Angel Food Menu for October

[MiMi_of_4]

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/menu_0810en.asp

[Sputterduck]

I so wish we had that here. It's something we could really use.

[JustMoi]

I just got an email about how to order from the director at our local community church that supplies it. They are only 4 miles from home, and I am definitely going to do it :)

[MiMi_of_4]

BUMP! This is an excellent way to save money on food each month!

[KatieLou]

We do have angel food here, but they menu is never FA freindly.:(

DH and I used it before we had DC, and it saved us tons! Tis a wonderful program, and I urge anyone who can, to take advantage of it.

[jessiehannan]

We don't have it here either. But I am thinking about going in shares with a friend who has 32 acres and we can do what ever we want, we are thinking about chickens and a couple of cows.

[KatieLou]

Oh wait! i just looked agian! When did they start doing a fresh fruit and veggie box? We could so do that! I wonder if it is available here too?

[MiMi_of_4]

Oh wait! i just looked agian! When did they start doing a fresh fruit and veggie box? We could so do that! I wonder if it is available here too?

The only drawback I see is that you have to buy an original box in order to get the fruit and veggie one ~ is there enough stuff in an original box that would be okay (like the steaks, pork, pasta, etc.) to justify buying it?

We've found that even if we don't eat many of the prepared foods (give to dd for her family), we still can't buy what we do eat as cheaply at the grocery store.

AFAIK, the extras are available at all distribution points ~ we did one in July and the produce was of excellent quality!

[MiMi_of_4]

We don't have it here either. But I am thinking about going in shares with a friend who has 32 acres and we can do what ever we want, we are thinking about chickens and a couple of cows.

If there is one within driving distance, even with the price of gas, you'd still get more bang for your buck than at a grocery stores. Just take a cooler full of ice for your frozen stuff!

[MiMi_of_4]

And I forgot to mention, you can buy more than one of any of the packages, including the regular or senior box. You just have to purchase one of them in order to buy any of the add-ons.

[jessiehannan]

If there is one within driving distance, even with the price of gas, you'd still get more bang for your buck than at a grocery stores. Just take a cooler full of ice for your frozen stuff!
They just don't have one here.

[MiMi_of_4]

jessie, I thought you were in Austin ~

[jessiehannan]

I live outside of Austin, almost in the middle between Austin and Brenham. When I put in my zipcode it didn't pull up anything at all. It has to be in a 50 mile range according to the site. :(

[vulturemom]

sigh, Still none close to us.

[KatieLou]

I live outside of Austin, almost in the middle between Austin and Brenham. When I put in my zipcode it didn't pull up anything at all. It has to be in a 50 mile range according to the site. :(


You might still ask around. there are two sights here, but neither are showed up on the site search.

[RaisingThemLeft]

I found one close to my house. It sounds like a really good deal! I might try it this month.

[KatieLou]

The only drawback I see is that you have to buy an original box in order to get the fruit and veggie one ~ is there enough stuff in an original box that would be okay (like the steaks, pork, pasta, etc.) to justify buying it?

We've found that even if we don't eat many of the prepared foods (give to dd for her family), we still can't buy what we do eat as cheaply at the grocery store.

AFAIK, the extras are available at all distribution points ~ we did one in July and the produce was of excellent quality!

hmm. forgot about that. We would be able to eat frozen non breaded chicken breasts, and possibly the steak and pork, provided that it was not preseasoned, marinated, or presevered.

[jessiehannan]

Maybe they will have one closer to here by tax time. I will look into how much it will cost to go into shares with my friend, but cattle around here are pretty cheap. I am not so sure about the chickens, we don't eat bone in chicken a lot.

[MiMi_of_4]

jessie, I sent you a pm.

[jessiehannan]

Thanks Mimi

[jessiehannan]

I called and talked to them, and since my friends are just as poor as we are, and horrible at budgeting, we are going to take their car and split the cost of gas.
It will help a lot on us getting a variety of things, I always buy chicken and roast or steak. It will also be great because the end of the month, when it is delivered is the lean time of the month for us. If it is already bought and paid for, I don't have to worry about it.

