Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Make Life E-zier with E-Mealz: Review and Giveaway



If there is one thing I hate more than cooking (and I REALLY hate to cook), it's weekly meal planning. Especially since I am watching my weight and only choose healthy, low-fat recipes to make.

Between homeschooling, driving my kids to their activities, and all of the other jobs I have as a mom, it's so hard to find the time to sit down with recipe books and plan out a week's worth of meals.

Let me tell you....there are some reviews that I get really, really excited about. This. Is. One. Of. Them.

I had the opportunity to try out the wonderful service E-Mealz.com for three months. E-Mealz is an amazing "meal planning resource for busy moms and frugal cooks."

There are just so many wonderful features to this program, I encourage you to read this entire post in-depth so you can hear how fabulous they are! You will be amazed!



With E-Mealz, not only will you be saving time by not having to plan your meals out, but the meals are SO easy to make that you will also save time in the kitchen. Most importantly? The menus are designed to be easy on your wallet so while we're all feeling the pinch of the economic crisis, E-Mealz will help you to greatly reduce your grocery bills. Doesn't get much better than that!

Another thing I love about the service is the variety. I used to make the same, boring meals over and over again for lack of ideas. With E-Mealz, you will get a new set of meals each week and your family will never get tired of the same, recycled recipes that you used to prepare.

There are dozens of plans to choose from. I used the points system plan, which gave me points information for everything I served. If you've done Weight Watchers, you know it can be tough to figure out how many points are in a homemade recipe. Once again, another time saver! I just look at the menu for the day, program my points into my tracker and I'm done!



And the meals are not only easy to prepare and low-cost, but they are absolutely delicious. You'd be surprised how many tasty meals you can prepare that are low-points.

You can customize your plan to fit your family's needs. Choose your plan by store, by how many people you will be feeding, by specialities such as low-carb, vegetarian, low fat, and more.

Now, let me explain briefly how the plans work once you subscribe. Each week, you'll be given a menu to print out that lists all of the meals for the week. Then, you'll have a second sheet that lists the items you need to purchase for each meal.



What I love about the set-up is that the grocery list items are numbered by meal. So, for example, let's say your family plans to eat out one night during the week and you don't need meal #5 on your list. You simply run down your grocery list and cross off all of the items that have a #5 listed next to them.

Items are also listed by aisle, so you don't have to pour over your list trying to find a frozen food item that's mixed in with a dry goods item. It's so easy! Click here to see a sample for any of the available plans.

Okay, here's the part that I know you're going to love the most. Are you ready to hear how much it will cost you to get all of the above services? To make your life easier and save you money at the store? $1.25 per week!!! Can you believe that? (Told you I was excited about this review, lol)



There's something far more important than anything I've mentioned here that you get when you use E-Mealz: More time with your family. Dinners together at the table (so important!). And less stress so you can enjoy that time even more. You can't put a price on that!



The two founders, Jenny Cochran and Jane DeLaney, are moms like us and they completely get it when it comes to understanding how busy we are and how budget-conscious we have to be. Here is what Jenny told me about what goes on behind-the-scenes at E-Mealz:
"Our meal planners spend HOURS (usually about two full days) writing, editing and shopping each week's plan to ensure that so much time and money is saved by the the use of the plan, the negligible cost of $1.25 per week becomes savings of $25-$50 per week! E-Mealz is actually the revolutionary way to never worry with dinner menu planning or busted grocery budgets again!

You simply MUST click here to learn more about E-Mealz, read customer reviews, find detailed information on plans, etc.

Thanks to the generosity of E-Mealz, one lucky reader of So a Blonde Walks Into a Review will win a complimentary, six-month subscription to the plan of their choice!!!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know why you'd love to win. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.

You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step...if you've already done one of the steps in the past, please still leave a separate comment so that I can count it toward this giveaway):

~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.

~Blog about this contest with a link to this post and to E-Mealz. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.

~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.

~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:

So A Blonde Walks Into A Blog




~Subscribe to So a Blonde Walks Into a Review's newsletter (found in the sidebar under "subscribe"). Then leave a separate comment here letting me know you've subscribed.

Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Wednesday, March 25, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck!

So A Blonde Walks Into A Review
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81 comments

ky2here said...

That is pretty wild. I can select Kroger and Couples Only and they will plan all my meals based on promotions and nutritional value. Fantastic.

Jill said...

There is just so much to love about this. I love that it can be done with Weight Watchers. I also love that someone else does the planning.

whall said...

We're big fans of Dream Dinners, which is kind of like this but in person - some other franchises like it are called Super Suppers.

I'd be interested in winning so I can try it out and compare it to what we already use.

whall said...

me twitter your review. me win big now. og.

http://twitter.com/whall/status/1350075991

Anonymous said...

Just letting you know you have a new follower!

