*I was able to try Let’s Be Chefs’ app for free in order to test drive their meal planning options. While I was compensated for my review, all opinions are my own.
Meal planning for moms with school aged kids is a must. See I have learned first hand how very important and essential being able to meal plan truly is.
But coming up with new recipes to add to my meal planning isn’t always that easy.
While I read food blogs and even search Pinterest, there are times I still feel like I am stuck in a rut.
Don’t get me wrong, some recipes are tried and true. Therefore, I may use them more often.
But it is still nice to have more options when I am meal planning for an upcoming week.
So, when I was recently given the opportunity to try Let’s Be Chefs app, I was excited to get some much needed help for meal planning.
What is Let’s Be Chefs Meal Planning App?
♦ It’s essentially Pandora for recipes. See users get sent recipes for complete meals right to their phone for the week ahead.
When do the recipes get sent?
♦ In order to meal plan ahead, new recipes usually get sent Wednesday the week before. Let’s Be Chefs will send you a notification when next week’s menu is available. Therefore, you’ll have plenty of time to plan out your week and do your grocery shopping.
What are some of the awesome meal planning features of Let’s Be Chefs?
♦ Easy to meal plan ahead with scheduling your meals by changing the dates and times on the recipe cards. You can even unschedule recipes by clicking the green checkbox in the bottom left corner of the card.
♦ Rate meals and they get personalized menus according to their tastes. So as you rate recipes, they will learn your likes and dislikes, and create menus that are tailored specifically for you and your family.
♦ Swap out recipes easily the more you use. How? See when you give a recipe a 5-star rating, it with then automatically be saved as a “favorite.” Then from the menu page, click on the circular arrow icon (bottom left of a recipe card) to replace a recipe with one of your favorites. It is that easy!
♦ The app also allows you to adjust the recipe for different amounts of people that might be eating the meal. So, you can change the number of servings for a recipe and the ingredient quantities will automatically update, as well.
♦ You can use the app’s grocery list when you go shopping. You can simply add your own items to the list by entering the name in the text box at the top of your grocery list. Plus, you can add an entire recipe to the grocery list with just one click, as well. The app will even sort your grocery list by aisles where you can purchase your items that much quicker and easier.
[Tweet “Need help meal planning?? Get @letsbechefs to make meal planning a breeze #ad”]
♦ As long as you allow push updates from the Let’s Be Chefs app, you will get a reminder to start cooking for the time you specified you would like to have your dinner ready and on the table to eat for.
♦ Allows to keep your phone to not turn off while you are cooking by clicking the “phone” icon in the top right corner of the app.
♦ You can even highlight the step of the recipe you are on so that you don’t forget or lose your place as you are preparing your meal.
♦ Plus you can add notes to recipes, such as tweaks or changes you might have made to not forget the next time you might make the same meal.
How much does Let’s Be Chefs App cost?
♦ You can actually try Let’s Be Chefs for 7 days absolutely FREE! They don’t require any credit card info either for this free trial.
♦ Once the 7 day free trial ends, if you don’t renew then you there is no obligation. But if you decide to continue then you can update your billing with your credit card information. You will then be charged $6.99 monthly.
Where can I find Let’s Be Chefs app?
♦ Let’s Be Chefs can be found on both the iTunes Store, as well as Android or Google Play Store.
What recipes to meal plan can I expect?
♦ From the first week I was treated to unique, but still easy to make recipes to help jump start meal planning for me.
Here are the three recipes that I got to try out:
♦ Flank Steak Street Tacos
♦ Chicken Avocado Pizza
♦ Cheese Tortellini Salad
I actually had a fourth recipe, but this happened to be a week where on Monday I was going to be out at my younger daughter’s Daisy MonthlyMeeting and my husband was to be out at a soccer club board meeting. So, we were all eating at different times that night. Plus, we actually had leftovers from our Sunday meal.
Therefore, I didn’t need a meal at all that Monday.
By the way, the Monday meal was to be Apricot Glazed Salmon. Even if we didn’t have these plans, I would have not made this meal as both my husband and I are not fans of salmon honestly.
For both reasons though, I actually deleted it as I mentioned earlier this is very simple to do.
So what are you waiting for?
♦ Get these and more recipes when you sign up at Let’s Be Chefs now.
Dara says
Sounds like a pretty cool app. I like that you can make it so your phone stays on while you’re cooking – mine always goes off in between steps!
Janine says
I know I loved that my phone stays on, too when I use this app while cooking, Dara π
AnnMarie John says
Sounds like an interesting app. I don’t do much meal planning and I have some tried and true recipes that I always cook. It would be nice to have a few others. I may just give this a try.
