CHICAGO — As the city spends millions of dollars on food for migrant shelters, some asylum seekers are now buying their own meals.

Former shelter residents can be seen outside the largest shelter in Chicago as they’ve created a make-shift business to provide an alternative for the food some are calling “horrible.”

New arrivals are choosing to use their own money to pay for food even as the city signs a multimillion dollar contracts with two different businesses.

Seventy Seven Communities Meal Service has already been paid $3.7 million to feed migrants, but could stand to make as much as $45 million.

A second company, 14 Parish has received $3.8 million with the potential to make as much as $57.6 million.

The residents who are choosing to skip the free food…and eat outside gave us pictures of the city provided meals, saying they may look fine but taste terrible.

The city even switched vendors earlier this year hoping to address the issues – but trouble has come up again.

The sent us this statement saying it collects feedback from residents on the food service, adding: “The City seeks to work with our food service provider partners to continually improve food options for residents based on the feedback we receive.”

WGN Investigates did contact the food vendor for the Pilsen shelter – 14 Parish. They said that they’re meeting all the nutritional requirements in the city contract.

Meanwhile, the story also brings up some questions about how much food is provided at shelters. There is no mandate in place but it is part of the city’s effort to meet the basic needs of new arrivals.

Watch Lourdes Duarte‘s full story in the video player above.