
Just as we had an extra person move into our home, I was contacted by Relish to try out their new menu planning service. It couldn't have come at a better time. Now that I have 3 adults and 2 children -all wondering what's for dinner -I needed a plan.
What is Relish? Basically, it's a one-stop menu planning, grocery list making, recipe printing, and freezer meal planning site! But without any of the work!
I was amazed at how easy it was! Every week, you select 5 entrees and one dessert from a list of 15 entree options. All entrees are marked with symbols that identify the meals with tags like kid-friendly, quick, crockpot, and vegetarian (to name a few.)
Once you select your five entrees, you click submit and a grocery list is automatically generated with every item you need to make your weekly meals. But that's not all! All the recipes are generated right below the list. And all can easily be printed in PDF format with one click of a button.
Then you take a look at your printed list, cross out any items you already have, and use the extra space to fill in any other items you need that week.
It's that simple. They even have a freezer menu planning section. I haven't delved into that yet, but I'm hoping my freezer will eventually look like the one they show on their site. Take a look at it below.
What did I think of the recipes? Simple, healthy, delicious. I always modify recipes, so I'll automatically take out extra sugar and swap oils.
And the cost of meals? To be honest, I had pretty much all the supplies on hand. I only had to buy a few lettuces (for sides) and in a few occasions, I substituted meats I had on hand even if they weren't exactly what the recipe called for. I don't think it really added any expense to my grocery shopping.
But it was so nice to have everything planned out...and not to have done any of the actual planning work. :)
A one-month subscription to Relish costs $7/month. Relish is generously giving one Suburban Jungle Reader a Free ONE YEAR subscription (worth $58.80).
How to Enter:
Leave me a comment telling me why you would like to win!
Extra Entries:
-Blog or Tweet about this giveaway - 2 entries - Leave 2 comments (one with a link) - Be sure to include @suburbanjung and a link to this post in your tweet
-Become a Suburban Jungle Follower (Twitter, Feedburner, or Google Friend Connect)- 1 entry each, up to 3 entries - leave up to 3 comments for following
-Become a Suburban Jungle Follower (Twitter, Feedburner, or Google Friend Connect)- 1 entry each, up to 3 entries - leave up to 3 comments for following
-Enter one of my other current giveaways and leave 2 comments (1 telling which one) - 2 entries
This giveaway will end on November 23, 2009 at 9:00 pm EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and notified by email within 1 day of the contest end. The winner will also be identified on this post by November 24th.
No compensation was given for this review. I was offered a 1 month trial membership in order to review Relish's services. This did not sway my opinion in any way.

129 comments:
Oh how I would love a subscription to help with budgeting and ideas!
That's exactly what I need, I'm a mess when I try to schedule meals, and at the same time I really want to do it because I'm sure I will save money and I will be more organized and have extra time for my blogging.
I'm a twitter follower
@mamalatina
I'm a google friend connect follower too!
I would love to win this because as much as I try to be organized, I lack organization in menu planning. I really need help in this area and would love to give this service a try. Thanks for the chance, Angela.
I follow you on Twitter (Ele13). Thanks!
This would make my grocery shopping and planning so much easier
I entered the skin md giveaway
I'm a follower on google friend
I subscribe via email
extra entry for entering other contest
Oh my goodness...i would love to win because i cannot for the life of me plan what to cook and also get all the ingredients. Need Help!
We could definitely use this... with me working full time, and my wife being a full time college student along with 2 kids, any help with meal organization would be great!
Tweeted @dadofdivas
Following you on Twitter! @dadofdivas
Subscribed to the feed
Following publicly!
I, like you, are a little disorganized when it comes to menu planning. I need help! (and I want my freezer to look like that too)
Great giveaway.
I'm following
This would be great with 4 kids and a busy schedule. Someone else thinking about dinner besides me.
katie_mmartin at yahoo dot com.
would love to try this!
amanda
4ballfam at gmail dot com
follow you with google
This sounds awesome. Love to try it.
irishshrn@aol.com
I need this because I never know what to cook for dinner!
Follower via feedburner!
Follower via google friends!
Entered Skin MD giveaway! 1
Entered Skin MD giveaway! 2
I need help keeping all six members of my family happy at mealtime, and making it easier on me.
s.mickelson at gmail dot com
I would LOVE to win this prize. I have the hardest time deciding what to have for dinner so I end up making the same meals over and over again.
I follow you on Twitter. =)
I follow you with Bloglines.
I tweeted your giveaway!
this is for the second entry for tweeting. =)
Thanks for having this, by the way, I'm sure whoever wins will LOVE having one less thing to worry or think about.
I would like to win because we have 5 starving children running around our house and I need HELP! PLEASE HELP ME!