Janine says
I am with you on using many of the same recipes. So I loved getting to try some new recipes for dinner and add to my favorites now, as well π
Meredith Spidel says
I LOVE this idea! Sounds so smart–and like it would help me break us out of our meal rut. Thanks for sharing, Janine!
Janine says
Thanks Meredith once again and I love that it did help take us out of the meal planning rut with some new and yummy recipes, too π
William Holland says
Honestly, there is no meal planning at all in our household. Bev is far too busy with three part-time jobs, and I am too busy with the animals and writing. We eat what we can grab quickly most days. π
Have a great day, Janine!
Janine says
Bill, I know this well, too sometimes and trust me we have been there with our crazy schedules. But just nice to have a plan when we can. Have a great day, as well now!! π
Kathy Radigan says
What a great idea!!! Thanks for the info.
Janine says
My pleasure and thanks for sharing, too once again Kathy!! π
Nellie says
I need to download this app stat! I am super picky about meal options and it looks like this app has a ton for me to choose from! I love that it gives you reminders too because sometimes I get so caught up in homework/work I don’t even realize how late it is!
Janine says
I hope you can download and I agree Nellie as the reminder really does help me, because time really does have a way of getting away from me here after school here, as well!
Sheila Qualls says
This is a cool app, Janine! Maybe it will spur me to cook more. LOL!!
Janine says
Aw, thanks again Sheila and I got my fingers crossed for you now, too!! π
Allie G smith says
I think that has got to be the coolest AP I’ve ever heard of. Thanks for the tip. I’m in!
Janine says
Happy to share and seriously hope you can try this app out real soon, too Allie π
Jen says
Ugh the dinner time rut! I’m there. I need this app, and the reminders. It would fill my desire for at least a personal assistant in the kitchen that would be helpful and above the age of 4 π
Janine says
Totally hear you Jen and definitely does make meal time that much easier and simpler, too!! π
Diane Roark says
Janine,
I have never seen this app before and I try to keep up with all things to help me stay organized in the kitchen. Sounds exciting! I am going to check it out.
Thanks for sharing,
Diane
Janine says
So very happy to share with you, Diane and do hope you can check out to try soon, too π
Tamara says
I am SO HUNGRY right now and I love your choices. This looks like the first app to really catch my eye. We need help in this department.
Janine says
Again, twins as I so needed help with this and am happy to pay it forward and share with you, too!! π
Mary says
Iβve never heard of βLetβs Be Chefsβ Appβ it sound pretty cool. Meal planning is always a pain. I usually eat the same foods over and over again. This year Iβve been on a quest to add more variety to my diet and so far Iβve been successful. Letβs Be Chefs will ensure I keep my variety and add a little pizzazz.
I want to try the Chicken Avocado Pizza, looks scrumptious.
Janine says
Love that you have been adding more variety to your diet and will say this app would definitely continue to help you do just that. Also, the Chicken Avocado Pizza was truly delicious and if you try the app hope you can try that recipe, too now π
Kristi R Campbell says
The cheese tortellini salad looks delicious. How cool that you can have the phone not turn off while you’re cooking. I made enchiladas this week and had to keep turning my phone back on and my hands were dirty!
Janine Huldie says
I have so been there and yes love that I can keep the phone on while cooking. Oh and now I am craving enchiladas π
Christine Carter says
I am going to talk to my husband about this app. We are trying new recipes and just started Hello Fresh to help us with getting more variety in our meals. I hate cooking and well, my family is sick of my own meals! LOL
This might be perfect for us!
Thanks so much for sharing all the details and information about it, Janine!
Janine says
Yay and I still want to try Hello Fresh, too at some point here, as well!! π
Jennifer Bly says
You know me – I’m a meal planning nut! It’s nice to have something like this to reference and find new recipes too (helps for when you’re in a cooking rut)!
Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
Janine says
Happy I could share and that you could use this app, too!! π
Rea says
Sounds like a great app! Even though I don’t cook, I’ve been wanting to be serious with meal planning as it totally saves money and time. I’ll go ahead and check the free trial of this app. π
Janine says
So happy you can give this one a try and hope you enjoy the app as much as I have been!! π
Katherines Corner says
I’m sure our daughter would use this I’ll forward it on to her.With her hubby working alternating shifts ( he’s a Sheriff) and five children age 7 to almost 18 this would certainly be handy Thank you or sharing my friend xo
Janine says
Happy to share and hope your daughter gets as much use out of this app for meal-time with her kids as we have here xoxo π