Sunday, February 12, 2012

Meals Planned Out

What method do you use to create your dinner meals for the week? Do you randomly go through what foods you have in the house, go shopping to fill in the blanks and wing it for the week? Or do you plan meals, then fall short and go out a few times or pick up fast food as a last resort? Or do you plan the meals and then actually follow through?

I have been there on all of those. And I'm sure there are even different ways of planning your meals for the week and grocery shopping. 

I had been struggling in this department. I love to cook a meal for my family. I do admit that I have those days that I'm not feeling my best, tired from a long day of battles and I will order pizza. But having a plan for the week, a plan that some one else has created is making my life easier. At least in the food category.

Thanks to my sister in law, who also uses them, I found Emeals.


At first I viewed the samples and used a few of the recipes from there to check it out. I needed to see what the reaction was from my family. The reaction was very positive. So I went ahead and signed up for a membership. 


I picked my favorite grocery store, the types of meals that I wanted recipes for and then the weekly menu, ingredients, directions for preparing and shopping list are all done for me. I love it! No thinking about what should I make this week.


Now for my family, we do have a crazy schedule for the week with Miss K's dance classes and mid week church so we have to pick which meals will be best on the nights we leave home early or get home late. Other than that, it's take the guess work out of the equation for me. 


My time spent in the grocery store is cut in half now. I found that I'm not buying things that I don't need for the week and sticking to the grocery list. You do have to remember, it's only dinner meals that are on the list, so you have to make sure you get your breakfast and lunch items on your own. I have my own sub shopping list that I downloaded into my Excel files for the staples that we run out of, toiletries and foods that will not be in the emeals list.

But this has been a blessing so far.


My biggest hurdle that I'm going to have to overcome.....shopping the sales and couponing. I love to buy bulk when my most used items are on sale with a coupon. I've been failing in the coupon department (it is SO time consuming for me) but have kept up with my bulk items. It feels different shopping for my picked out meals and no extras. I'm still weighing my options on whether I will completely cut out bulk buying. 


For now I'm staying with what works for my family and myself. 





I was not contacted or compensated by the creator or founder of Emeals.com to write a review.  My article is solely my opinion about their product/service that I currently use.






 

4 comments:

Queen Bee said...

Sister n law... it's been on my blog for over a year now. I LOVE them!!! I actually haven't been using it as much lately because of my dietary needs as of late, but can't wait to start making all their yummy foods again! Best helper in the kitchen I have! Love'd the post and glad you found them too!

Missy | Literal Mom said...

Wow - totally want to check it out!  I love meal planning and am happy to be doing it again, after a lengthy leave of absence from it!

Sorta Southern Single Mom said...

I keep wanting to try this, but I'm such a big couponer, I'm not sure it would work for me.  I tend to have one or two meals in mind for the week and wing it with the rest.  Like last night, I made a Chicken Parmesean Pasta Bake.... made it up as I went along and it was really yummy!

CrazyKindofMom said...

I was a half tempted, willing to try, when I have the time couponer. hahaha. This works o much better for me. Although, I do follow the sales and if I can get a good deal, I will stock up. Who can't say no to a sale. :)

Mmm. Chicken Parm, yummy!