Butcher Block Meats in Mandan sees increase in seafood sales

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - King Crab Legs and lobster are often seen as luxurious dinner options; Butcher Block Meats in Mandan has recently seen a slight increase in sales of those types of seafood.

Butcher Block is known for being a cut above when it comes to steaks, pork, hamburger and other fine meats but they also sell seafood. They’ve seen a bump in fish sales over the last few weeks.

Butcher Block Co-owner Dan Kraft says that’s normal for this time of year.

“We do sell more seafood when Lent starts, but not much more,” said Kraft.

He says on Fridays during Lent, when some Christians abstain from eating meat, they’ll serve up meat-free soups and sandwiches in addition to their regular menu items, and they sell out fast.

“We’ll put two or three soups on that have no meat like Wisconsin Cheese, Clam Chowder, or Lobster Bisque and we usually sell out every day,” said Kraft.

In the Christian calendar, Lent is the 40 days before Easter, meat is usually not consumed on Fridays and participants can also give up a bad habit or start a healthy routine.

“Because meat was thought of as a luxury food, but you can still have fish because poor people in ancient times were fisherman, like St. Peter,” said Gabe Thom of Minot.

Thom says Lent is a time of sacrifice, but including things such as exercise can be a way to improve mental health and that can lead to improved spirituality. Kraft says, because there are so many Walleye fisherman in the area, it’s their most popular seller. Second to Walleye are their crab legs.

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