eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe)

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eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe) | Optimistic Mommy

If you’re reading this blog, you probably have a family. With children, I’m sure you have a budget you need to follow. Food is one of the most expensive necessities in life. Menu planning helps out a lot! But usually it’s hard to find the time to sit down and actually make one. Luckily eMeals makes it easy for us!

eMeals is a complany that provides over 50 weekly plans based on your preferred food style, grocery store and family size. You can choose from classic, clean eating, vegetarian, gluten-free, simple gourmet, low fat, low carb, portion control, organic and paleo meals. There’s literally menu plans for everyone! With your weekly meal plans you can choose to either get it for just two people or for a family meal of 4+ people. With a menu plan like these you know there’ll be no wasted food, so that ultimately means more money in your pocket!

I’ve actually been using eMeals for almost a year now for our dinner meal plans for at least 2 weeks out of the month, and I love them! I love having the recipes on the meal plan and I just print them out and put them on the kitchen counter after we go grocery shopping – so they’re right where I need them to be when we start cooking! So simple!

I love how eMeals gives you shopping lists for sales that are going on in your local grocery store. Since they have partnerships with all major food stores, I’m sure they have a meal plan for your store. And all of the ingredients that you need to buy will be used in multiple recipes so, again, no waste!

Since I hadn’t gotten to use the breakfast meal plan, I chose to try it out. Breakfast is always a hard one in our household because we always eat the same thing. My daughter always has cereal, and I’ll usually have a piece of fruit or some eggs. It gets very boring. Their breakfast plan has simple, delicious choices! For December 4-10th these were the items to make: Chocolate Chip Waffles, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Pomegranate Seeds, Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars, Dairy-Free Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie, and Open-Face Egg and Prosciutto Sandwich. The Grapefruit and Avocado Salad and Open-Face Egg and Prosciutto Sandwiches are definitely not something I would have thought to try myself, but they sound great! I can’t wait to make them this week!

Today I’m going to share a few pictures from when we made the Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars. I love these because they can be made ahead so they’re ready to go when you wake up in the morning! Something perfect for my husband when he has to work in the morning!

eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe) | Optimistic Mommy

Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars

  • 3/4 Cup Quick-Cooking Oats
  • 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 2/3 Cup Sugar, Divided
  • 1/4 Cup Wheat Germ
  • 1/4 Cup Flax Seeds
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, Divided
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Butter, Melted
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 (15-Ounce) Can Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 (12-Ounce) Can Low-Fat Evaporated Milk
  • 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

First you’re going to preheat your oven to 350 degrees and then line a pan with parchment paper and coat with baking spray. Combine the oats, flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, flax seeds, wheat germ, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring well.

eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe) | Optimistic Mommy

{Riley had fun stirring the dry ingredients together!}

Next you’re going to add the butter and stir it into the oat mixture. Once that is mixed, press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan.

eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe) | Optimistic Mommy

{I definitely think this was Riley’s favorite thing! She loves getting her hands messy! 🙂 }

You’re going to bake the crust for 10 minutes. While that is baking, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and eggs into a large bowl. Add the canned pumpkin, whisking to combine; slowly whisk in evaporated milk. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well!

eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe) | Optimistic Mommy

{That filling looks yummy already!}

After the crust is done baking for 10 minutes, pour the filling into the crust and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until it is set in the center. Just insert a fork unti it comes out clean. Let it cool completely and then cut into bars.

eMeals Makes Menu Planning Easy and Affordable! (& Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bars Recipe) | Optimistic Mommy
{Doesn’t that whole thing just look scrumptious?!}

I have to say I was nervous about the crust because of the flax seed and wheat germ – they were both things I’ve never heard of before. But I’ve read that they are both really good for you. (FYI – Wheat germ is good for you because it has lots of protein, fiber, and B vitamins. Flax seeds have Omega-3 essential fatty acids and fiber. Flax also contains lignans which help reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.) But it really didn’t affect the taste of the crust at all, which I thought it would. We’ll definitely be making this recipe regularly! It’s not only delicious but good for you!

If this great recipe hasn’t convinced you to join eMeals, I want to let you know that

financial planning celebrity and TV show host, Dave Ramsey, supports eMeals because it helps families save about $1,000 per year! With the holidays going on, this is a definite bonus! And you can always save money throughout the year – save up for Christmas 2014 or for vacation or any kind of necessities. eMeals is definitely worth it!

And it’s even more worth it now since I have a 35% off code for you! Right now with the code Cyber35 you can save 35% off one meal plan. Gotta love saving money on something that will help you save money! 🙂

What meal plan will you pick – breakfast, lunch or dinner?

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Comments

  1. Who doesn’t want dessert for breakfast?

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