Restore Dinnertime Sanity (The Benefits of a Meal Planning Service)

 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

How can a meal planning service help you save time and money? For less than $5/month you can receive weekly meal plans matched with store sales, right in your inbox!

I’m not normally a fan of meal planning services. I’m a DIY girl, and so I like to do everything myself. {OK, maybe I’m just stubborn!}

Anyway, I have my own simple meal planning strategy pretty much figured out. Spend one night a week writing down 4-5 meals, create a shopping list, go shopping, and make the meals. So easy.

But there’s just one problem. In the last few months, both my husband and I are kind of working 2 jobs a piece. While I’m typing away at this here blog, I’m also working as part-time assistant for someone else. Meanwhile, my husband is a news photographer, and we thought it would be a good idea for him to go get his real estate license.

Crazy, I know!

The time crunch certainly doesn’t lend itself to my meal planning regimen so much anymore, and we really do not want to develop a habit of eating out or grabbing convenience foods. That’s where a meal planning service could be really helpful, especially in the everyday challenges of a smoothly run household.

What They Do That I Can’t

One of the biggest things I love about meal planning, is that is saves me time and money. With a service, you can save even more time, and yes, even more money. Even if you have to pay for it!

Here’s how they usually work:

  • Pick a menu theme based on likes, and dietary needs – Clean Eating, Slow Cooker, Gluten-Free, Low Fat, Classic, etc.
  • Access weekly meal plans full of recipes and ideas to use on their own, or as supplements with meals your family already loves.
  • Print out shopping lists based on weekly store sales, and the menu plan for that week. {LOVE this!}

I like to think of meal planning services as an extra addition to my normal routine. If I feel stuck, need a boost, or generally don’t want to worry about what to make, I turn to a service instead. It’s such a stress-reliever!

Meal Planning Options

There are quite a few services out there to choose from….but how do you know which ones are the absolute best?

Personally, I love eMeals, but I would suggest you do the subscribe-and-see-if-you-like-it option. You don’t have to commit to a whole year subscription {most have 3 or 6 month choices}, and it’s a great way to see if such a service would fit well with your family dynamic and dietary needs.

Some services currently out there:

One of the reasons why I love eMeals so much is their super affordable subscription options {only $5/month}, it’s also incredibly easy to use.

Instead of having to go into the website and put meal plans together, eMeals does all that for you and sends it straight to your inbox every week. And you don’t just have one menu plan to choose from – there’s something in there for every taste and special need. You can add on breakfast and lunch plans too.

If you’re considering a meal planning service in addition to, or in place of your current meal planning strategy, really research it out to see if this is something that might benefit you long-term.

Meal planning is essential if you want to be a frugal, and productive homemaker. <– {Click to Tweet} You might decide to totally DIY your own system, rely on a service, or a little mix of both. No matter how you do it, I sincerely believe you’ll notice a big difference in your budget!

Have you ever tried a meal planning service?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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