Merged Topics: Angel Food Ministries Reports & Experiences

[TimSuggs]

Hi All!  As things get tighter and tighter around the wallet, this is a resource that my family and I are about to become users of.  I personally know of several other families that I have turned towards this food resource and all have come away with nothing but praise.  I don't know how widespread they are, so there may not be one in your neck of the woods.  Here's the link: 

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Here's the menu for November:

1.5 lb. New York Strip Steak (4 x 6 oz.)

3 lb.    IQF Split Chicken
Breast

2 lb.    Baby Back Pork Ribs

2 lb.    Chicken Chunks

28 oz. Jumbo Charbroiled Beef Patties with Gravy

1 lb.    Smoked Sausage

1 lb.    Ground Turkey

1 lb.    Green Beans

1 lb.    Diced Sweet Potatoes

10 oz. Peanut Butter

15 oz. Cranberry Sauce

7 oz.   Beef-Flavored Rice & Vermicelli

20 oz.  Shoestring Fries

32 oz.  2% Reduced Fat Shelf-Stable Milk

6 oz.   Pancake Mix

           One Dozen Eggs

           One Dessert Item


$30.00

They also have "specials" and a 10  Box Meal Senior selection (below) (complete meal in a box) for $28.00


Sweet 'n Sour Chicken: Slow-Cooked Chicken Chunks served in a Sweet 'n Sour Sauce over Steamed Rice. Steamed Broccoli with Mushroom Pieces accompanied by Wax Beans.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: Spaghetti Noodles served with a Rich Traditional Italian Meat Sauce, Seasoned Italian Green Beans, Diced Pears and an Oatmeal Cookie.

Chili Con Carne: Chili Con Carne with Ground Beef served with Elbow Macaroni, Carrot Coins and Beets with Onions.

Chicken with Creole Sauce: Tender Chicken Pieces served with Classic Creole Sauce, accompanied by Mashed Potatoes, Peas with Mushrooms and Pineapple Chunks.

Ground Beef Teriyaki Stir Fry: Seasoned Ground Beef with a Teriyaki-Flavored Sauce served over Penne Noodles, accompanied by Lemon Pepper Green Beans, and a Sugar Cookie.
 
Chicken Ala King: Luscious Chicken in traditional Ala King-Style Sauce, served over Rice, with Seasoned Green Beans and Sliced Beets.

Beef Cabbage Casserole: Seasoned Ground Beef interlaced with delicious Cabbage Leaves, served with Creamed Potatoes and Green Peas with Carrots.

Chicken Rice Pilaf: Tender White Chicken served over perfect White Rice Pilaf, accompanied by Broccoli Cuts with Diced Red Peppers and a Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Turkey Tetrazzini: Diced Turkey in a luscious Cream Sauce with Mushroom Pieces served over Spaghetti, accompanied by Seasoned Green Beans with Onions and Italian Seasoned Diced Tomatoes.

Chicken Stew: Slow-Cooked White Chicken with Diced Potatoes and Diced Tomatoes lightly seasoned and folded into a Chicken-Flavored Broth. Stew is served over lightly seasoned Rice with a side dish of Sliced Celery and Carrot Coins, a Southern Biscuit and Apple Sauce for dessert.

So if your looking for ways to stretch your food dollar, check 'em out.

Tim Suggs
Birmingham, AL. USA!
 

[DeltaEchoVictor]

I called my local coordinator after seeing your post TS.  All I can say is WOW!  & I can't say it loud enough.  I spoke with her for about 15 minutes & I'm going down this Saturday to order for November. 

Anybody can use this service & if you've even thought about trying to save on groceries, you owe it to yourself to see if you have this program near you.  Thanks very much Tim for posting this.

I'd +10 you if I could.

[TimSuggs]

I called my local coordinator after seeing your post TS.  All I can say is WOW!  & I can't say it loud enough.  I spoke with her for about 15 minutes & I'm going down this Saturday to order for November. 

Anybody can use this service & if you've even thought about trying to save on groceries, you owe it to yourself to see if you have this program near you.  Thanks very much Tim for posting this.

I'd +10 you if I could.

Thank you kind Sir!  It is not so much for the kudo points that I post, but to "Serve and Protect" even after the badges have gathered a few layers of dust.  One of these days I'll actually figure out the kudo points and who knows, if I have enough points by the time I do figure them out, I might be able to trade them in for valuable and exciting prizes <grin> (I really have no idea what they're for). 