[Macabe]

do you have to be a senior to get a senior box?

[chickabiddy]

do you have to be a senior to get a senior box?

Definitely not at the church where I order, and I think not in general.

[Pamire]

I so wish that they had it up here in WA. Sigh, oh well.

[MiMi_of_4]

do you have to be a senior to get a senior box?

Not here you don't (my sis, who's not a senior got a box last month) and I can't imagine them limiting it to seniors anywhere. AFAIK, it's named that because it's set up to benefit seniors who need well-balanced meals that are just enough food for one or two persons/meal.

[MiMi_of_4]

I called and talked to them, and since my friends are just as poor as we are, and horrible at budgeting, we are going to take their car and split the cost of gas.
It will help a lot on us getting a variety of things, I always buy chicken and roast or steak. It will also be great because the end of the month, when it is delivered is the lean time of the month for us. If it is already bought and paid for, I don't have to worry about it.

I'm so happy this is going to work out for you, jessie!

[RaisingThemLeft]

I contacted the person in charge of the one near me and he got right back to me. I'm going to try it this month. We just bought a house and this will help us with our food bill. I'm going to tell my SIL too. This will really benefit both of our families. Thanks Mimi!

[jessiehannan]

The chicken tenders alone cover the cost of gas. You can't beat $1.80 a lb for breaded chicken strips, I can't even make them that cheap.

[MiMi_of_4]

No kidding, if you bought one of everything (excluding the senior meals ~ which are a bargain at $2.80 for an entire balanced meal), the price would total $132.00. For that you could stock your freezer with about 37 pounds of meat, plus fresh veggies, fruits and side dishes.

[jessiehannan]

We are buying almost all of it, except for the Tbone package and the senior package. I may change my mind about the steaks though, and it is 41 lbs of meat. Which would feed us for over a month. I may have to look into a deep freeze!

[MiMi_of_4]

We bought a small deep freeze last fall for the express purpose of purchasing Angel Food. I keep coming up with a hair over 37 pounds of meat, though ~ 12 for the regular box and 25.25 for the extras...am I missing meat somewhere?

[Teresa64]

Seriously. I wish they had that here. Anyone want to shop and send it to me???

[Teresa64]

that was a jk. Although it would be nice...lol

[jessiehannan]

Let me redo my math, I am including the meatballs and hot dogs too.
Eh, my math was wrong. Dh was jabbering in my ear at the same time I was doing the math, and I messed it up. MiMi is right.

[FrznPolarAngel]

Would be a wonderful thing here in Alaska, too! :(

[RaisingThemLeft]

They give all kinds of info on the site about starting one up at your church. So if you attend church, then you might be able to start an Angel Food Ministry there.

[MiMi_of_4]

Other organizations sponsor them, too. I know one of the pick-up places in Austin is a school.

[ammtimes3]

That would really help us out but there isn't one near me. The closest is in Southern Utah and that would take too much gas.

[Macabe]

Definitely not at the church where I order, and I think not in general.
excellent! i need quick/easy lunches during this maternity leave.

[Nipple_nectar]

Mims~ do you use this program? This looks fantastic:)

[FrznPolarAngel]

Seriously, it is too bad there isn't something like that here. I don't know how many families here on lower income survive! My family of 3 spend at least 1200 a month on groceries!

I am going to work diligently on getting it under 1k next month. Wish me luck!

[jessiehannan]

Seriously, it is too bad there isn't something like that here. I don't know how many families here on lower income survive! My family of 3 spend at least 1200 a month on groceries!

I am going to work diligently on getting it under 1k next month. Wish me luck!

Could you go to a church and see if they would start one?

[MiMi_of_4]

Mims~ do you use this program? This looks fantastic:)

We've done this every month except two since last August. It IS a fantastic program and has improved both in quantity and quality in just a year!

