If you are one of my local readers, there are distribution sites in Monroe, Bedford Township and Dundee, Mich. Grocery orders can be placed on line at www.angelfoodministries.com or bring cash, bank card or Michigan Bridge Card to the local sites during their office hours (which can also be found on the Angel Food site):

• Dundee Assembly of God, 13790 South Custer Rd., Dundee: Pickups will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 19.
• Bedford Church of the Nazarene, 7866 Douglas Rd., Lambertville: 10 a.m. to noon Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays. All orders due Dec. 7. Pickups will be 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 12.
• Monroe Church of the Nazarene, 3401 S. Custer Rd., Monroe: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Nov. 21, 10 to 11 a.m. Dec. 5; 1 to 2 p.m. Dec. 8. Pickups will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Dec. 19.

If you are wondering what this program is all about, click through my Angel Food Ministries archives.

But as I’ve been doing my recent speaking appearances in the Monroe and Toledo areas, I’m finding that the grocery-by-the-box programs are the money-saving option that  people know the least about about.

At least three different services have been providing groceries in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio during the past couple of years: Angel Food Ministries, Great Food For All, and an independent program that was offered at a Detroit church. There have been repeated feature stories and public service announcements in Monroe, Detroit and Toledo media outlets on these programs. One of the first posts on Monroe on a Budget linked to such a news article.

So I’m really not sure why this option seems to be a frugalista’s best-kept secret. It works really well in conjunction with, or in lieu of, coupon clipping tricks for other products.

The grocery-by-the box program that is most accessible to my local readers is Angel Food Ministries. There are three delivery Angel Food sites in Monroe County, Mich. There are no income qualifications for this program, and no applications. The only red tape is that you have to order and pay for the groceries in advance, and pick them up on the designated date. (Click on the link for all the details).

This is the $30 standard box from Angel Food that I ordered for pickup today at Monroe Church of the Nazarene in Monroe, Mich. Yummy stuff! I’m particularly happy with the nice piece of ham. We also have tortillas, eggs, a stir fry dish, fish sticks, steak and apples.

If you are a regular customer, be aware that the November delivery dates have been moved up one week because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The Thanksgiving box orders also are due Oct. 28 – which is earlier than the regular grocery orders.

For my local readers, there are distribution sites in Monroe, Bedford Township and Dundee. Grocery orders can be placed on line at www.angelfoodministries.com or bring cash, bank card or Michigan Bridge Card to the delivery sites during their office hours:

• Dundee Assembly of God, 13790 South Custer Rd., Dundee, Mich. Office hours are during 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 24, or 10:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 5 and Nov. 7. Online will be accepted until Nov. 12 for regular boxes. The deadline is Oct. 28 for Thanksgiving boxes. Pickups will be Nov. 21.
• Bedford Church of the Nazarene, 7866 Douglas Rd., Lambertville, Mich.: 10 a.m. to noon Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays. Orders accepted until Nov. 9 for regular boxes, Oct. 28 for Thanksgiving boxes. Pickups will be Nov. 14.
• Monroe Church of the Nazarene, 3401 S. Custer Rd., Monroe, Mich.: 9:30-11 a.m. Oct. 24; 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Nov. 1 Nov. 7; 1 to 2 p.m. Nov. 10. Online orders accepted until Nov. 12 for regular boxes, Oct. 28 for Thanksgiving boxes. Pickups will be Nov. 21.

(updated on Oct. 21 with Dundee’s office hours)

Angel Food Ministries is one of several discount grocery purchase programs that exist across the country. There are three delivery sites in Monroe County, Mich.

For my local readers, There are distribution sites in Monroe, Bedford Township and Dundee, Mich. Grocery orders can be placed on line at www.angelfoodministries.com or bring cash, bank card or Michigan Bridge Card to the local sites during their office hours:

Dundee Assembly of God, 13790 South Custer Rd., Dundee: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday Sept. 26, during the September pickups; or between 10:30 a.m. and noon Oct. 8 and Oct. 10.

Bedford Church of the Nazarene, 7866 Douglas Rd., Lambertville: 10 a.m. to noon Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays.

Monroe Church of the Nazarene, 3401 S. Custer Rd.: 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday Sept. 26, during the September pickups; or from 1 to 2 p.m. Oct. 6, or 10 to 11 a.m. Oct. 10.

