Anatomy of a Discount Food Box

Angel Food Ministries has suspended their September 2011 orders, and there are few alternatives (MidAmerica Foods, SHARE are two).

Now is a good time to examine what you really get in a discount food box.   Let's see what's in AFM's 8/2011 Bountiful Blessing Box:

Meat:
4 lb. (avg.) Perdue Tray Pack Chicken Leg Quarters
1.5 lb. Steak Burgers (4 x 6 oz.)
1.5 lb. Bone-In Pork Chops (4 x 6 oz.)
1.5 lb. (avg.) Perdue Tray Pack Boneless Skinless
Chicken Breasts
1 lb. Deli-Sliced Ham
1 lb. Alaskan Pollock Fillets (Individually Wrapped)
1 lb. Roger Wood Sausage Dogs
1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 lb. 80/20 Lean Ground Beef


Frozen Meals:
2 lb. Gourmet Dining Garlic Chicken Dinner (Skillet-type Meal)
2 lb. Mac & Beef 
2 lb. Heat ‘n’ Eat Cheesy Broccoli Soup
 (two one pound packages each)

Vegetables:
1 lb. Spinach
1 lb. Carrots
1 lb. Green Beans
1 lb. Triple Blend Veggies
1 lb. Broccoli
 24 oz. Steak Cut French Fries
1 lb. Sugar Snap Peas
1 lb. Yellow Sweet Corn
24 oz. Hash Browns
1 lb. California Blend Veggies
 20 oz. Steam Ready Classic Blend
(Rice & Veggie Blend, 2 x 10 oz.)

Other:

7.5 oz. Break-n-Bake Cookies

In your box, that's 9 packages of meat equaling 13.5 pounds, 6 Frozen Meals, 12 packages vegetables & 1 dessert.

AFM's Bountiful Blessing Box costs $46.  To duplicate this savings, you would have to be able to buy 9 packages of meat,  6 Frozen Meals, 12 packages of Veggies, and 1 dessert - 28 items!!!

To simplify the cost of each item:  $46 divided by 28=  $1.64 each.  That is actually really amazing if you think about the cost savings.

Your budget would look like this:
9 packages of meat= $14.76
6 Frozen Meals=$9.84
12 Vegetables=$19.68
1 dessert=$1.64
Total, $45.92

But, what if you look at the cost of the vegetables?  In many supermarkets across America, packages of frozen vegetables can be had for $1 or less.   I also know for a fact that the same cookie dough included in the AFM box is only $1 at the Dollar Tree. 

So, let's take our 28 items at $1.64 each and add back .64 for each of the 12 Vegetables and the 1 Cookie Dough.  That gives you $8.32 to put into your meat budget.

Now your budget looks like this:

9  packages of meat= $23.08
6 Frozen Meals=$9.84
12 Vegetables=$12.00
1 dessert=$1.00
Total: $45.92

We already know we can buy the dessert and 12 packages of vegetables for $1 each or less.

What about the Frozen Meals?  Those are pretty expensive, right? I have to admit you would be hard pressed to walk into a grocery store without coupons or a super good deal and just pick these up for $1.64 each.

 I checked local prices and Sams' Club had 64 oz of Zatarain's Alfredo Chicken for $10.48 at my club - so that would be about $2.62 per pound.  That's way overbudget.   Sams' Club had 64 oz of Zatarain's Alfredo Chicken for $10.48 at my club - so that would be about $2.62 each.  That's way overbudget.

Now may be a time to examine whether prepared meals are a must for you or not.
I believe it is possible to buy a couple cans of soup and serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, or some macaroni & cheese boxes with some $1 hotdogs sliced thinly and have a quick, cheap no-brainer meals for those nights you don't want to cook alot.  If you want to make your own skillet meals, the Simple Dollar has a post on how to do just that.


If they are a must for your family, Aldi had some 14 ounce Asian skillet meals this week for $1.99 each  which is a little more in line with the budget, only .35 more per item than we would pay with AFM. Meijer had Boston Market or Oncor Family Meals 5 for $10 so that's only .36 per item more.

New Budget with Frozen Meals: 

9 packages of meat= $23.08
6 Frozen Meals=$11.94 (6 @ $1.99)
12 Vegetables=$12.00
1 dessert=$1.00
Total: $48.02

At this point, you can choose to keep the $48.02 budget OR take  $2.10 off your meat budget which would look like this:

9 packages of meat= $20.98
6 Frozen Meals=$11.94 (6 @ $1.99)

12 Vegetables=$12.00
1 dessert=$1.00
Total: $45.92

If you remember, the original amount of meat was 13.5 pounds.  Four pounds of that was bone-in chicken - keep that in mind.  That puts us at $1.55 a pound.   Let's go back to Meijer and see if they have any specials on bone-in chicken.

This week, bone-in Chicken at Meijer is $.99 a pound.  Four pounds would be  $3.96.  Let's separate that from our meat budget.

4 Pounds of chicken $3.96
9 POUNDS of meat= $17.02 (1.89 per pound)
6 Frozen Meals=$11.94 (6 @ $1.99)

12 Vegetables=$12.00
1 dessert=$1.00
Total: $45.92

Can we get meat for $1.89 a pound?  We can probably all agree that is tough to do!  I know it depends on your region, but I see specials all the time, and don't forget that if you save money on something else - buy that $.69 package of muffin mix instead of the $1 cookies, or get frozen vegetables on special for $.67 or $.79 which is very possible, then you can make more room in your meat budget and get it for $2 or so a pound.

Using Sundaysaver.com I did some shopping around the country:

Let's go to Missouri and check out Shop N Save where Pork Tenderloin tips are $1.98 a pound.  Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are $1.88 a pound, and John Morrell Smoked Sausages are 2 for $4.  Wegman's in Allentown, PA has boneless, skinless chicken breast for $1.99 a pound, and 80% Ground Beef for $1.99 a pound.  Whole roasting chickens are only $.88 a pound!  Whole Pork shoulder is $1.29 a pound. 


In San Francisco, CA at Safeway, you can get whole chicken for $.89 a pound, and pork loin chops for $1.99 a pound. 

Shaw's in Maine has $1.99 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast as well. 

When shopping, and you see a good deal like these, stock up!  Something different will be on sale every week, so build up some nice variety in your freezer.    Use a price book to keep track of the lowest prices in your area and soon you will be getting cheap groceries all the time, no Discount Food Box required.

RESOURCES:  http://www.sundaysaver.com/
http://www.mygrocerydeals.com/
Find a Dollar Tree