My New Meal Planner

So I love to plan meals but it takes so much time to figure out what we want to eat and then make the list of what groceries we need.  Well I stumbled across this wonderful program called eMeals.  It is a service that for $5 a month will put together 7 dinner meals each week and will include a list of groceries you need and includes recipes for each meal.  They email the meal plan to you on Wednesday and you can just print it off and go.  LOVE IT!

So when you sign up you can choose the # of people you will be feeding (1-3 or 3-6).  Since it is just John and myself I chose the 1-3 option.  Then, you choose what kind of meals you want.  Options include: normal, low fat, low carb, low sodium, organic, vegetarian, vegan, and there is probably more but I can't remember.  I just picked normal but I can change it at any time.  The last thing you choose is where you plan to buy your groceries like Whole Foods, Walmart, and some others that aren't in this area.  You can also pick "use your own store".  I picked Walmart because then they use many of the ingredients on sale at Walmart that week.  I might not end up buying at Walmart but it is nice to know approximate cost.  So for each ingredient it will list the current price it is being so for and the the approx. cost at the end.  For 1-2 people it ends up being between $45-$60 a week.

So I have used it for two weeks now.  So far I like having it.  I signed up when they were having a 10% off deal too.  When I get the meal plan I will look it over and cross off at least one or two meals.  We don't prepare that many meals a week, we go out of town a lot, and some nights we order in or go out to eat.  No point in buying groceries for meals we will never eat.  I also like to pick out a favorite meal that I already make.  Another great thing about this is that I hang it on the fridge and it is easy for John to look at it and start dinner without me having to tell him what to do.  He can just pick a recipe off the list and go with it knowing we have all the ingredients on hand to make it.  Last Friday it was a delicious ham and egg quiche.

I do have to say the meals we have tried so far as pretty tasty.  Of the seven meals they are all pretty varied. There typically is a crockpot recipe, an egg recipe, a sandwhich recipe, and then others.  Just a great variety!  Also each meal comes with a main course, vegetable or salad, and a fruit.  It seems like all food groups get hit on.  I just signed up for three months but so far I am happy with it and would consider continuing with the service.  I did switch which type of plans we were getting from the "classic" plan to the "low-fat" plan.  You can change your plan one time a month.

Here is my last weeks plan:
Meal 1:  Chicken Avocado Club SAndwhich with Chips and Grapes
Meal 2:  Beef Stroganoff, Egg Noodle, peas, toasted rolls
Meal 3:  Spinach and Tomato Pizza Fresh Carrots
Meal 4:  Loaded Baked Potatoes and Spinach Salad
Meal 5:  Honey Mustard Turkey Tenders, Brocolli and Cheese, Pasta
Meal 6:  Favorite Beef Stew, Crusty Parmesan Rolls
Meal 7:  Ham and Cheese Quiche, Cinnamon Apples

The ones I crossed out are the one I decided not to make.  I knew we were going to be gone over the weekend so we wouldn't need all the meals.  I do want to make the Turkey Tenders recipe sometime though.  It sounded really good.

Can't wait to get our new plan today!