I would like to win this because I am horrible about planning ahead for meals and my husband takes the car during the day so it is so important that I plan ahead properly for my 4 picky eaters. I had looked at the relish website before and wanted to do it but I just don't have the money. Probably just like everyone else right now. :)
brittanym112 at gmail dot com
Blog follower
brittanym112 at gmail dot com
Wow, these "menu" plans have never worked because my husband is so picky but, he is about to leave to go overseas and this would be great to keep me organized and the kids fed! lol
Thanks!
maggie
Subscriber!
thanks!
maggie
I would love to win this to save myself some time and make cooking easier for me. I cook for a family of six and would love to win this!!! Thanks for the giveaway:)
I am so disorganized when it comes to buying food, a list telling me what I need for each meal would be very helpful!
greenlancer at comcast dot net
I have entered the Skin MD giveaway 1
I have entered the skin md giveaway 2
Followed on twitter!
@bellanova85
greenlancer at comcast dot net
Tweeted entry #1
http://twitter.com/bellanova85/status/5576286349
greenlancer at comcast dot net
Tweeted entry #2
http://twitter.com/bellanova85/status/5576286349
greenlancer at comcast dot net
I have never heard of anything like this before but it sounds awesome! Its just what I need to get organized before going to the grocery store so I can save time and stay in budget!
following on twitter
@sweephappy
tweeted!
tweeted: http://twitter.com/sweephappy/status/5579591602
I would love to win this service. I don't know how many times I have tried to meal plan. Maybe this service will actually make me stick with it!
I'd love this because other freezer-recipe books I've found are only for families. This one would allow me to scale the recipes down to a smaller size!
chrisny2(at) aol(dot) com
This would be so great as I have no time at home and need all the help I can get!
plur268 at yahoo dot com
Oh this would so help out my busy house hold. I have 4 children ages 10,4,2 and 11 days old. I also run a dayhome during the day with another three children on top of my 4. I dropand pick kids to school during the day. I am always trying to find time to fit in cleaning and playing during the day. On top of all this my dayhome runs until 5:45 pm which is quite late to be starting to cook dinner. So once my husband returns from work around 4:30 pm then we switch off and he entertains all the kids while I attempt to firgure out what to cook for dinner. I have to have dinner ready by the time the daycare kids leave so my kids can eat and go to their sports in the evenings. I attempt to make up a menu for 2 weeks on sundays that way I know what to get at the grocery store. This also helps over spending at the grocery store and grocerys going bad.
Tammy Piatkowski
I would love help to know how how to cook; cooking intimidates me, and I think having everything planned out would be a step in the right direction. Not to mention, my husband would enjoy having dinner cooked for him once in a while. Please pick me!
I tweeted your giveaway @dopeymouse05. (I don't know how to create a link to your specific entry).
I follow you on Twitter @dopeymouse05.
I get your emails @ pepethewepe@gmail.com.
I'm friends with you on Google Friend Connect.
I entered the skin MD giveaway.
I would love to win. It seems like we eat the same dinners over and over. I would love to have some more ideas and recipes. Thanks!
Kristen.Lee17@gmail.com
I would love to win to help out my family! My wife is having to work nights so dinner time is on me. If it were all planned and ready to go I would have one less thing to worry about! And spend more time with my 2 DDs!!
Great giveaway BTW!!
ooops! I am anonymous poster #62!!
I'd like to win! Esp with #5 coming, being extra organized is going to help a lot!
I'm a subscriber.
I'm a follower!
I entered the coconut oil giveaway
entry #1
entered coconut giveaway
entry #2
I have just started menu planning, and I ma so lost! This would help me greatly!
tweeted: http://twitter.com/thennl
tweeted
Follow on twitter
Follow on Google Friends connect
I work in cooking so I should be able to plan menus at home but it never seems to happen. My poor family would love to have a planner, no more bizarre whatever we have on hand dinners. I really like the freezer planner.
My biggest challenge is coming up with the grocery list! I'm always forgetting ingredients and then I can't make what I planned. That never fails to throw off my well intentioned plan and the week is wonky.
I would like to win this because I am not good at planning my meals and buying the right food or the right amount of food.
I totally need this! What mom doesn't!? I have a new little baby and recent health issues that makes menu planning hard. cporter2@gmail.com
What a wonderful idea. It helps our busy families so they can spend more time together.
bjdebry@gmail.com
I think Relish could help me by helping me save money by sticking to the list.
11/14/ entry kygonyea@gmail.com
Point and click would be amazing. I'm such a strong supporter or menu planning, but the choosing a menu and finding the ingredients etc is time consuming. Point and click...wow!!
I entered your VC Design contest (1st entry)
I entered your VC Design contest (2nd entry)
My wife and I always sit there with blank looks when trying to make up a shopping list for the week. We end up with lots of ingredients but no idea what we're making.
I entered the coconut oil giveaway #1
I entered the coconut oil giveaway #2
I would love this because I always feel so much pressure to plan each week! This would be really helpful.
Would love this!
