Has anyone noticed actual *savings* using services like EMeals?

[Blueridge]

I am working on budgeting and really, really need to cut the food spending. I cook most everything from scratch but can't seem to save anything at the store. Thanks for your insights!

[Blueridge]

Interesting! I've also looked at the smaller plan offered at Nourished Kitchen which seems inspiring (I need that, too) but I can't tell if it would actually save me money. 

[Spryte]

E-meals has the option to choose a grocery store, and they make the menu based on sales,  but they don't offer the stores in my area.  I haven't noticed any savings for the same reasons Sparkly listed.

[Spryte]

Same here.  They do have Aldi and Walmart here, but not for the plans I want.

 

I'm actually not all that thrilled with the selections they offer.  And they don't offer choices.  Relish lists several choices to pick from each week. 

 

I guess I'm just picky.  There are a lot of foods I won't eat.

 

You are making me want to try Relish!  

 

I have not enjoyed e-meals, and plan to cancel.  We have a 3 month membership, only because I thought it was worth a try.  But it's not thrilling.  

 

I would not say we've saved money, though it is a good reminder to meal plan every week.  That's good in itself.

[Erica in OR]

Nope. We've done stints on e-meals with the low carb, clean eating, and the kid lunch plan. We enjoyed quite a few of the meals, but many of them were more expensive than I would normally make. For example, a fish dish each week. Even on sale, cod and salmon are more per pound than I would normally spend. Some I adapted to a different ingredient, such as subbing out flank steak for another type of beef. Or, recipes that use ingredients we didn't usually have around, like capers or pearl-type couscous or fish sauce (need a whole bottle to get a tablespoon or so). Once we identified recipes we liked and wanted to use again, I could watch for the more unusual ingredients to go on sale and stock up then.

 

I liked it because it took the work out of the planning, which is my downfall. Last year we got a subscription to Plan to Eat, which does the same shopping list sort of thing, but with the recipes you put in yourself.

 

Erica in OR