I first heard of eMeals from two other graduate students in my lab. They would talk about it over lunch while eating their leftovers, saying how easy it is to plan dinner now. So when eMeals contacted me asking if I would like to try it out myself, I couldn’t think of a reason not to. Especially when I can then turn around and offer a giveaway to my readers!
eMeals relies on a team of experienced meal planners, writers and editors to create new dinner menus every week that are designed around grocery store sales, seasonal specials and diet preferences. For as low as $5.00 per month, subscribers download a recipe plan for the week with a matching aisle-by-aisle grocery list. The easy-to-follow recipes usually contain fewer than seven ingredients to allow for prep times of less than 30 minutes. It also helps families stay within a predictable budget by being prepared with a detailed list to use at the grocery store.
The eMeals program has over 30 meal plan options to choose from and provides a consistent and reliable approach to food budgeting by factoring the weekly cost of ingredients into each menu plan. And my favorite part is that this is not just for families. They do have the Family Menu Plan for 3-6 servings, but I was much more interested in the For Two Menu Plan with 1-2 servings. Both sizes are available for all of their meal plans, which include: Classic Meals, Clean Eating, Simple Gourmet, Paleo, Low Carb, Low Fat, Portion Control, Natural & Organic, Gluten Free, and Vegetarian.
I actually tried out two different versions of their meal plans, the first being the Natural & Organic. The recipes were simple yet delicious, and it was great to use up ingredients leftover from one recipe in another because I am particularly guilty of buying ingredients and not using it all. And since it wasn’t a diet plan, when I had ingredients that were easy substitutes (such as Greek yogurt for sour cream) I could save even more money on my grocery shopping! But I think my favorite part of any of their meal plans was the inclusion of sides, which is a dish I so rarely prepare because I am too worried about the entree.
Here are a few of the recipes I tired: Top left is Pancakes with Buttery Honey Syrup with Crispy Bacon and Grapes (that syrup was awesome). Top right is Split Pea Soup with Cheesy French Bread. Bottom left is Pecan Chicken with Parmesan Pasta and Steamed Asparagus (called for turkey but I had chicken already). Bottom right is Cheesy Sausage Frittata with fruit and a bagel (called for fruit salad and bakery muffin).
After testing out Natural & Organic for about a month, I decided to switch over to Simple Gourmet, also For Two (btw, you can switch meal plans for no charge, but you can only do it once a month). For me, this menu plan was much more fun. The recipe ingredient list and directions were a little bit longer but they were still very easy and quick to prepare. I am terrible at menu planning especially when it comes to “fancier” meals, so this plan was perfect for me. Most of the time the recipes from either plan made 3 servings and I consider myself a pretty good eater. But that is by no means a complaint. Having an extra serving was nice because I enjoy having leftovers for lunches.
Here are a few of the recipes I tired: Top left is Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas with Sauteed Corn and Jalapeno Pepper (freaking awesome corn). Top right is Creamy Eggs with Avocado and Greek Yogurt with Shredded Hash Browns and Fresh Berries. Bottom left is Juicy Cheeseburgers on a Kaiser Roll with Roasted Red Potatoes (and some awesome burger sauce). Bottom right is Quick Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (hello healthier comfort food).
Now for some fun stuff for you! Since the Paleo meal plan just launched, eMeals has issued a Paleo Challenge for everyone to try a free week of Paleo meals available in family and for two versions. If you want to stick to it after your free week, you can get a 10% off discount with the code PALEO. But wait there’s more (said in a cheesy infomercial voice)! In addition to getting a free week of Paleo meals and a 10% off discount code, eMeals is letting me giveaway a 3 month dinner AND lunch subscription! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter.
Be sure to check out the eMeals blog for recipes, tips on how to simplify your life, organize your days, and plan family fun.
Disclosure: I was provided with a free subscription to eMeals. I was not compensated for this post. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
One year ago: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
