Free meal planning + shopping list–this is soooo awesome!

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m just terrible when it comes to meal planning. I just fall into ruts and end up cooking the same meals over and over. I read magazines, I clip recipes, maybe I’ll make them once or twice but for some reason, very few new recipes get added to my regular repetoire. Then of course, there’s the shopping. Either I have to transfer the ingredient list to a sheet of paper, or, carry the recipe with me to the store. Then sometimes I forget an ingredient (because I didn’t write it down) or I forget the recipe in the bottom of my bag, because I’m trying to juggle two kids and coupons…………..sigh. I know lots of you know what this is like!

So today I signed up for Food on the Table. I love it. It was so easy–first, I didn’t have to do a cumbersome registration, I just connected with Facebook and had an account in 20 seconds. Then, it instantly brought up all my stores within a 10 mile radius, and I clicked “add store” to my list. I chose Acme, Superfresh, Giant and Genuardi’s, since those are my 4 main stores. Then, if you want, it will bring up that week’s sale prices for you! And you can choose which store you’re going to shop at that week. You put in your food choices, what type of cuisine you’re interested in and………..voila! It brought up about a dozen recipes for me to look over. I read them, chose the ones I want to make, and it compiled my list for me! Now all I have to do is look that over, compare it to what is already in my pantry, and shop. I don’t see me using the sale price feature much, as far as choosing a store. Since I do some store matchups and peruse my own ads pretty seriously, I usually know which one or two stores I want to visit.

This also will work well, I think, when the new Peapod service is available here. I can have Food on the Table in one window, and Peapod open in the other, and shop that way. I still plan on regularly visiting some grocers for very cheap items, freebies, stock up must-dos and so on. But for the day to day stuff, I’m all about making my life easier. Click on image below to join, I seriously love this thing!

(ETA 11/3: Sigh, I knew this was too good to be true. I love this thing–last night I got an email. It’s not free as they stated. Yeah, sign up was free–but to continue there is a monthly fee. I like it so much, I am debating whether or not to pay for a few months, get a big meal repetoire that I like, then ditch it. It’s $3-$10 per month, depending on what you choose.)

(Second edit for 11/3: It appears that you can do up to 4 meals per week for free. Any more than that, you have to pay. I’m glad to hear this and will still use it. So don’t be alarmed if you get an email asking you to pay. But be choosy about what 4 meals you pick–that’s all you get!)