When we first started getting it, we gave quite a bit to our dd for her family and daycare, because I don't deep fry anything, but in the past few months, their food has become "purer" (for lack of a better word), and for the most part, we eat everything ~ except the desserts. I am a bit picky about my pies, etc., so we do share those!

We ate every morsel from the fruit/veggie box in July!

[FrznPolarAngel]

Could you go to a church and see if they would start one?

Wouldn't know which church that would be open to undertake a project of this magnitude. From what I understand, takes a lot of manpower to make this happen, however, I would volunteer to help if such a program would to surface here.

[HIJKMommy]

I am calling on Monday to see what we can get.

[Monkeytoes]

I really want to do this, we need it badly but it seems the pickup days are Sat and Dh works. Damnit!

[MiMi_of_4]

Monkey, ask around and see if somebody will pick up your order ~ heck, pay them a few bucks for gas and you'll still come out ahead!

[MiMi_of_4]

And for those of you who didn't order this month, but plan to in the future, you might try going to your distribution center today and see if they have an extras (or leftovers) this month you could purchase. I suggested this option to Just Moi on her thread about cutting expenses ~

[Babyblue]

I have honestly never looked in this thread before, and there are several places within 20-30 mins from my house, I have to show this to dh when he gets home.

[MiMi_of_4]

I try to post a monthly reminder about it, Babyblue, since we are always getting new members, but I *think* I forgot to post it last month. A friend on another board finally got a distribution center in her hometown, and thanked me for letting her know this existed several years ago when she needed some help for her dad ~ so I scurried right back here and posted the menu for October.

[FrznPolarAngel]

Mimi, I think it is a wonderful thing you do to keep others in mind. **big hugs**

[cream_city]

There's no way we could get all the food in that regular box for $65 here -- I'm really starting to think that groceries are out of control here in cost...

I am thinking about getting a box next month.

I wouldn't be taking food from people who really really need it, would I?

[chickabiddy]

It is not subsidized, so you will not be taking food from anyone. The costs are low because of bulk/wholesale orders and grunt work done by volunteers. (My daughter and I helped unload trucks this morning, and we signed up to do it again next month. If you feel moved to do the same, you could ask the host church if they need helpers. :) )

[MiMi_of_4]

Mimi, I think it is a wonderful thing you do to keep others in mind. **big hugs**

Thanks, love! This program came to my attention while I was coordinating Teen REACH, our district's after school program. Many of my kids came from families who were struggling to put food in their tummies, so I researched it and ultimately not only recommended it to their parents, but I sent information home with my classroom students, as well.

DH and I had never taken advantage of the program, however, because early on, a lot of the food was prepackaged (which was great for my Teen REACH kids, because a lot of times they were having to prepare their own meals) and/or processed (didn't absolutely thrill me, but hey, processed food is better than going hungry) and I tend to cook mostly from scratch.

However, in the last year or so, the menu has expanded to include fresh items, more meat, and less canned and boxed items :) My daughter reminded me about the program right after I retired, and we've been participating ever since.

With the expense of food items skyrocketing, preparing three meals a day for my dh and myself became pricey (when he was a principal, he ate breakfast and lunch for free, and I ate breakfast and lunch at school for a song), so it has helped lower our food budget immensely.

I can't say enough good things about this program, and the best part is this ~ the more people who use it, the less they have to pay for items, because they purchase in bulk quantities, so the quality and quantity just keeps getting better and better. Plus they have begun to offer such things as the senior package on a regular basis :)

We've done the senior package a couple of times (a couple of times at the beginning of dd's last pregnancy, so she'd have balanced lunches), in addition to the fruit/veggie package and extra meat packages. During the holidays last year, they also offered a package with sausages, cheese, etc. and a coffee package, which we purchased (along with a meat and fruits/veggie package) and gave as gifts to a family.

chicka, DH and I should follow your lead and volunteer to help, too!