Winter Giveaway Week: Win 1 of 2 Annual Memberships to “No More To Go” Menu Plans ($64 Value Each)

balsamic strip steak

This seems to be the week for giveaways geared to meal planning and cooking from scratch!

Today’s giveaway is a little bit different, though. Typically I share a lot about doing your own meal planning, but I know that for many people, that’s still a daunting thought.

Particularly for those still making the transition to real foods and looking for ways to cut down on the planning time that goes along with eating better, No More To Go just might be the perfect solution.

Instead of scouring books and the web for recipes, turning them into a varied and interesting meal plan, and then creating a shopping list for said meals, would you rather that someone else just did the work for you? I wouldn’t blame you at all if your answer was a resounding yes!

NMTG Logo

Sometimes what’s standing in the way of making better foods is the extra time and effort it takes before you even get to the actual cooking. Here’s what No More To Go does for you:

  • Each Friday morning, you’ll receive an email with the menu plan for the week, as well as a grocery shopping list. This gives you time to get your shopping done over the weekend so that you’re ready to go on Monday.
  • The weekly meal plan that you receive includes 5 complete meals, with sides, and a bonus meal for the weekend.
  • Grocery lists are organized by categories to help get you in and out of the store faster. You can either print it out, or use your mobile devise to access it.
  • Each meal plan comes with tips to help you modify recipes for gluten free needs, picky eaters, and kids.
  • You’ll always have access to previous menu plans and recipes on the website. If you need to swap out one of the meals in the weekly plan, you need an extra recipe, or you simply want to go back and make a meal again because it was such a hit, you can easily search for and access previous recipes.

But are the recipes good? And are they truly “real food” friendly?

While I haven’t made any of the recipes yet (finding all of the foods that we’re used to eating while living here in Argentina is a tricky adjustment and for now I’m just doing the best with whatever I can find!), they look and sound delicious.

For example, in the sample menu posted on the No More To Go website, there are meals like Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup with Parmesan Toasts, Sauteed Chicken with Mushroom Sage Wild Rice and Broccoli, and Salmon Topped Potato Pancakes (mmm, I really want to try this one). I noticed a nice variety of proteins (chicken, beef, pork, fish, beans and legumes), a moderate amount of grains, and plenty of fresh vegetables.

lemon caper flounder

The recipes look simple to follow and aren’t full of complicated ingredients. If there’s an ingredient that you wouldn’t usually buy (capers, for example), I say just skip it or substitute with something else (like olives).

A few recipes included ingredients that weren’t exactly the ones I keep in my traditional foods kitchen. I’m not a fan of canola oil, for example, which several recipes call for, but I find things like that to be an easy switch. I would simply substitute extra virgin olive oil, beef tallow, real butter, or coconut oil, depending on the particular recipe.

The odd canned ingredient like store-bought salsa (which was very rare- almost all recipe ingredients listed were just fresh, whole foods) could be your own home-canned salsa, an organic variety that you enjoy, or a quick homemade salsa instead. Small substitutions like this are easy to do when you already have someone doing the rest of the thinking and planning work for you.

Created by a busy mom who understands

The woman behind No More To Go, Stacey, is a regular wife and mom of 3. She desired to keep her own family away from processed foods and out of the drive-thru lane, despite the fact that life is busy and she didn’t always have a lot of time to cook.

Recognizing how important it is to make and eat healthy meals together as a family, she made it a priority to learn to simplify the process, and then she took her 13 years of cooking and homemaking experience and started putting her recipes and menu plans together to help make it easier for other moms.

There are several different membership options available. Try it out for a month at a time ($7 per month), or lower the per-month cost with a longer subscription: 3 months ($18 or $6 per month), 6 months ($34 or $5.67 per month) or 12 months ($64 or $5.33 per month- the best price).

Would you like to get entered to win 1 of 2 Twelve Month Subscriptions to No More To Go?

Rather than simply leaving comments, I’m trying out a new method for entering giveaways. Click below to complete one Rafflecopter form, for all of your multiple entries, and then you’re done! If you’re reading in an email, make sure that you click through to enter from the actual website.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interested in getting a discount off a No More To Go subscription? Use the coupon code “KOTH” to get 30% off your the subscription of your choice. (Hint: If you use it on the yearly subscription, it brings the cost of each month down to just $3.73!)

Giveaway ends 2/26/2013 at 12:00 am.

Disclosure: This post has been generously sponsored by No More To Go. All opinions are my own.

104 Comments

  1. My biggest struggle is just figuring out WHAT to make each week. I have perfectionist tendencies and can be paralyzed by choice. 🙂

  2. I am excited about menu plans because it increases the depth of recipes I currently use and it helps me stay organized. Planning and cooking *healthy* meals for my family is important to me and services like this help me achieve that goal.

  3. This is a fascinating concept. It is such a pain trying to figure out WHAT to make every week. I know that menu planning really helps organize/calm my life, but skipping that whole part, wow, that would be amazing!

