Where I Talk About The One Domestic "Chore" I Loathe Most And #eMealsToTheRescue!

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign 

with Pollinate Media Group™ and eMeals all my opinions are my own. 

#pmedia #eMealstotheresuce http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.

I love being a wife and a mom and most of the responsibilities that each of those glorious titles entails but if I can be honest with you for a minute, I want to tell you just how much I hate one of the major weekly "chores of domesticity" that falls into my lap. And when I say "hate" I mean, "really, really dread and would rather not do but then my family would go hungry and what kind of mother would I be then?"

If you haven't guessed by now, that "chore" is meal planning. Just the thought of it makes me cringe.

If there is one thing I don't have time for each week, it's to sit down and flip through the pages of a cookbook or click through hoards of Pinterest boards to plan the meals my family will eat each week. I mean, I barely have time to sit and think and pee and don't think I haven't once thought about killing two birds with one stone; peeing and meal-planning simultaneously. But seriously, what's more is that not only do I not have time for either of those things, but I also don't have time to then painstakingly organize my grocery list based on said gathering of recipes.

Believe me, I've tried. I've tried to meal and menu plan and it's something that I wanted so badly to work for our family. I imagined we would save major bucks each month if I could only plan ahead for the weeks' meals rather than scramble at the last minute trying to decide what we would eat each week or wander aimlessly up and down grocery aisles while googling "quick and easy recipes." 

I spent money on fancy magnet boards for the fridge and even splurged on calendars and organizing list pads that I hoped would make this weekly task easier. There were even weeks when I would literally search for and copy another blogger's posted meal plan for the week. That's how much I hated meal planning. I won't lie, I wanted someone else to do it for me.

In the end, however, although it  may have been nice for a week or two, it wasn't working for us in the long run.

Thankfully, it was eMeals to the rescue, an online meal planning service that has virtually taken all of the guesswork and anxiety out of planning what my family is going to eat each week. Not only does eMeals plan our meals out based on our customized family food plan each week, but they also prep a detailed and organized grocery list based on our meal plan for the week. 

What's left for me to do? Not much, I tell you! Amazing.

Once I receive my weekly eMeals email that contains our meal plan and grocery list for the week, I shop for and purchase our groceries, prep the meal each night (which, after following our plan for over two weeks is so ridiculously easy) and then I sit back and take full credit for preparing healthy and delicious home-cooked meals for my family every night of the week.

There's also a very handy eMeals app that is great for taking along on those shopping trips!  

eMeals has honestly and truly revolutionized how I go about planning and feeding my family each week. I could kick myself for not signing up for this service sooner! I wanted someone else to do the dirty work. To plan our meals and organize our grocery list in a way that was simply, easy, effective and organized. That's exactly what eMeals has done for us.

Currently we follow the "clean eating" family meal plan and I must say I haven't been disappointed with a single recipe that eMeals has put together for our family. The great thing about this service is that I'm not bound to a particular type of plan or specific meal each week and can substitute certain dishes for others that might be staple favorites in our house. 

Most recently, I cooked up the eMeals clean eating "Southwestern Chicken Chili" and although I may have had my doubts while preparing it (not a whole lot of seasoning involved) I was absolutely shocked and delighted with how delicious it was. It was a hit and not a single plate had any left to spare by the end of dinner time.

Serves: 4 with minimal leftovers
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredient List
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 poblano peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
32 oz container reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans cannelloni beans, drained and
rinsed
½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
1 deli-roasted chicken, skin removed and meat
shredded
8 oz container reduced-fat sour cream
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, cut into wedges
(I added shredded cheddar cheese to garnish)

Directions
1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat
2. Add onions, peppers, garlic and cumin and saute 5 minutes, until tender
3. Add chicken broth and beans (recipe calls for mashing beans once they're in the Dutch oven, to thicken chili. I  mashed them prior to adding with a potato masher). 
4. Stir in salt, pepper and chicken

5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes
6. Serve topped with your desired amount of sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and cheddar cheese.
7. Enjoy!

Interested in trying out eMeals for your hungry household? Use the code "RESCUE" to save 35% off a 1-year subscription. This offer expires December 15th, 2013 so don't delay! Be sure to check out the other meal plan options offered for both breakfast and lunch! 

Sign up is made easy with the eMeals 4-Step Sign Up! 

1. Simply Pick Your Plan (Slow Cooker, Clean-Eating, Classic, Paleo, etc).

2. Get great recipes in your inbox which include an entree AND a side dish

3. Shop for your groceries using the eMeals organized grocery list

4. Relax and enjoy delicious home cooked meals with your family!

Interested in learning more about this incredibly service? 

You can find eMeals on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as well!