Eating Cheap

[Rocket T. Coyote]

Have you ever taken advantage of a salvage food store or food pantry? Hidden Harvest and similar surplus food pantries are in many areas. Some nationally-known and local thrift stores sometimes have surplus food for the taking.

_{Some friends of mine run a food pantry out of their church where my CAP squadron meets. The milk was awful, but the frozen chicken and steaks were just fine.}

[Jade Sinapu]

I have not taken advantage of those opportunities in my area. 
I'm sure most of it is fine, however.  Also I wouldn't be ashamed to do so, in fact it's s good way to not waste food. Our country wastes food.
But so far I'm the average dog going to store like the masses. 

[Kay Alett]

I don't go to them much because they usually hand out stuff that I don't eat or I can't keep refrigerated because I don't have that kind of equipment.
But I'm not ashamed of going to such places. I don't pay attention to such stigmas.

On a similar topic though i am all about thrift stores! Love em to death. Best places to get nice clothes cheap.

[cause the rat]

Because I cook all my meals from scratch I already each cheap. Way cheaper than box meals. The upfront cost is more. But when you break it down to single meals it proves it's value. If I get stake for $18.00 and it breaks down to 10 meals that's $1.80 a meal. With vegies and home made bread I can estimate each meal costs me a bit over $3.00.

I've never been to one of those stores. I think we have one. No idea where.

 Kay, LOVE thrift stores! Good yard sales and auctions. Most of my belongs have come from these. Except my cloths. I have a hard time wearing someone else's stuff.

[Rocket T. Coyote]

I stumbled upon these food drops in my travels about town for my job. Usually, the offerings are produce and breadstuffs that are close to the sell-by date. Much of it being high-end fancier brand names. Managed to score some Pepperidge Farm cinnamon swirl bread for making French toast. (There was someone grabbing as much as she could fit in a grocery bag.) This--at a multi-purpose center in one of the townships.
Panera drops off their excess product at a senior activity center, but that's been a rare event of late. Last week, at a local thrift store, I scores brand name English muffins, free.