Is it obligatory to pay Zakat on money and trade in money, or is it permissible to pay part of it in the form of distributing meat or buying appliances for orphanages?

It is not permissible to pay Zakat (definition) from a category other than that in which it became obligatory, except under certain conditions. It is necessary to transfer ownership of Zakat to its rightful recipients. Therefore, it is permissible to purchase meat and transfer its ownership to them if they are in need of it, though it is preferable to give it to them in cash. It is not permissible to invite the poor to a cooked meal, due to the absence of ownership transfer. Nor is it permissible to purchase a refrigerator for an orphanage from Zakat for the same reason, and because it might benefit those who are not eligible recipients.