The October pickup day wil be Oct. 17 in Bedford; Oct. 24 in Monroe and Dundee.

Monroe Naz’ “above and beyond” hospitality arrangements include a prayer box, a donut table and plenty of volunteers to help carry your food to your vehicle. Today, there were also free veggies from the garden behind the church, which is called Amber’s Garden in memory of a parish member.

While I was eating my donut this morning at the church, a woman came up to me and said “Hi! I read your blog every day!”

“Now you know I really do buy groceries from Angel Food,” I said, laughing.

What did I order in August? I got the produce box and one of the meat boxes. I paid a total $45 for all this food:

I ate one of the peaches with my lunch. I cut up the carrots already and will pack some with my dinner tonight when I am at work. I also will cut up the lettuce today so we can have salad tomorrow. My husband likes coleslaw, so I’ll get some dressing and do that with the cabbage. Cantaloupe is good in a fruit salad with blueberries, and I have lots of frozen blueberries. There also are potatoes, onions, lemons, tomatoes and oranges in that box.

This particular meat box had cheesey sausage, pork chops, steaks and hamburgers.

For September, I just ordered one of the meat boxes. I usually do like the mix of items in the Signature boxes, but now that customers have more ordering options I can be more selective about what I purchase.

Pre-orders start Sept. 1 and the cost is $36.

I did a post earlier this week about Michigan.gov’s new assistance referral site, Helping Hand. I saw the link on Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s Twitter.

But here’s a detail I overlooked – until the formal press release got forwarded to my desk this morning. In conjunction with the launch for this new web page, the state of Michigan now has the option for residents to apply for Michigan food assistance on line. Although you still can take care of the application in person at the Department of Human Services offices, online will be a really convenient option for parents of young children, caregivers and others who find it difficult to schedule appointments during business hours.

You probably know you can use the food assistance benefits on Michigan Bridge Card to purchase groceries from a supermarket, Angel Food Ministries, Great Food for All, or participating farmers markets such as Ciolino Fruit and Vegetable Market in Monroe and Temperance. You can also use those benefits to purchase seeds and food-producing plants.

But receiving food assistance via a Michigan Bridge Card also opens up other financial assistance possibilities for your family, including:

• Reduced rates for annual pass at Michigan State Parks.
• Automatic enrollment in free school lunches for your children.
• Possible reduction in pay-to-participate school sports fees for Monroe County students, because some of those discounts are based on whether the students get free or reduced-cost school lunches.

Are you eligible for food assistance? Find out here.

Grocery orders can be placed on line at www.angelfoodministries.com or bring cash, bank card or Michigan Bridge Card to the local sites during their office hours:

• Dundee Assembly of God, 13790 South Custer Rd., Dundee: 10:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 29, Sept. 10 and Sept. 12.
• Bedford Church of the Nazarene, 7866 Douglas Rd., Lambertville: 10 a.m. to noon Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays.
• Monroe Church of the Nazarene, 3401 S. Custer Rd., Monroe: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Aug. 29, 1-2 p.m. Sept. 8, 1-2 p.m. Sept. 12.

The August pickup date in this area  is Aug. 29;  the September pickup date is Sept. 19 in Bedford and Sept. 26 in Monroe and Dundee.

I paid $30 for the signature box. Here’s what was in that box. That boxed dessert is a pumpkin pie. I also found a pound of ground beef, a quart of boxed milk, sliced ham, eggs and fixin’s for chicken fajitas.

I paid $22 for the produce box. The stuff in that box included onions, potatoes, garlic, a watermelon, the apples and grapes.

I’ve already cut up one of the melons and will cut up the carrots and celery this afternoon. I know how to make applesauce so I’ll be doing that with the apples today. I had some of the grapes and a plum with a dish of leftover pasta for lunch.

Dinner will probably be cheeseburgers, corn on the cob and fresh fruit.

Local readers: there are three delivery sites in Monroe County, Mich., for Angel Food Ministries, and one delivery site in Dundee for a similar program called Great Food for All. I usually buy from Angel Food because one of the delivery sites is nearby, but I have also bought two months of boxes from Great Food.

I like the grocery-by-the-box programs because they provide a lot of the basics such as meats. That means I can afford to be picky about what I buy at the grocery stores and when.

I love using coupons (I’ve been couponing for 20+ years), but it’s easy to get frustrated with the grocery bills if coupons are your only trick.