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sunny
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| Posted: Aug 17 2009 at 6:50am | IP Logged
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I enjoy cooking for special occassions but I get so tired of trying to think of what to cook. I also think I waste alot of food. I am looking into menu planners and wonder if anyond here uses one. I have looked at rachael ray's and epicurios
I am looking for something simple, elegant, child friendly, natural and healthy. Wow! I must be asking for too much...no wonder I can never think of something to fix!! (Oh and ideally, I would prefer to find a menu planner that arrives in the mail. I get tired of reading on the computer and printing things.)
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Aug 17 2009 at 7:45am | IP Logged
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I don't know Sunny, but I sure hope someone does. This would be very helpful. Of the two you have above, I think Rachael Ray's seems more family friendly. This sort of thing is difficult for me because I have to convert everything to gluten free, which isn't always possible.
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
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mom2mpr
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| Posted: Aug 17 2009 at 10:49am | IP Logged
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Savingdinner.com used to have a weekly menu that you could get by e-mail. It was low cost. She had low carb, and other diet options. I subscribed for a few months and my family ate most everything I cooked. It was for a season when I just couldn't handle one more thing. Give me a menu, a grocery list, and I'll cook!!
I remember seeing some sort of menu on Yahoo too.
Anne
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Stacy Y
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| Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 4:00pm | IP Logged
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You can buy the "saving dinner" cookbook for $10 on Amazon too- it sounnds like just what you're looking for- it also includes shopping lists, etc... Stacy
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mom2mpr
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You might also be able to get the Saving Dinner book out of the library. It is by Leanne Ely. It does have a lot of quick recipes so even if you don't do the menu and list thing, you can find some quick things to make. She seems to have a pattern for each week, chicken, fish, pasta, beans or meatless, soup and crockpot recipes.
Some of our favorites are from this book.
Anne
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theresa-lynn
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| Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 4:57pm | IP Logged
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We are Gluten free here and use GFreeCuisine.com
They have a sister site for non-gf folks:
relish
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Melanie
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 5:11pm | IP Logged
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I LOVE Leanne Ely. I go back to my Saving Dinner book over and over again. I have considered her subscription also.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
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Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
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Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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SharonO
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| Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 6:28pm | IP Logged
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I'm subscribing to e-mealz. It is $15 for a 3 month subscription, but so far my picky eating family has been satisfied with most of the selections. It has definitely made my life easier. Well worth $15 IMHO.
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Sharon in MO
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sunny
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| Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 7:55pm | IP Logged
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So...I ordered all the Leanne Ely books they have at my library. I fell in lOVE with e-mealz because it has meals based on my grocery store specials. How cool! But then on closer look it seems to include lots of pre-made items. I think I would prefer something more natural. I also checked Relish and SavingDinner. At first I was completely sold on Relish (seems a bit more natural and healthy - but then again, might be appealing web design) but then I realised it is twice the price of Saving Dinner. Hmmm...
I greatly appreciate all the responses. If anyone wants to share more details about what they like/dislike about these sites, I am interested. For now, I think I will wait for the library books before subscribing to one of them.
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melanie
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| Posted: Aug 21 2009 at 4:19pm | IP Logged
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I have Saving Dinner too. I've also subscribed to some of her email menus. They worked better for us than anything. I did have to tweak a little...she uses salmon a lot, which I love but dh does not, and dh also does not like main dishes with fruit in them, like chicken with a fruit flavored sauce,,,lol. I also wish there was more variety with the side dishes...pretty much every side dish said, 'brown rice and baby carrots", heh. But overall, her meals are the closest to how we actually eat, and my saving dinner cookbook is worn to pieces and needs to be replaced. :)
There is another site called menus 4 moms...that one I've used some, but it seems less healthy than saving dinner.
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homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
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Taffy
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| Posted: Aug 21 2009 at 6:48pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for sharing that gluten-free meal planning site Melanie! We're gluten free here too. I'm off to check them out!
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Susan
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Aug 22 2009 at 11:03am | IP Logged
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Sharon - THANK YOU!!! That is a great price for an auto meal plan specific to where I shop - awesome!! I will do a very simple breakfast and lunch rotation, and follow their dinner plan - ahhhh, my weary brain thanks you!!!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Sept 29 2009 at 11:02am | IP Logged
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I subscribed to E-mealz and gave a review of it on my blog:
Keeping Their Bellies Full
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Angel
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| Posted: Sept 29 2009 at 6:56pm | IP Logged
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Lisa,
That was a very helpful blog post.  I missed this thread the first time around, and I have a question about emealz... would it be worth it if you bought almost all your meat in bulk from local farmers? I noticed in their sample menus that they seem to include a lot of recipes for chicken breasts. All I have are whole chickens, and quick chicken breast recipes don't really work for whole chickens. I also just ran out of ground beef, but I still have a fair store of other cuts....
Anyway, you get the picture. Would emealz work for me or is even $15 every 3 months not worth it?
(Also, I would love a lunch planner!! I get so tired of fixing the same 4 things over and over and over again...)
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Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: menu planners
