Having trouble getting your menu planner? PLEASE follow these steps first before you contact me. If you have done everything listed here, please contact me and I will send you a link to the menu planner. Thank you so much!
Q: Where is my menu planner? I did not receive it in my email. What should I do?
A: For the FREE menu planner, make sure you do the following:
#1. Make sure you confirmed your email address by clicking on the link in the confirmation email. This email will be from me, Sarah Schatz.
#2. If you didn’t receive the confirmation email, check your SPAM box. This is one of the #1 ways people miss out on the menu planner. Look for the confirmation email, confirm your email and then take my email address out of the SPAM box.
#3. Make sure your email address is a working email address. I know this sounds funny but I have had people use emails where the Inbox is full or it is simply not working for some reason.
#4. If you’re still having trouble, please email me and I will send you the menu planner.
For any of the PAID menu planner subscriptions:
#1. Make sure you do all of the above for the FREE menu planner.
#2. Check your Paypal email address: If you still haven’t received your paid menu planner, you need to make sure that the email address in your Paypal account is the same email that you are using to look for the confirmation email and the menu planner.
Sometimes people use their spouse’s Paypal account. This is fine, but the menu planner is going to be sent to your spouse’s email address. Or, sometimes the email on your Paypal account is an old email that you no longer use. If this happens, please check your old email address for the confirmation email and menu planner.
If you no longer have access to the old email address, please contact me and I will add your new email to the list.
Q: Does the menu planners have side dish recipes included with the main courses?
A: Yes, each dinner recipe is coupled with a suggested side dish to create a balanced meal. Some side dishes recipes are separate from the main course while simpler ones are a part of the main course recipe. Each shopping list of coded so that you can easily delete ingredients if you don’t want to make the side dishes.
Q: On which day of the week will I receive the menu planner?
A: You will receive your first menu planner on the day you sign up. You will then receive a menu planner each week on the same day of the week that you signed up. Ex. If you bought the menu planner on a Tuesday, you will then receive it every Tuesday.
Q: Can I still use the shopping list if I don’t want to make all of the recipes on the menu planner?
A: Yes. Each shopping list is coded to each main and side dish so that you can easily delete ingredients if you don’t want to make a certain dish.
Q: The Heart of Cooking website says that families can save money by using the weekly menu planners. How does that work when I have to pay to receive it?
A: When families start using the menu planner, they will start eating at home more and less in restaurants which will automatically save money. Furthermore, when you shop for your weekly food at the grocery store, you will have a detailed shopping list for the entire week of dinners so that you don’t have to buy expensive prepackaged or frozen meals to fill in where you haven’t had time to plan for the week.
Q: What if the menu planner doesn’t work for our family? Can I get my money back?
A: Unfortunately we can’t please everyone. Simply contact Sarah if you’re unhappy with the menu planner and would like a refund within 30 days of purchase.
Q: Where do the recipes for the menu planner come from?
A: I receive inspiration for recipes from many places – cookbooks, gluten-free blogs, and other online recipe services. I also make recipes up all the time while cooking at home. If I am using someone’s recipe, I almost always change or tweak a recipe to make a it work for the menu planner. First, if it is a complicated recipe, I find ways to make it simpler and take less time. If a recipe contains dairy, gluten, sugar or soy in it, I will either eliminate or replace the ingredient with something else. If there are too many portions, I make it work for four servings. I personally test every recipe I write in the menu planner. I also have families who are “recipe testers” who also give me their valuable feedback. I also welcome recipes from subscribers who would like to have their recipe in the menu planner. One last step is I calculate the nutritional information for each dish using software I have on my computer.
Q: I am a single person but I have a lot of food restrictions. Can the menu planners work for me?
A: The recipes are created for 4 servings each. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make the menu planner work for your needs. First of all, you don’t have to prepare every dish for the week. Instead you could pick 3 or 4 and have leftovers a couple of nights. Also, it is very easy to half the recipes so that you only make 2 servings. You could eat leftovers for lunch, or you could even freeze individual portions for a time when you know you won’t have as much time to cook.
Q: We have a big family of big eaters. Can we still use the menu planners?
A: Yes. The recipes are for 4 servings but you can make 6 servings by multiplying the ingredients by 1.5 or 8 servings by multiplying by 2.
Q: My kids have food allergies but they can be picky when it comes to food. Will the menu planner work for us?
A: All of the recipes are family-friendly and many are kid-friendly. Use the kid-friendly tips that come with each recipe. In the future, we’ll be offering Kid-friendly menus.
Q: I don’t feel very well equipped when it comes to cooking in my kitchen. How can the menu planners and Heart of Cooking help me?
A: I offer cooking tips in the menu planners as well as in my Blog under “Cooking Tips.” In the future, I’ll be offering classes in Frederick, Maryland.
Q: My daughter and husband have food allergies but I don’t have any restrictions. Can we still use the menu planners?
A: Yes, they will still work for your family. People who don’t have restrictions still enjoy many of my recipes. I also add tips at the end of each recipe where I will offer suggestions to those people who aren’t limited in their diet. Example: If you can eat dairy, you can add grated cheese to this recipe. Or, if you can eat soy, you can soy sauce in this recipe.
Q: Will the menu planner work for my family if I am trying to lose weight and I want my family to eat healthy foods?
A: Yes! These recipes are very healthy and many people on this type of diet will lose weight because they aren’t eating foods that they are allergic to. When you do eat foods that your body doesn’t agree with, it slows your metabolism down and can even cause your body to retain water or gain weight. The recipes do call for using olive oil or butter but these fats are healthy fats for you. Whereas margarine may be lower in fat or cholesterol but is not a healthy alternative. Learn more about this and other health tips in my Blog.
Q: Can I suggest some recipes for you to use in the menu planner?
A: Yes, I welcome recipe suggestions. Even recipes that aren’t dairy, soy or gluten free I welcome and I will try to make a delicious new recipe based on the old one. Simply contact me on my website and send me the recipe. Please include the recipe source when you send the recipe so that I can give credit to you or the original source.