I was talking with a coworker a couple of weeks ago about where to find the best steaks in Iowa. Not surprisingly, there was a lot of crossover in our lists and locally-owned restaurants that source their beef from Iowa farmers dominated national chains. 

Much like Iowa farms, these restaurants have often been owned by the same family for several generations and take great pride in serving a high-quality product cooked to perfection. We’ve also seen an uptick in locally-owned meat lockers and farmers selling directly to consumers, who see the value in purchasing meat raised by their neighbors.

Even as food prices rise, beef and other meat remain high on consumer grocery lists, according to the 20th annual Power of Meat report released by the Meat Institute and Food Industry Association. 

The report found that retail meat sales reached an all-time high of $104.6 billion in 2024. The increase wasn’t just driven by higher prices, either, as the volume of pounds sold increased 2.3% compared to the previous year. 

The report said 98% of American households purchase meat, and most consumers view eggs, chicken and beef at the top of the list in their search for protein-rich foods. 

Price is an important factor for consumers at the meat counter, but taste is the ultimate driver of buying the same cut or kind of meat or poultry again. Most consumers agree that if something didn’t taste good, they won’t buy it again. 

Even though I like to try new restaurants, that’s why I find myself going to back to the same tried-and-true family favorites over and over again. One of the benefits of living in Iowa is knowing that a quality cut of meat is just around the corner.