What if I'm not home?! --> Just leave a note.
If you plan to be gone during the day(or even if you'll be home it's still not a bad idea!) when your package is likely to arrive, it's always a great idea to leave your delivery person a nice note stating where they can leave the package. In the shade and out of plain view of the street is a perfect place! **Note, we pack every order with "insurance ice" to cope with heat if it is in fact set out in the sun for a few hours. If you find your package in the sun, don't panic, bring it inside, check to make sure everything is good and cold and then unpack it into your fridge or freezer.
What do I do with my box?
Now that you've got your meat all put away, what should you do with your box? The cardboard is 100% biodegradable or recyclable and our Nature Cooler insulation panels are 100% biodegradable. Or you can store the box and use it again for a day at the lake, keeping groceries cold on your way home, or any other use you may have for a cooler!
Thawing?
Though we try to avoid any thawing at all costs, things happen. If your box arrives for whatever reason with thawing, don't throw it away. Take a picture, put everything away in the fridge/freezer, and then let us know about it asap. Grass fed meats are much different than ordinary meats in that their more alkaline properties don't readily support bacteria such as e-coli or salmonella, the main concerns with thawing and refreezing meat. If some of the meat is thawed but still cold there is a strong possibility it isn't trash. But shoot us a call or an email, we want to make sure we know about the situation and also want to make sure you're well taken care of!
Thawing for Meal Prep Tips
Now, to intentionally thaw a package of meat, we recommend putting it on a plate or bowl in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. The refrigerator is the best place to thaw meat slowly while keeping bacterial activity very low. Thawing on a plate or bowl will contain any potential leaking.... the meat packaging can sometimes have a microscopic pin hole somewhere in the plastic that occurred during shipping or through handling that you cannot find with your eyes but will become obvious once the package thaws. This is not typical but is a good precaution to avoid having to clean up your fridge.