Like I said in my original post, I have steered many a family (both +$$$ and -$$$) to them, and I have yet to hear a single negative.  I don't want to say this is the "rule" rather than the "exception", but one single mom with two teenaged daughters that I told about the program told me that everytime she went, not only did she get her "normal" $30.00 box of food, but they also had "extra" that they tried their best to dispose of for free.  She told me that every time she went that they would tell her "...and swing by the cooler and get you 4 gallons of milk...".  She would tell them she didn't "need" 4 gallons of milk and they would tell her "...Dear, God gave them to us, we are giving them to you, you do what your heart tells you is right...", so she would pass them out to her neighbors at her apartment building.  We are placing an order for approximated $107.00 for the Oct. pickup date, and according to my Wife (she who must be obeyed... ALWAYS), it should feed us for the month.  Wow, feed a family of THREE, for a MONTH, for $107.00!  I have learned it is in my best interest not to question her, so I don't.  However, when she's wrong, I usually point it out in a subtle, yet manly way <grin>.  I wish you my friend the best of luck with it, and I will post my musings about the whole process after I get my T-shirt (as in "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt...).

Tim Suggs
Birmingham, AL. USA!

[millerized1]

I had good luck with a purchase back in June.  I bought the entire deal, all 3 extra "deals" of meat as well.  Everything tasted better (due to the cost ) than store bought.  The chicken box and the grill box were great. The breaded chicken worked amazingly well in the oven or toaster oven....all came out great. The burgers and the rest of the grill box tasted perfect off the grill. The entire beef box got put in the trash.  Not sure if it was defrosted once before we got it or if it was bad to begin with, but the meat was inedible. The filet minions, the steaks, the entire box tasted and smelled bad.  Several items weren't sealed, or their vacuum pouched had failed and were burnt.  We chalked it up to chance and drove on.
 
Would I get it again? Sure would.  Helps out a great cause. In fact, we had just sent out our order for the next buy.  With only 2 people in the household, it takes a while to go through that much food when coupled with rotating stores.

Help out your local church, help out yourself.

(careful on speaking the truth others can't handle....those kudo points don't last long....don't ask how I know )

[TimSuggs]

The entire beef box got put in the trash.  Not sure if it was defrosted once before we got it or if it was bad to begin with, but the meat was inedible. The filet minions, the steaks, the entire box tasted and smelled bad.  Several items weren't sealed, or their vacuum pouched had failed and were burnt.  We chalked it up to chance and drove on.

(careful on speaking the truth others can't handle....those kudo points don't last long....don't ask how I know )

Wow, that sucks!  That was awful you lost an entire box of meat.  Thanks for the heads up that it can happen, I'll check our order very, very carefully.  Thanks for the other heads up as well, I'm pretty opinionated (but open minded), and I speak what's on my mind fairly straightforward.  I'm sure I'll tick off a person every now and then, but hey, I figure if I don't get under somebody's skin every once in a while, then I'm just coasting and like "they" say... "The view only changes for the lead dog...".  Thanks my friend!

Tim Suggs
Birmingham, AL. USA!

[johnh2os]

Has anyone else here used Angel Food Ministries? We picked up our order today (first time using them) and was pleasently surprised, the value is great and you are paying for name brand food(but about 50% discount).....a weeks worth of food for a family of 4 is $30. Check it out, we did and are very pleased.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/menu_0811en.asp

John

**Topic merged with current discussion to prevent duplication**

[edibleyards]

Thank you so much for posting this! I researched it and found the order/pickup locations in my area, and also researched SHARE of Florida who does the same thing. I unfortunately missed the Nov. deadline because I just remembered I would have to place my order, but I'm looking forward to trying it out next month, and it will be a big help for us because we are really struggling right now.

[Zombie Axe]

Have used angel food in the past. Great eats for a decent price IMHO. Need to get back into it to stock up

[KyFarmer]

We help with this at our church.  Great service.  Good "education" for your kids too...have them go with you to drop off the packages.

[TexSquirrel]

We tried it in November.
Things I liked:
All the veggies and fruit were from American growers!!!
Good price.
Frozen items were thoroughly frozen.

Things that made me wonder:
Some apples would not turn brown even when left half eaten. Made me wonder what chemicals I fed to my 2 year old.

Things I didn't like.
The meat was not as lean as we normally buy.
Since we have a freezer stocked full of venison it is not a huge deal, but for those of you who need to watch their fat intake, you might want to look elsewhere.
The November delivery was about 4 hours late so it involved a lot of waiting. (I was told this is not normal)

I think it is a good value for anyone trying to reduce their eating budget, but be aware of the possible high fat foods.
If you're in debt it beats rice and beans! 

[RonH2K]

I did see one other mention of this service elsewhere on the boards, but this is something that probably warrants repetition!

I'm not sure if everyone is familiar with this or not, but there is a real blessing out there called Angel Food Ministries.  You can find out everything about this wonderful program at http://www.angelfoodministries.com .