JK
jktopp@att.net
I would love to give Relish a try. I once used a service similar and was able to add a few healthy nutritious recipes to our repetoire. I love the fact that you can choose which recipes suit your family. That's a really neat function.
Christine
dazed1821@aol.com
I would love to win because of the freezer cooking!! I have just started "once a month" cooking, and this would be awesome to help with planning the menu's!! Thanks!!
jones41704@bellsouth.net
I would love this and use it all the time
I hate menu-planning - I always get stuck using the same 5 meals over and over again. This would be such a big help!
ginatuck(at)gmail(dot)com
This would be amazing for me! I "attempt" (if that's what you call it) to plan my meals each week, but always end up slacking the next. I think this would definitely keep me on track week after week!
I follow through google friends connect!
I entered the Blush Topless Undershirt Giveaway.
Extra entry for other giveaway entry!
My family eats out all the time because i have no experience cooking. I've tried to get into it but I'm a mess and don't really know what I'm doing. I think this could be just the thing I need to help me get organized and stay on the right track!
emerysmomma (at) gmail (dot) com
Cool giveaway! I can always have help planning meals!
We are a 2 family household. Trying to schedule shopping and meals for everyone can be so frustrating some days. I know I make it harder than it is, but I wish I was better organized with the meal planning. I'm just used to when I didi all this the first time we had a set meal time. Now with work and school schedules it's hard to know what to fix.
Suburban Jungle follower via google
Entered Skin MD giveaway
entered Chuck E Cheese giveaway
I would like to win in order to get out of the same old thing rut. I also like that they have a freezer menu and grocery lists. sharonaquilino(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would love to win a subscription to Relish. I work 50 hours a week and have a 2 year old...I do NOT have time to make up a menu weekly myself :-)
I have been wanting to start meal planning for a while, but just am not sure how to start... =)
This sounds awesome! I'm always fumbling around at 5 p.m. to figure out what to feed the husband and two kids. This would help so much!
melissamcnicol at yahoo dot com
I need some serious help when it comes to planning meals! Thanks for the giveaway.
I would love to win because I am always trying to figure out "what's for dinner" for my family of 4 at the last minute! Not to mention, something healthy for my little ones and tasty for my husband! It is always tricky, and when I figure out a meal -I am usually one ingredient short. This would really help me out!
You mean they will do all the thinking and all I have to do is put it together? I'm in!!
I am recently married. I work full time, and take classes at the community college. Life is crazy busy with family things, writing stacks of thank you notes, sending out christmas cards, and traveling during thanksgiving. Then there is Christmas shopping and more. I hardly ever have time to sit down & plan menus. I could really use some help with the planning and it would help us out alot as newlyweds!
DH & I work alternating schedules, so meal planning is a must. Unfortunately, we suck at it. This would really help out with that.Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow you on twitter.bluenude3 Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
I follow your blog. Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
Oh, I'd love to win! Just so my fridge can look so organized! hahaha. Also, I'd love to put an end to that "What's for dinner?" question that we are debating right now as I enter this contest! I'm bookmarking Relish!
With 4 munchkins ages 7 months to 5 years and a hubby whose work schedule is completely chaotic, I can use all the help I can get keeping our lives organized. This sounds like a fabulous opportunity to do just that in the kitchen!
Trying to coordinate meal times in a 2 family house can be hard some days. With school, OT, activities, homewaok it's hard to plan a healthy warm meal for everyone to enjoy. I'd love to be able to have some servings on hand for the late-comers to warm up. It gets so frustrating planning and I always end up with a couple of extra trips back to the store.
I need some inspiration!!
Suburban Jungle folloer via Google
Entered Disney Musical Handwash Timer Giveaway #1
Entered Disney Musical Handwash Timer Giveaway #2
I don't just want this..I need this...with the extra curriculars we have this year..I am spending way too much money on fast food.
I am entering because I am a failed meal planner many times over. I need help!
jgrossmanesq (at) yahoo (dot) com
I can use all the help I can get!!
I entered the Chuck E Cheese and Slushee giveaway.
Christine
dazed1821@aol.com
I feed my family of 6--need I say more??
Amanda
I'm a homeschool mom to 4 children ages 7, 5, 3, and 1. I used to use a menu-planning service years ago, and it worked for me. I've recently been thinking I need to use a menu planning service again! We're eating Stauffers, ramen noodles, and frozen pizza! Helllllp!
sarah_carol (at) hotmail (dot) com
Extra entry for entering the Disney music-timer soap dispenser drawing. Thanks!
sarah_carol (at) hotmail (dot) com
Extra entry for entering the Blush undertop drawing. Thanks again!
I have 5 boys (all but my youngest in sports) and we are so busy. This would definitely save me time!
smith6faith(at)zoominternet(dot)net
ooohhhhh.... how I need this! I am terrible at meal planning :-(
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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate all your tips, advice, and well wishes!
Angela