (Sunday roast)
Meal-prep hamper - 2kg diced chicken breast - 2kg lean beef mince - 400g extra lean rump steak strips - A couple of glazes for variety
Steak lover's hamper - A mix of sirloin, ribeye, rump and fillet - A peppercorn sauce - Burgers for the barbecue
Portions: how much to put in
| Item | Allow per person per meal (raw) |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 150–200g |
| Mince | 100–125g in a sauce |
| Steak | 170–225g (6–8oz) |
| Roasting joint (boneless) | 200–250g |
| Sausages | 2–3 |
| Bacon | 2–3 rashers |
Multiply by the number of people and the number of meals you're planning, and you have your shopping list.
When a ready-made box is better value
Before building your own, compare it with a ready-made box. Our boxes are priced as bundles, so if one matches most of what you'd pick, it's often cheaper than the same items bought separately:
- Butcher’s Budget Box (£39.99): pork loin steaks, gammon steaks, 1kg chicken breast, back bacon and sausages.
- Under £35 Freezer Fill Box (£34.99): pork loin steaks, sausages, sirloin steaks and other family favourites.
- Essential Batch Cook Box (£52.99): 2kg misshaped diced chicken and five packs of lean mince, with free sausages.
- Steak Every Day This Week Box (£58.99): sirloin, rib-eye, rump and fillet steaks with gammon and pork steaks.
A good approach is to start with a ready-made box and add a few loose extras, such as a joint or extra steaks, to make it your own.
Mistakes to avoid when building a hamper
- Too much of one thing. Five kilos of chicken breast gets boring. Mix proteins.
- No plan for the weekend cut. A joint needs a day when you're home to cook it.
- Forgetting breakfasts and lunches. Bacon, sausages and cooked leftovers stretch a hamper further.
- Ignoring pack sizes. Check the weights so you can portion them into meal-sized bags.
Planning freezer space
Before you order, check the total weight and clear space. Freeze mince, diced meat and chicken flat in bags so they stack. Put what you'll eat in the next couple of days in the fridge and freeze the rest the day it arrives. See our guide to buying meat in bulk.
Gifting a meat hamper
A meat hamper makes a great gift for a new home, a new baby (for the parents' freezer), a birthday or Christmas. Keep it to crowd-pleasers: steaks, burgers, sausages and bacon. Check the recipient has freezer space, and choose a delivery day when someone will be in. If you're not sure what they'd like, our Gift Cards (from £10.00) let them choose for themselves, and they can pick their own delivery date.
Delivery and cost
Weekday delivery is free on orders over £85 and £6.95 under, with no minimum order (Scotland: free over £80). A build-your-own hamper often goes over the free-delivery threshold on its own, so it's worth building to £85 if you have room.
More on meat boxes
- Best meat boxes in the UK: what a good box should contain
- Are meat boxes worth it? Box vs loose cuts
- Essentials hampers for a first order
Browse all meat boxes, budget boxes and freezer packs.
Build your own hamper FAQs
Can I build my own meat hamper?
Yes. Use our build your own box page, or simply add the cuts you want to your basket; everything is packed and delivered together.
What should go in a meat hamper?
A mix of quick-cook staples (chicken, mince), a treat (steak or chops), a breakfast item (bacon or sausages) and a weekend cut (a joint or slow-cook cut).
Is it cheaper to build your own hamper or buy a box?
Ready-made boxes are priced as bundles, so they're often cheaper if they match what you'd choose. Building your own gives you full control.
How much meat do I need for a week?
Roughly 150–200g of meat per person per main meal. For a family of four eating meat five nights a week, that's around 3–4kg.
How is a meat hamper delivered?
Packed at our Cornish butchery in a cold box and delivered to your door. Weekday delivery is free over £85.