I love a good bargain. And like most moms, I’m always looking for ways to save money on healthy foods for my family. One of the most expensive items on my grocery bill is always meat. Seeing that we’re a very carnivorous family, this is a problem that needs fixing! Enter Zaycon Foods. Zaycon Foods is a Washington based business that provides direct-from-the-farm meat products sold by the case at sales events throughout the country including Baton Rouge. Sounds like a mouthful, but it’s really quite simple.
What do they offer, you ask? You can get everything from chicken to beef to ham. They even occasionally have fresh fruit and milk. The full product line can be found at www.zayconfoods.com. And this isn’t your run of the mill meat. I have tried both the chicken and beef and have been very impressed. The chicken is 100% natural with no added hormones or additives. It comes directly from the processor and has never been frozen. The beef is 93/7 super lean and also has no chemicals or additives (and no pink slime!). The best part is the price! The current price for the chicken case is $1.89 per pound and the beef is selling for $3.49 per pound! They are sold in 40 pound cases, so you may want to split with a friend if you can’t consume 40 pounds of meat in a few days or don’t have a lot of freezer space.
How does it work? The first step is to set up an account on the Zaycon Foods website. From there, you can browse the upcoming events closest to you. Place your order, and you will receive text and/or email updates reminding you to pick up your box during the allotted time (usually 30 minutes -1 hour). When you arrive, the rep from Zaycon will take your name and put the box in your trunk. You never even have to get out of the car! Once you get home, you will have to do a little work. The chicken is not individually packaged and will have some “naturally occurring juices”. The beef comes in four 10- pound chubs. I have found that it is easiest to split everything into 1 lb sections, wrap it in foil, stick it in freezer bags, and store it in the freezer until I’m ready to use it.
Ready to order? I recommend setting up your account now and placing your order as soon as possible. The events tend to sell out fairly quickly, and only a limited amount is offered at each event. The next event in the Baton Rouge area will be for chicken and will take place on February 4th. There is a morning event at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, an afternoon event at Central Plumbing Company, and a later afternoon event at Fellowship Church in Prairieville.