From the site:

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing grocery relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States.  Angel Food is available in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at a price of $30 per unit.  Each month's menu is different and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month.  The food is all the same high quality one could purchase at a grocery store.  There are no second-hand items, no damaged or out-dated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads, and no produce that is almost too ripe.

Also offered are specialty boxes such as steaks, chicken, and pork.  Many participants in this bonus program appreciate the expanded choices.

There is NO LIMIT to the number of units or bonus foods an individual can receive and there are NO APPLICATIONS to complete or NO QUALIFICATIONS to which participants must adhere.

The following is a Sample Menu of what was recently in a basic $30 box:

-4 lb. IQF Leg Quarters.
-4 oz. Beef Back Ribs.
-1 lb. 80/20 Lean Ground Beef.
-2 lb. Breaded Chicken Tenders.
-18 oz. Stuffed Manicottie (Cheese).
-12 oz. Smoked Sausage.
-Betty Crocker Seasoned Potatoes.
-7 oz. Cheeseburger Dinner.
-16 oz. Green Beans.
-16 oz. Baby Carrots.
-2 lb. Onions.
-1 lb. Pinto Beans.
-1 lb. Rice.
-7 oz. Blueberry Muffin Mix.
-10 ct. Homestyle Waffles.
-Dessert Item.


I cannot stress this enough... ...this is NOT charity.  It is a bargain AND a blessing.  There are no qualifications, minimums, income restrictions, or applications.  This is simply leveraging the power of group purchasing to save YOU money.

Distribution points (usually churches that do this as a ministry) are all over the place.  Check the site to see if there's one near you.  You do have to pay in advance and before a certain deadline each month, so definitely check the site for those dates.  You Dave Ramsey fans will be happy to hear that they only accept Cash or Check... ...no Credit Cards.  LOL.

My family has been doing this for three (3) months now and I can personally vouch for the quality and quantity of the food.  The financial savings has been remarkable.  Try it ONCE and see if you aren't amazed at how much food you get for the money.

The website says that some churches ask their members to participate in the program and use the savings to help others.  That is certainly a wonderfully noble undertaking.  Another option, that should resonate here is to take those savings and advance your preparations.  Use that money to live a better life if things get bad... ...or even if they don't!

I sincerley hope you'll find a local distribution center and give this a try.  I also hope you find it to be as much of a help as we have!

Best wishes!

[Hraz]

Ron,

This is awesome. Thanks!

Rich H.

[gigaJack]

Cool, there is a distribution site in our area. We are going to give it a try for their January menu.

We have been in a food funk lately. All the meals we make just don't sound good anymore. Dining out is as much as a bore as everything else. Our kids are feeling the same way.

We started to experiment with chicken stew/soup we call it "chicken stup". It is on the chunky side. There was a little old lady on YouTube making meals that she ate during the depression. So far we have not been able to screw it up. Everything we dump into the pot turns out tasting great. The kids like it also. The smell woke them up one night and we all sat and ate stup till 11pm. Also on the plus side it turns out to be cheaper to cook from scratch, who would of known  .

gigaJack

[Hraz]

I just made a great meal with potatoes, onions, olive oil and cheese:

This is a variation on Nigel Slater's blue cheese and potato pie. It works particularly well at this time of the year, because the new potato skins add interest to the texture. Any hard cheese would suit -- as would any blue one. A generous portion for two.

600g new potatoes, scraped
4 onions, each cut in half then cut into chunks
Olive oil
150g Gruyere, grated
Salt, pepper

Put the potatoes into cold water in a saucepan, bring slowly to the boil, and simmer gently until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, fry the onions in enough oil to prevent their catching on the pan, until soft and golden. About 20 minutes.

Roughly mash the potatoes with a fork, leaving them slightly lumpy. Stir in the onions and cheese. Add a little salt (the cheese is salty), and pepper according to taste. You could grate over a little nutmeg if you like.

Tip into a warm gratin dish, and bake in a gas mark 6/200C oven for about 15 minutes.

[TimSuggs]

http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=605.0

Here's where ya saw it Ron.

Tim.

[Kisster]

Hi, I'm new here but we've been using Angel Food since August. I have absolutely no regrets. It has helped to cut our grocery bill in half and we have been able to start a nice stockpile of food. I've been impressed with the quality of the food as well, since the cuts of meat have been better (and far cheaper) than what I could get at the grocery store.

[Hraz]

I'm going on Friday to pick up my first load. The volunteers were very nice. God bless all those who volunteer. It said on the paper they hand out, "If you eat, you qualify".

[simpleguy]

We started to experiment with chicken stew/soup we call it "chicken stup". It is on the chunky side.

