On 4/6/2017 at 0:26 AM, Lisa Shock said:I am wondering why the purchase of beef is in that budget, when protein from beans would be a fraction of the cost, and not require refrigeration/freezing for long term storage? There would be other savings in converting to vegetable based proteins: no need for the red cutting boards, less worries about foodborne illness, less labor to process (trimming, slicing), fewer knives needed in the kitchen, and less grease to be processed as waste. -It's all probably due to some federal mandate voted in by congress under pressure from the beef lobby to provide 'high quality protein'.
Lisa, there are a LOT of beans served in soup kitchens. It's a cheap and plentiful staple. As chromedome points out, however, the hungry and homeless are not in a good place to sustain a vegetarian diet. These kitchens have a desperate need for meat products, and it's seldom donated. My brother has converted our family Christmas tree farm into a nonprofit food farm. He raises pork, beef and eggs for local soup kitchens and safe shelters. I'll have two large hunger gardens going this year, in addition to the farmhouse garden. Although some of the pork is cut up for bacon, most of the pork and beef is ground, as that's the form that is most versatile for recipe-stretching.
Aha! Note to self ... I'm creating a soup kitchen cookbook. What better place to get recipes than eGullet?!? I'll start a new thread for that project. Thank you for making me think of it. 
