Tuesday, September 18, 2018

I was a skeptic about this… and more...

I've been talking a lot about the Eat at Home Menu Planning Service the past few days and some of you might wonder if it's worth it to invest in a menu planning service — and I totally get that! In fact, I was right there with you for a long time. ...

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I was a skeptic about this…

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I’ve been talking a lot about the Eat at Home Menu Planning Service the past few days and some of you might wonder if it’s worth it to invest in a menu planning service — and I totally get that! In fact, I was right there with you for a long time.

Would I really like menus that someone else planned? Would it really work for us and our eating preferences?

I doubted that I would like it as I had tried other menu-planning services in the past and most were just an epic fail for our family. Plus, why would I pay someone to have menu plans made for me when this was something I had done for our family for years?

Well, somewhat reluctantly and very skeptically, I tried out the Eat at Home Menu Planning Service and… to my great surprise, I fell in love!

The Recipes Are Easy

Like I told you earlier this week, I love that I can make the Slow Cooker recipes in just 5-10 minutes in the morning and then dinner is done.

There’s something so amazing about knowing all day long that you already have dinner planned and prepped and made. So even if you are exhausted at 5:30 p.m., you can relax because dinner is waiting for you!

The Recipes Are Yummy

What surprised me most is that we actually really love the meals. Not every single recipe is a huge home run, but most of them are ones that we find delicious and some have become family favorites.

For instance, yesterday’s Sunday Chicken Dinner in the Slow Cooker was a massive hit. In fact, all dinner long (well, after the kids fought over who got to pray!), everyone kept commenting about how yummy it was and asking for seconds.

It’s rare that all five of us will really, really, really like a meal, so this was a big winner!

The Recipes Are Fairly Healthful

I also love that the recipes are healthful. The Traditional Wholesome and No Flour/No Sugar recipes are the most healthful, but the Slow Cooker menu plan is actually quite healthful, too. Some recipes do call for some pre-packaged ingredients, but you could easily swap out those for something more healthful.

What I Made Today

This morning, I made Zingy BBQ Chicken in the Slow Cooker. This recipe takes about 3 minutes to make total!

I’ve made Italian Chicken with a bottle of Italian Dressing with chicken in the slow cooker and I’ve made BBQ Chicken with a bottle of barbecue sauce with chicken in the slow cooker, but I’ve never combined the two into one. So I’m excited to see how it tastes!

 

Click to watch the video above for all of the details on the recipe and to see me make it LIVE!

Remember: get 30% off your membership every single month when you sign up by September 19, 2018 and use coupon code FALL at checkout.

Go here and use coupon code FALL to get in on this great deal.

    
 

Gretchen’s $64 Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

Dillons

1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $1.25

1 Kroger Sour Cream – $1.25, used $0.50/1 e-coupon – $0.75 after coupon

3 pkg Kroger Shredded Cheese – $1.88 each, used $0.85/3 e-coupon – $1.59 each after coupon

4.16 lbs Bananas – $2.04

1 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.29

1 bag Marked Down Produce – $0.99

1 Pineapple – $0.99

Total after coupons: $12.08

Aldi

2 pkg Fruit Squeezies – $1.49 each

1 Half & Half – $1.79

1 bag Navel Oranges – $1.99

1 can Baked Beans – $1.39

1 Ranch Dressing – $1.29

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.89

1 bag Frozen Chicken Tenderloins – $5.79

1 jar Spaghetti Sauce – $1.39

1 gallon Milk – $1.79

2 pkg Frozen Veggies – $0.79 each

1 pkg Ground Beef – $6.33

3 pkg Strawberries – $0.99 each

1 loaf Bread – $1.49

1 pkg Old Fashioned Oats – $2.39

1 lb Oven Roasted Turkey Meat – $3.99

1 lb Frozen Ground Beef – $3.39

4 cans Green Beans – $0.49 each

1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $0.99

1 lb Butter – $2.56

1 Honey – $2.99

2 Cucumbers – $0.59 each

1 pkg English Muffins – $0.79

Total: $52.91

Total for both stores: $64.99

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toasted English Muffins, Fruit, Eggs

Lunches

Cheese/Crackers, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Tossed Salads, Turkey Sandwiches, Fruit/Veggies, Leftovers

Dinners

Mac & Cheese, Fruit

Date night (My in-laws are watching the kids and they will feed them!)

Grilled Minute Steaks (from my mom), Homemade Rolls, Steamed Peas

Lasagna Casserole, Tossed Salad, Banana Bread

Barbecue Meatballs, Twice Baked Potatoes, Green Beans (I’m bringing dinner for all the adults in our Lifegroup.)

French Toast, Eggs, Oranges

Italian Chicken, Pumpkin Pecan Muffins, Steamed Corn