I refuse to make soup at my house....I want to EAT....we only make stoop/stup.  I thought I was the only one.

 

[BigDanInTX]

Told my wife about this last night.  Let me tell you how this conversation started...

I tell her there's this organization founded by a group of people, not really a church...  She says...  "IT'S A CULT!"  Yes, this is what I'm working with.  Someone who jumps to conclusions at the drop of a hat.  So, I ask her to let me finish.  When I'm done, I tell her that I was thinking we could get one 1-week box and see how it goes.  "Okay."  6 months ago, she would have laughed me out of the room, calling me a nut.

She doesn't like the idea of powdered milk, but I told her we could put it on the shelf with everything else we're storing in case we need it some day.

So, we're in for February.  =-]

[mrs gator]

I think February might be our first month doing it. A church not three miles down the road is a pick up location...I'll have to find out when the next menu will be out.

[TimSuggs]

Just make sure to leave yourselves lots of reminders of the order date.  It's sooooo easy to let it slip by and then you got to wait another whole month before you can place the next order.  Some places have a ridgid order date, others are a little more flexible.

Tim.

[RonH2K]

She doesn't like the idea of powdered milk, but I told her we could put it on the shelf with everything else we're storing in case we need it some day.

The "2% Shelf Stable Milk" is actually not powdered milk.  It is a 32 oz. container of milk that simply doesn't have to be refrigerated until opened.  It comes in one of those waxy cardboard containers.  The container is similar to what kids' juice boxes come in.  That's the best way I know to describe it.  And... ...the stuff tastes like regular 2% milk to me!  I was surprised!

Picked up the January shipment here, yesterday.  Yummy stuff.  Planning on grilling up some of the steaks tonight!

 

[BigDanInTX]

The "2% Shelf Stable Milk" is actually not powdered milk.  It is a 32 oz. container of milk that simply doesn't have to be refrigerated until opened.  It comes in one of those waxy cardboard containers.  The container is similar to what kids' juice boxes come in.  That's the best way I know to describe it.  And... ...the stuff tastes like regular 2% milk to me!  I was surprised!

Nice...thanks for letting us know.  Shelf life of it?  May be nice to have some on-hand to augment the powdered I have now.  =-]

[Roswell]

My wife and I have ordered from there 3 times and never been disappointed.  The food does tend to be on the fatty side, but as long as you keep this in mind when getting food to  supplement it you will be fine. 

Nice...thanks for letting us know.  Shelf life of it?  May be nice to have some on-hand to augment the powdered I have now.  =-]

The milk I bought in my December package is set to expire in November.  The box says, "2% reduced fat milk, Grade A, Vitamins A & D, 37% less fat than whole milk, no preservatives added, This milk is specially packaged to keep it fresh, safe and pure, when unopened and without refrigeration naturally produced without artificial hormones"


This milk is made to be stored.  I like it and thought it tasted fine.  I now have two boxes stored just in case though.  If your wife doesn't want to drink it for whatever reason she could still cook with it.  I did and my cornbread was delicious. 

[BigDanInTX]

Very cool, thank you.  =-]

[NightOwl]

We tried Angel Food a while back.  It was a pretty good deal, though I had two specific complaints.

1.  They try to give the best nutrition for the money, so a large part of it is meat.  My wife and kids aren't vegetarians, but I am one and I do most of our cooking. 

2.  The box of corn flakes was made in South America.  It tasted okay I suppose, but why haul it in from another continent when there's plenty of cheap domestic production?  It's not like generic corn flakes are made of gold.

But otherwise it was good.  Look into it if you need protein and are on a tight budget.

[BigDanInTX]

I placed an order for a 1-week box yesterday.  I wanted to order a full-month's worth, but I promised the wife we'd try it.  =-]

[TimSuggs]

I placed an order for a 1-week box yesterday.  I wanted to order a full-month's worth, but I promised the wife we'd try it.  =-]

Didn't know you could do that, but usually, if I pay attention real close, I learn something new every year or two <grin>.  Let us know what you think about the contents when you get it BigDan!

Tim.

[Roswell]

Thanks for reminding me I need to check on the due date this month for ordering.

[BigDanInTX]

My first order came in today.  I just ordered one box, but I was pleasantly surprised at what we received.  Even my wife was pleased.  We're going to be ordering two boxes next month and the veggie/fruit add-on.  I had to put all of the meat in the deep freeze and that forced me to finally clean that thing out.  I had stuff in there from 2002...  I pulled out a package and told my 6½ year old..."This is older than you are!"  (sad, but funny)

The people at my location were super friendly and helpful.  They are also set up for Paypal, which makes my life easier.  =-]