  4. I try and do meal planning, but life seems to get in the way. And i have a husband who was raised on “box” food , so I would love more real food receipes.

  5. What a great idea! We’re always “on the go”; when I get home, I’m usually too tired to think and/or cook. I welcome ideas that make that job easier for me. Thanks!

  6. My biggest struggle starts with proper planning. Now that I’m really really trying to go fresh real foods and gluten free I’m struggling to get food on the table because I don’t have a plan. Thank you for the opportunity to win this.

  7. I struggle with trying to find different meals for my family – that are healthy! It seems that meal planning and cooking well always seem to be the first thing that is skipped when life gets busy. I would love having meals planned out for me.

  8. First it’s TIME! But do I like to make time? No because I don’t love to cook. I need easy and prepared. And healthy is a must. This sounds great!

  9. I have been cooking for over 16 years now and it still is hard to come up with a meal plan for a week or two. I would love something like this.

  10. I really struggle with all the prep work that goes into “real food” cooking. I always realize on the night I’m trying to cook that I missed something that I needed to do the day before and then have to put the meal off. I like that No More To Go does all the planning for you, but still gives you the freedom to swap out recipes as you wish.

  11. I love this idea! I struggle with variety in the meals we eat. I feel like we eat the same things over and over and I’d like to change it up!

  12. I spend so much time preparing home cooked meals it is overwhelming the amount of time i put in it from start to finish this would be amazing to have. Thanks for sharing it! I’ve tried meal sites before but we use all whole foods and i’ve never seen one that cooks like we do i’m so excited to see this!!

  13. I struggle with variety. I get stuck in a rut with the same few recipes…get tired of them and then feel like I have no other options. And I love that these are real food recipes!

  14. My biggest struggle with getting home cooked meals on the table is the time and planning it takes before the night we must be eating. I really like that No More To Go would tell me what to shop for and what I should cook- ahh that sounds nice.

  15. I struggle with variety and having the right things on hand… I am not organized and I need to learn to plan ahead. Looking for help with this and it looks like this would be a great tool.

  16. I am always brain dead at the end of the day so if I am given something to make for my family that is healthy & easy-I think I could handle that!

  17. The hardest thing for me is coming up with ideas for different yummy meals every day. I tend to repeat meals that are quick and easy.

  18. I struggle with meal planning as I haven’t found a great method that works well for our family. I would love to see if this membership would help us tackle this challenge once and for all!

  19. Due to health issues we have had to change the way our family eats and I need easy meals as time is limited with a busy toddler in the house 🙂

  20. I struggle with meal planning because I just can’t seem to get out of making the same things over and over. I need inspiration.

  21. After getting everyone off to school in the morning and then running errands it’s usually close to noon and I realize I haven’t taken anything out for dinner. I also work 3-4 nights out of the week, so that doesn’t help. This could help with my dinner problems, plus my boys are picky.

  22. If I’m being honest the biggest thing that keeps me from home cooked meals on the table is my own selfishness. Instead of choosing to use my time to plan well I fill it with other “more interesting” things (er, like reading blogs!). That being said it would be super nice to have all the work done for me although I’m not sure how it would help me in my selfishness. 🙂

  23. Excellent giveaway! Hate to admit that I REALLY need this ~going to break down and just order it and if I happen to win, I will give it to a friend who could use it. Thank you for offering such a great help to others who struggle with meal planning/what to eat! Gotta get my 5 (at home) kids on real food and wish FB (and your page) would have been around when my oldest was young. He grew up on Ramen and Wendy’s chix sandwiches. :-(((((

  24. I’m pretty good with meal planning (I actually have an e-course for sale on my site on the topic), but I’m always on the look out for new methods and/or recipes. And once in a while it would be nice to to have to do the work myself!

  25. Being vegan and gluten-free, it would be wonderful to have some help with the non-vegan gluten-free people in my life! 🙂

  26. Time! While homeschooling 4 children and having a just barely 1 year old, it is sometimes a daunting task to get dinner prepared. Thanks.

  27. I think the hardest thing for me is remembering before I leave for work to do some of the prep, like taking things out of the freezer. Then by the time I get home it feels like everything will take too long.

  28. Styaing organized and following through on my meal plans for the week is the hardest ting for me. I would like to follow someone else’s plan.

  29. Managing my time and organizing it. I love that it gives you a menu and everything listed that you need for the week

  30. I love the variety. Sometimes I get stuck in a beef – chicken – soup/salad rut. This subscription looks like it would introduce me to some fabulous new recipes!

  31. Even though I am a single person, I believe that I eat better when it’s all planned, but who has time? I love these planned for you sites. I can make a couple different dinners for serving 4-6 people and have the rest of the month of freezer meals. Great for the budget, too.

  32. Time and energy (with a 2yr old and being 24weeks pregnant) are my biggest obstacles currently. I love that these meals are simple, yet still healthy!

  33. Funny, I just stumbled across this site a couple of days ago! It sounds awesome. I’ve tried other plans like this before and really liked them – but many use ingredients (like canned soup) that I’m not comfortable with. This seems perfect for our new real food lifestyle!

