E-Mealz

This is a little premature, I feel certain, but in an effort to mainstream, simplify, etc., before baby comes and school starts and life gets hectic, Eli and I have decided to try E-Mealz. Our great neighbors two doors down first put the bug in our ear when we were in the process of moving, and I had to look it up. I was intrigued.



You sign up for a 3-month subscription for $15, which works out to $5/month or approximately $1.25/week. You choose a plan depending on how many you want to feed and where you want to shop, depending on what they have available. We chose the plan for 2-3 people from Wal-Mart, since our Wally World is less than a mile (.88) away from the new house. I wish they had a small family plan from Kroger, since that's in the other direction and just a little over a mile away (1.27) and you can double and triple coupons, etc., but they only have the regular family plan...for now.

Anyway, our menu day is Friday. We go online, print out the menu and shopping list, and go. The shopping list is broken down by aisle, which makes it that much more convenient to get everything in a timely manner. Anyway, we went, we bought, we came home.

So, our plan has five days worth of supper planned out. This week, I've made lasagna for the first time in my life, I made soup from almost scratch for the first time in my life, I used my crockpot for the first time since 2007 (for the cheese dip for the Super Bowl) to cook a roast, I've made chicken casserole, and tonight I made roast beef pockets for the first time. And you know what? I can't really moan, groan, gripe, complain or anything because all the ingredients are in the house and the recipes are tacked to the fridge, with helpful hints and reminders, such as "save 1 c. for Meal #4". It's too stinkin easy, it makes my brain hurt.

I say this is premature because we just completed our first week, and I have printed out the menu for next week. So, we're not professionals or 100% committed to the plan or anything like that. We're still in the "trying it out" phase.

I will say, however, that I did not spend very much money on eating out this week--and I'm including 1/2 price drinks at Sonic, etc. That's been my one weakness this pregnancy, particularly since we moved--I'm hungry all the time and I'm not motivated to pack a lunch, etc. I've spent WAY more money on eating out than I should have, I admit. I need to stop cold turkey, but I've also been craving Coke, and it's so cheap to stop at the Circle K and get a 32-oz. drink for $.79. But, of course, I can't put just that on a debit card (because I don't have any cash), so I get something else, like "plastic" donuts. Ugh. I'm a mess.

And here's the part where you slap me silly for being an idiot (thank goodness you're not actually here with me): The domestic stuff is wearing me out! Yes, dinner was easy enough, but I'm just not used to cooking dinner. I'd just as soon have a bowl of cereal or a sandwich (if someone else is making it) before I'd cook. Not because I don't like to cook, mind you, but just because it takes effort to cook for two--and I just don't eat leftovers. When we first got married, I would cook a couple nights a week. That has deteriorated to maybe once a week, and that's only if you mean "boil some pasta and heat up a jar of pasta sauce" by cooking. Yeah, I know. It's sad. Eli, on the other hand goes all out and includes...yes, yes he does...GREEN vegetables with his choice of cut of venison. I would otherwise have dangerously low iron levels. (Did I mention I'm a corn and potatoes girl?)

And for more of my whinefest, I know that the house is easier to clean if it's kept clean, but there's just so much to do, and Elsie seems to come right along behind me and undoes it! Or the cats try to thwart me! And yes, sometimes Eli and I thwart ourselves.

I'm ready for my house to be unpacked and put away. I hope I can get it done before 2.0. I just don't want people coming over to visit while I have piles of boxes in my living room, kitchen, and dining room! Ugh.

[Upon further reflection, my whinefest may be directly related to my exhaustion with being 36 weeks pregnant...maybe.]

Cheers.