Frugal Friday: Food Ministries

Todays frugal friday topic is groceries. Specifically inexpensive groceries. There are food ministries out there that are inexpensive. I know of two in my area and they are both great! There is no income requirement. And you get a lot of food for the price you pay. The first is Angel Food Ministries. This organization is nationwide and costs just a mere $30 per month. The basic box of food is said to feed a family of four for a month. I got one box last month and the meat alone that you get is well worth the money spent. You also get frozen veggies, a dessert, boxed "meals" (such as mac n cheese), shelf stable milk, cereal, eggs, and usually some beans and/or rice. This month I will most likely get 2 boxes, it saves me on groceries and I can work with the meats and veggies provided to make some really tasty meals for my family.

The second food ministry is SHARE Food. This is a volunteer run food buying club. The only requirements that I have seen is that you do a minimum of 2 hours of volunteer work per month, and this can be as simple as teaching a Sunday school class, or working in the nursery at your church, or helping out a neighbor...very simple stuff here. The box of food usually costs about $15 - $17 and again, for what you get, is well worth the money. In the SHARE food box I have found fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, boxed meals, and desserts. I have lived in several different states and I was usually able to find a share food in the area. If you are unable to find one in your area you can organize one, just click on the link above to see more about that!

The savings that are available with food ministries is phenomenal - usually at least 50-60% off grocery store prices, and I know that without it, our grocery budget is usually stretched to the limit trying to keep food in the house with 6 people, two of them being a teenage boy, and a 9 year old boy that eats like a teenager.

Check them out and good luck!