Anonymous said...

And now a new subscriber!

Anonymous said...

OH and check out twitter.com/alainafaith

Anonymous said...

And I also wanted to say that I think this would be great for me b/c my fiancee both have jobs that are 50+ hrs a wk + I'm diabetic and meal planning can be such a hassle!
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Aldi is a store I do most of my shopping from and EMealz has an Aldi plan. I would love to try that!! I am queenesperfect at yahoo.com

marys said...

being a new mom of TWins - I could really use this. My hubby tries to help out but he is clueless if it doesn't come out of a can!

PAIGE said...

I'd love to win because I hate to cook, I eat too much junk, and not to get serious about my diet.

Carolyn said...

I am not the best meal planner and I'd love some help with Weight watcher meals also.

Carolyn said...

I have your button.

chromiumman said...

id like to win because, though i enjoy cooking, i too hate planning what i'll be making this week - this looks to be a big help there

geekbearinggifts said...

I'd like to win because I'm in a rut with meal planning, and too overwhelmed with other things to do anything about it. Than you for the offer!

ddtavener said...

Woo hoo! Sounds great. By the time I get around to meal planning, it's late at night and I just end up making a list of easy stuff because I am just to tired to hunt for new recipes.

allancarol said...

i need this for my cooking can kill

J BOLF said...

I would love to win for 1) I dread cooking now because I am tired of the same ole thing for dinner that I fix for my family 2) I have too many other things I need to be doing besides figuring out what we are doing for dinner (homework with the kids, other household items, bathes to give, etc) 3) I don't have the time to go look up recipes for healthier eating habits......on and on I could go.

Thanks for the chance. I have never heard of this company but would love to try them.

J BOLF said...

I have subscribed to your newsletter as well

Thanks for another chance!

J BOLF said...

I am following your blog as well!

J BOLF said...

I tweeted about you and this giveaway over here:

http://twitter.com/Onebolf

Rapunzel676 said...

Wow, great site! I absolutely hate cooking but need to shed a few pounds and I think something like this would be a huge help.

The Blessed Bee said...

I love these plans. The low carb plan would help me so much. My fiance and I are on a low carb diet, but I'm quickly running out of ideas on what to cook.

The Merry Death said...

I would love this because I despise cooking as well!
meredycat*lycos*com

The Merry Death said...

Follower.
meredycat*lycos*com

suzie said...

I am a single parent, work one full time job and one part time job, I go to school (13 credit hours this semester) and my youngest son has recently joined Cub Scouts (a lot of work involved with that)...so, I really need to win this because I just don't have any time to cook! Thanks for the contest.
susan dot lockhart at gmail dot com

jayne said...

I could really use this! I always have a hard time planning meals for just the two of us!!

Sara said...

This would be amazing for us. I never cook because I can never think of anything. My husband always ends up putting something together and I end up eating cereal because I don't like what he makes. I would love to be able to cook something that the both of us like.

Sunnyvale said...

Like many cooks, I probably use about 20 (or less) recipes for meals, repeatedly. This would be great and might revive my interest in cooking, I like the choices so we're not getting meal plans for foods we really don't enjoy.

Miss Spoken said...

I'd love to try this because it would help me condense my shopping and ultimately save time and money.
gkstratos@yahoo.com

mindy said...

sounds ideal thanks for the giveaway

Kim said...

I'd love to win to simplify my life!!! :)

Kim said...

I follow

Anonymous said...

I'm in!

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great way to make my whole family more healthy! I am a single mother who can use all the meal planning help I can GET! Thanks

whitten100 @ yahoo dot com

ronnie said...

i try so hard to lose weight.

wendy wallach said...

I'd love to win because I get so tired of making the same old meals from the same old items and would appreciate a way to make meals exciting again without having to do all the work myself.

madamerkf at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

I'd like to be able to have recipes/foods that are good for us and yummy!

Tarah
tarah716[at]ymail.com

debiwelbon said...

I work 6 days a week and just don't feel like cooking sometimes - so I hope I win this!

Crystal Arcand said...

I am definitely in the "Cook the same 5 meals over and over and over again" rut. With so much going on, there's just not room in my brain to plan new meals. The sample I looked at had meals that sound like stuff my very picky kids would eat, too!

crystalarcand (at) gmail (dot) com

Crystal Arcand said...

I'm following.

crystalarcand (at) gmail (dot) com

Crystal Arcand said...

Tweet, tweet! http://twitter.com/3stairs/statuses/1363892543

Anonymous said...

I too hate meal planning & would love to be able to ignore that part of my life for 6 months! Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow your blog. Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

http://twitter.com/bluenude3/status/1364162951 I tweeted! @bluenude3 Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com

Pamela S said...