  34. I struggle sometimes with the preparation and the clean up afterwards! I like that it is all planned out with a shopping list!

  35. My family just recently switched to a gluten-free diet, so just coming up with meals (or modifying favorites) takes some extra work right now.

  36. I struggle to plan and to get it all done at the end of the day. I like that this would make my planning and shopping easier.

  37. Would love to try this… We eat well but not as we’ll as I would like. We’re trying to go to VERY minimal to no processed meals.

  38. Hey Stephanie,
    I only recently came across your website and blog. Great resources, I love the way you address also the ‘not so organized’ like myself, and more importantly that you love the Lord.
    While you are in Argentina and other Spanish speaking countries, if you have any issues with the language or questions about Spain let me know, since I am from there.

  39. Having a tool to help come up with meal ideas that also gives suggestions for kids and/or picky eaters – priceless.

  40. I work full-time and go to school full-time and have a 4 year old…my husband does most of the cooking and I would love to make it easier on him!

  41. With five kids and homeschooling my brain just can’t seem to keep up. Having the planning done for me would be wonderful.

  42. I am good at planning for a week or so and then life gets away from me. I’d love to have something that motivates me to keep it up with the healthy, homemade meals!

  43. my biggest thing is coming up with new tasty meals for my family using whole foods…. but things they’ll eat. we tried saving dinner and *I* loved it. but the food was too fancy.
    Going to try the sample menu next week and see where we’re at with it… *fingers crossed*

    1. i will say…. the way the grocery list is laid out, with the letters beside each item telling me what it goes with? LOVE! That would let me EASILY change up a meal or two, like the fish things… cause my guys won’t eat seafood with someone else’s mouth… but this would be GREAT to try!

  44. Currently my biggest problem is I am a single working mom of two and by the time I get home from work I am dead tired and dinner sometimes suffers…..I am by the grace of God planning on homeschooling next Fall and hope to have all of my dreams for a sustainable and happy family come true! This includes growing seasonal foods and then preparing them deliciously, with my girls’ help! I have had my eye on this planning service for a while and find it wonderful. I hope to win this. Thank you for having this 🙂

  45. This sounds good. My husband and I both work part time and are full-time graduate students. It is REALLY hard to get dinner on the table with our different schedules.

  46. The hardest aspect of getting dinner on the table every night is coming up with what to make. We have access to great stores and produce, I just feel so drained at the end of the day. This is a great idea, the kids and hubbie would definitely appreciate something new!

  47. the hardest part of getting a healthy meal on the table is that i only like to cook what i wake up in the morning and feel hungry for. soooo, if i’m not hungry for any particular dish i have a hard time thinking of something to make for supper that evening. i have a few that i fall back on that i know my husband likes, but i imagine he gets tired of chili, tuna noodle casserole and corn hotdish.

  48. For me the hard part is planning the entire week and sticking with it. I might think I want one thing for Tuesday night, but by time Tuesday comes, I might just want something else that I didn’t plan ahead for.

  49. I struggle most with creativity and time to prepare; I teach music in the evenings and always feel rushed. We’re cutting back/cutting out all eating out, so this appeals greatly!

  50. Planning is my biggest struggle–4pm comes around and I’m raiding the freezer and pantry to find something for everyone. It would be great to have that part out of the way and just cook!

  51. I am a personal trainer so Im up at 5 am and usually not home until 830 pm during the week. My fianc? who is also a bodybuilder, worked shift work at a chemical plant. Our schedules being so hectic that that when we are home we are exhausted and just want to relax. Prepping Sundays is usually my thing and I just would love to have some more ideas because we are so burnt out on everything we already eat.

  52. Carving out time to cook after a long day at work is always a hassle. I think having a meal prep plan will reduce thinking and planning time and create more cooking time.

  53. I really need this. We eat the same things week after week. None of the kids seem to like the same things. I need some new, simple meals.

  54. My biggest struggle is getting motivation to plan out the meals, make the shopping list and keep it relatively cheap!

  55. My biggest struggle is finding something everyone will eat. My daughter and I are vegetarian. The rest of the family is not. I also have 2 step daughters, who are only here once a week & they are used to “Boxed” meals or take out at every meal. I also work late afternoons into early evening, so my husband makes many of our meals. He is not a planner, so this appeals to me because, it is already planned out so either he can get dinner ready before I get home or I can easily do it when I get home.

  56. My biggest struggle is I am not a “good” cook. If it’s a detailed/complicated recipe… I tend to not do well. Also finding menu plans my kids (5 and 7) will eat too is a challenge. Trying to broaden their pallet!!

  57. the hardest part about putting food on the table is the 4-5:30 timeframe. I need to be in the kitchen and all 3 (under the age of 5) fall apart. Grrr.

  58. Planning dinners is the hardest for me working full time and 3 kids it is overwhelming. Making time for good food or learning how to put healthy food on the table is awesome.

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