Does anyone use e-mealz?

[rszdtrvl]

I am seriously considering starting 2012 out with a major meal plan system. We spend way too much going out to eat, and I need some budget ideas! The price is right, but I want Dis testimonials!

Thanks, in advance!!

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I have not used it, but it really looks like something I would do myself in an Excel spreadsheet. If you format a Sun-Sat worksheet and add recipes from Allrecipes.com or another site, you can easily see what ingredients you need. The nice thing about doing it that way is being able to integrate meals/ingredients from one day to the next (i.e., tacos on Mon, but brown 2 lbs of hamburger and use the other 1# for Wednesday's taco soup or salad).

Menu planning is pretty easy if you do it once a week and save your plans...then you can reuse them! Much cheaper than paying someone else.

 

[naomi78155]

I have been wanting to try it also. Would love some feedback.

 

[KristinU]

We did it several years ago, so it may have changed...but it was quick, convenient and inexpensive, but we stopped using it because it used a lot of processed convenience foods. We switched to Saving Dinner, which is a little more expensive for the break plan and the ingredients are a little more a week, but we are happy with the meals and recipes.

 

[mickeytattoo95]

Yes, I'm currently using e-mealz!

My family heard of it through our Financial Peace class and e-mealz has helped save us hundreds of dollars! I know that anyone can sit down and make a meal plan, but for me, it is worth the $5 a month it ends up costing. I am working, raising two kids and taking classes towards my masters. Anything that saves me a few minutes and prevents staring into the refrigerator abyss every night at 6pm is worth it!

It's worth a shot anyway! If you use this code at check out, it saves you $3 (I think): DAVE

If the plan doesn't end up working for you, just cancel it at the end of your three months. I saved the cost of the 3 month's plan in my first week of using it...just food for thought!

We budget eating out for one a month. E-mealz has kept dinner interesting, easy, healthy and cheap because it's based on weekly sales. Yes, you're paying someone else to "think" for you, but I have too much to think about on my own.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I just don't cook. Plain and simple. I am not the best cook, and my family grows tired of the same old recipes.

The major thing I am concerned about is that we won't like the meals. I don't eat pork (except bacon and sausage links) and DS and I don't eat fish. DH will eat pretty much anything.

Basic recipes are okay for me, but not complex ones.

I did notice that none of the stores are meant for my area. We have a Safeway, regular Walmart (not a super center), Top Foods, and locally owned store. That means that I can't pick a store and get a menu that way, and would have to do an "any store" option.

I may try it out for a few months though, and see what kind of meals I get. DH thinks it may be a waste of money, but if I find some good recipes and can know what I am making in advance, it would be worth it.

 

[AmandaRG]

We didn't care for it. Our dds wouldn't eat much of the food that was prepared, and there were several times that there were meals that just didn't sound good to us at all. I also didn't find too much in savings. I had the same amount budgeted then that I do now and I feel that I stretch it better myself.

OTOH, I do know of people that use it and enjoy it. Maybe just do a trial. If you are accustomed to eating out on a regular basis, it should save you money.

I shop sales with coupons and then cook from my fridge/freezer/pantry.

 

[moonpie85]

I have never heard of this. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bell30012]

I love the idea. I didn't really know this existed. My DD9 and I often do the Publix Apron Simple Meal which they have in the store. She likes to cook, something I'm encouraging because I like to eat.

Publix meals are free but there is only one meal per day. While Googling I came across Menus 4 Moms which is a free alternative. Did I mention that I'm cheap?

 

[Princesca]

I used eMealz for quite awhile. It saved us a ton of money, even without coupons. I recommend it without reservation... well, that's a fib. I have one reservation...

Only do eMealz if you're planning on doing the plain old regular meal plan. Once you get into the low fat, low carb, vegetarian plans, they're really, really bad. Another thing about eMealz (okay, so two reservations) is that they rely heavily on processed foods like canned soups, bottled salad dressings, and other stuff that's high in preservatives, sodium, etc. And cheese. LOTS of cheese.

My DH and I loved their regular plan, but about this time last year, we shifted to eating more whole foods, less dairy, and less meat. Their vegetarian plan was awful. We tried their low-carb plan too, and it wasn't good either. The recipes weren't good, the food didn't taste good, the shopping lists and recipes were full of errors.

I hate to sound totally negative on them, though. They have awesome customer service, and the promo code DAVE is nice, but FYI it only lasts for your first three-month period. Saved us a ton of money AND time. Well worth the investment for regular meal plan folks, but caveat emptor on the others.

 

[marie1203]

I used it and I hated it. The food was not good it didn't really end up saving us much money because they never counted spices and some other things in the cost. It actually cost us more money for less quality food so I never renew it and after 1 month I stop using it.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

What about once a month cooking? There should be free ideas/sites if you google it. Basically, you buy bulk hamburger and other things, make a bunch of dishes once a month and freeze them. Then, it saves you money with the bulk purchase and time with he prepared meal.

 

[S'sMom]

I just signed up today. I only signed up for the 3 months (use the code PARENTCHILD), and save about $3 bucks (give or take). I have already went in and cancelled the next subscription for the next three months (after March), so in the meantime, I get to try this until March. I think that it is worth a try. It cant hurt right?
I too work full-time, and 2 online part time jobs, two kids, husband (who does most of the cooking). So hardly any time seems like.

As soon as I try it I can give a good assessment. In the meantime, heres hoping it does well.

 

[Mikey'swife]

I liked the idea and payed for the first 12 weeks- the meals were not really things that my family would ever eat, it seemed like it assumed you had lots of certain items it deemed as "staples" so it did not include in prices. I decided to skip it since I realized I already did better with my own meal plans and use of Sams for frozen chicken breasts, etc.

Good luck, hope it works for your family but mine is too picky.

 

[woodkins]

I love the idea. I didn't really know this existed. My DD9 and I often do the Publix Apron Simple Meal which they have in the store. She likes to cook, something I'm encouraging because I like to eat.

Publix meals are free but there is only one meal per day. While Googling I came across Menus 4 Moms which is a free alternative. Did I mention that I'm cheap?

Menus 4 Moms isn't free unless I'm missing something

 

[erinmomof2]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but I like the blog eatathomecooks.com It's run by a disser and she has links to weekly menus and shopping lists. It's free and you can go back and look at past menus (there are over a years worth). I like to look at the recipes and decide which menu looks good. Plus there are pictures of how things are supposed to turn out and that helps too.

I also second allrecipes. I love that site. I love that I can put it what ingredients I have and it will find me recipes to match. That can be a huge time and money saver. I also find the reviews very helpful.

 

[Bell30012]

Moms 4 Menus was free... now if you notice it says that all archived menus have been removed. Dang it. I wish I'd printed a few more.