I'd love to win because I'm horribly uncreative about dinner. Half the time I stand at the refrigerator or freezer or pantry and stare with a blank brain. Then I call my husband and tell him to stop and bring something home. I'm sure this could help me plan and save me tons of money I'm wasting on CARRYOUT!!! Thanks.

SantaFe said...

This sounds great because I can choose my plan by store, family size, and by specialties. Our family could definitely use this service so my family as a whole could help out with the cooking with everything planned out nicely for us.

msrodeobrat said...

i would love to have this because i never have time to plan dinner and never know what to make

stOOpidgErL said...

Would love to win this so my hubby could have a good meal for once!! lol
stoopidgerletsy@yahoo.com

Sonya said...

This would be great! I have so many problems planning meals (especially cheap ones!)

Faither said...

Our family could certainly use some help in this area. Thanks.

Denise S. said...

I'm always ready to try some new meals!

tesashel said...

My whole family could use healthier meal planning and we could all use to lose a couple of pounds.

Leslie S. said...

I have 4 kids and finding time to plan,shop,and then cook is almost impossible.I would love to win this and start eating healthier.Thanks!

Marianna said...

My husband and I both work crazy shifts as an RN and a EMT. We have two sons who are involved in every activity you can think of from baseball to cub scouts. I'm not in the least bit organized. You can see where this all becomes a problem? We wind up spending tons of money eating unhealthy fast food meals on the go. I think a meal planning service would help us stick to a budget and eat better family meals at home!

yellowlabs said...

Because I could really use some help and have some inspiration!

Susan said...

I am not the best cook.. and I eat a lot of things I should not eat, so this would be a big hep to me!

Mir said...

Life with the baby is hectic but we still want to eat healthy. This would make it easy for either of us to shop or cook - some nights my husband volunteers to cook but the number of his go-to meals is limited. This would make our lives easier and make sure we keep up our healthy eating habits.

Karen said...

I really love that someone else does the planning.

ktgonyea at gmail.com

Steph said...

I have a hard time thinking of different things to make for dinner. We get stuck in a rut easily.

Mommyhood is Thankless said...

I hate planning meals, so this would be great to help with that!

Mommyhood is Thankless said...

I am a follower!

mommyhoodisthankless{AT}gmail.com

Storm Safety Blog said...

My husband and I tend to dine out most nights, because it's easier than cooking. A menu plan like this would simplify the meal process and allow us to eat cheaper and healthier meals at home.

ruppbc said...

Signed up to follow you!!!-ruppbc@yahoo.com

ruppbc said...

I am disabled w/severe scoliosis, and am recovering from my 6th surgery in the last 6 years, which includes removal of a testicle, and most recently - steel rods screwed into my spine.
I could REALLY, REALLY use these meals, because I can't cook for myself. I would love to be able to have a good meal again!!! - Scoliosis Steve/ruppbc@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I'd like to win this, we just love to cook but who has time!

Tina said...

I am a diabetic,and its hard to find the right kind of meals to serve to the whole family that they will eat and enjoy. Thanks for the contest.

sweeps4us(at)gmail(dot)com

mgster said...

This sounds like exactly what I need! I am so exhausted when I get home from work...how great would this be. And I love how someone did all the planning for me. Very nice.

Becky said...

I would love to win because I am THE WORST at planning meals ahead. I'm usually the one in the grocery store running up and down the aisles trying to figure something out...and that just makes my food bill go through the roof.

~*~lilshuga2001~*~ said...

I would LOVE to win because I CANNOT plan meals worth anything~

Everyone in the house always wants something different. We end up using the BBQ for hamburgers n hotdogs.

~Thanks for the chance~

Heather said...

I would love to win because I'm always looking for new meal ideas!

Xenia said...

I would love to win this because it's not the actual cooking that I don't enjoy, it's that I can never come up with anything to make! If someone else would do the planning for me, that would take out the hard part!

Thanks,
xpsundell(at)gmail(dot)com

Marinalane said...

I would Love to win this, because I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. The Low-carb menus would be GREAT for me! Thank you for the giveaway! lanemarinab@aol.com

Marinalane said...

I Follow you! (Marinalane) lanemarinab@aol.com

Marinalane said...

I Subscribe! lanemarinab@aol.com

Rockin' Mama said...

Fantastic!!!!

I stay at home with my son most days of the week and it's so hard to make anything that takes time. I end up making the same 3 meals over and over! I really need some variety and I need to save time in the kitchen!

jasonncaryn at yahoo dot com

Donna said...

I have difficulty coming up with new ideas for meals.
donna444444@yahoo.com

Donna said...

I am a subscriber.
donna444444@yahoo.com

Donna said...

I am a follower.
donna444444@yahoo.com

saragillman said...

I would love to win because I am HORRIBLE at coming up with meal ideas

sarawins@hotmail.com

cman said...

I love that it can be done with Weight Watchers :)

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