Posts
Coffee Talk Thursday
I listen to Dave Ramsey's radio show, and one of the ads you hear frequently is for E-Mealz. I know several people who use the service and seem to really like it. I think it would be particularly great for people who are too busy to menu plan and shop around sales. When I've looked into it, though, I come away thinking two things:
1) Do I really want someone else to menu plan for me? (I kind of like doing it myself)
2) I think my menu plans are more frugal than theirs. For example, on the Kroger sample menu, the pork chops are on sale for $3.97/lb. When I menu plan, I aim for meats $2/lb. and less whenever possible. So that week, if I was menu planning for our family on my own, that is a meal that I wouldn't even include on our menu plan, because it does not meet my personal price-point.
Yet, lately, I am wondering if it's worth giving it a try for a month. After all, it is only $5 for a month's subscription. Plus, it might be fun to have someone think of new meal ideas for you. It's a great way to try some new recipes. I could test it out and see if I save more planning my own meals, or if you really do save money on their plans.
So what do you think? Do you use it? Do you love it? Or do you like planning your own meals and find that you save more money that way?
I haven't used it but I do use yours. Even though I live in Canada and we don't have the same stores or sales that you get shop, I love your menu ideas. It gets me thinking and helps me come up with my own frugal meal plan for the week from the sales in our local area. So thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteIn answer to both of your questions:
ReplyDelete1) I'm horrible at menu planning, so it is a HUGE weight off my mind to have someone plan my meals for me. Maybe (eventually) I'll get to the point where I feel confident enough to plan my own menus, but in the meantime, it's so nice to be told what to make (including sides).
2) I don't usually need to buy everything that's on the grocery list each week as I still stock up on the good deals at grocery stores by using coupons and shopping according to my price point. This means that if pork chops are listed at $3.97/lb (like in your example), I'll just pull out the pork chops from my freezer that I bought at $2/lb. I use the Aldi E-Mealz shopping plan and find that most of the time I just need to buy produce and maybe a few canned goods I don't have on hand.
Thanks, Kimberley! I am glad you benefit from me sharing our menu plans; that was fun to hear!
ReplyDeleteLaura--great idea! (Stocking up when the meats are on sale and using them from the freezer when they are otherwise too expensive on a listed menu plan.) I wish we had an Aldi here.
Maybe I will give e-mealz a try soon! Thanks for sharing your experience.