Treasure Box offers affordable food

Posted at 05:09 PM on Tuesday, May. 04, 2010
By Joan Obra / The Fresno Bee
jobra@fresnobee. com or (559) 441-6365

Call it a sign of our cash-strapped times: The Treasure Box, a way to buy inexpensive food, has arrived in the central San Joaquin Valley.

The service bills itself as the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls of the food world. It provides product overruns from manufacturers such as Cargill and Nestlé.

By buying surplus food, The Treasure Box saves money -- and passes along those savings to shoppers. In addition, it distributes the food once a month at pickup points, thereby avoiding the costs of running a store.

The result: $30 boxes of food that could cost $65-$100 at retail.

"I wanted to bring this service to Fresno and Clovis," says Kevin Carlucci, a member of Praise Church of God in Christ in Clovis and local organizer for The Treasure Box. "There's a need here."

There are three types of boxes available. One is the Treasure Box, a mix of meats and seafood, vegetables, fruit, a side dish and dessert. Another is the Hearty Meat Protein Box, with items such as chicken thighs and spiral ham slices. And the third is The Quick & Healthy Meal Box, with individual, prepared, heat-and-serve meals.

Folks can buy as many boxes as they like, when they like, Carlucci says. Currently, there are two pickup areas: Praise Church of God in Christ in Clovis and Family World Harvest Church of God in Fresno.

For more information, call Praise Church of God at (559) 704-4122 and Family World Harvest at (559) 269-8663. Online orders can be made at thetreasurebox.org.

A peek at the boxes during last Saturday's pickup at Praise Church of God in Christ revealed items such as Sara Lee lemon meringue pie, Harris Ranch ground beef, King's Command Turkey Meatloaf with cranberry glaze, and Smart Fare sliced peaches.

I understand the rationale. The raw foods are designed for cooks, while prepared meals target the elderly and individuals who don't like spending time at the stove.

While the boxes are priced to appeal, I wouldn't recommend relying mostly on this food. The boxes don't contain fresh fruits and vegetables -- essentials in everyone's diet. Also, since you can't select what goes in the boxes, you may end up with items you won't eat (and waste money by discarding them).

For folks who prefer fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables -- and have the time to save money by cooking -- community-supported agriculture (CSA) offers a service similar to The Treasure Box. Customers order food directly from a farmer. Boxes of food are picked up at specified locations or delivered to customers.

Many CSAs don't allow customers to choose the items in their boxes, so there is a risk of wasting something you don't like. But some CSAs let you choose your own produce.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Matthew 25:35 NIV