This month we are looking for comfort foods.  Do you have an outstanding chili recipe or a family favorite casserole dish?  Share your recipes on MealBox from Novermber 1-30, 2009 for your chance to win a $50 Meijer Gift Card!

Recipe entries must be submitted with images, a valid email address, and follow the guidelines below:

• The recipe must contain at least one Meijer brand iteam.
• The recipe must not exceed 500 words in length
• The recipe must be an original recipe and not duplicated from other brands or recipe sites.
• Recipe must be submitted with an image taken with a digital camera.

Meijer Mealbox Sweepstakes

1. NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

2. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

3. HOW TO ENTER:

On-Line at meijermealbox.com: Beginning 1/01//09 until  06/25//09,  visit Meijermealbox.com and follow the links and instructions.  You will receive one (1) entry for each recipe entered.  Recipe entries must be submitted with images, a valid email address, and follow the guidelines below:

·         The recipe must contain at least one Meijer brand item.

·         The recipe must not exceed 500 words in length

·         The recipe must be an original recipe and not duplicated from other brands or recipe sites. 

·         Recipes must be submitted with an image taken with a digital camera.

4. ELIGIBILITY:

Open only to legal U.S. residents  only who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Meijer and their respective affiliate companies, parents, subsidiaries, agents, advertising and promotional agencies, and their immediate families or persons residing in the same household of such employees are not eligible to enter or win. Determination of eligibility is at Sponsor’s sole discretion.

5. DRAWING:

Sponsor will select winners from all eligible entries submitted in a random drawing each month in Grand Rapids, MI as follows:

October entries  by 11/28

November entries by 12/25

December entries by Jan 29

January entries by Feb 26

February entries by March 26

March entries by April 30

April entries by May 28

May entries by June 25

Limit one (1) prize per person and per household.  Entrants agree to be bound by these official rules and by the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding in all respects. Winners will be notified by phone or mail. Winners will be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release within 14 days of notification in order to receive the prizes. In the event of non-compliance with these requirements, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected. If prize/prize notification is returned as undeliverable, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected.  Unclaimed prizes may not be awarded. 

6. PRIZES/ODDS OF WINNING PRIZE:

Prizes consist of one (1) $50 Meijer Gift Card (Approximate Retail Value of Prize: $50.00.). All federal, state and local regulations apply. Prizes are non-transferable. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. All taxes or expenses, including, without limitation, sales tax, luxury tax and any other costs incurred in claiming or using any of the prizes, are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. No prize substitution or cash equivalent of prize, except at sponsor’s sole discretion, and then only for a prize of equal or greater value. The prize will be subject to a 1099 tax form and will be mailed to the winner by February 15, 2010. 

7. GENERAL:

Not responsible for lost, late, delayed, incomplete, entries not received by the entry deadline, interrupted or unavailable network, server or other connections, miscommunications, failed telephone, computer hardware or software, and other technical errors or failures of any kind, including any injury or damage to any person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in or experiencing any materials in connection with the Sweepstakes; unauthorized human intervention; failed, incomplete, garbled, jumbled or delayed computer transmissions or other errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical or electronic, that may limit a user’s ability to participate in the Sweepstakes, including without limitation, the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry information online regardless of cause.  All materials become exclusive property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.  Any use of robotic, automatic, programmed or like entry methods will void all entries affected by such methods and be deemed tampering. Sponsor reserves the right to prohibit the participation of an individual if fraud or tampering is suspected, or if the individual fails to comply with any requirement of participation as stated herein or with any provision in these Official Rules.  INTERNET CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.  Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or modify the Sweepstakes if fraud, misconduct or technical failures destroy the integrity of the Sweepstakes or if a computer virus, bug, or other technical problem corrupts the administration, security, or proper administration of the program as determined by Sponsor/judging agency/administrator, in their sole discretion. In the event of termination of the Sweepstakes, a notice will be posted online and the random drawing will be conducted from among all eligible entries received prior to the time of termination.  In the event a dispute arises regarding specific individual entitled to receive prize, entry will be declared made by the “authorized e-mail account holder” and any damage made to the website will also be the responsibility of the authorized e-mail account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized e-mail account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.  Winners may be requested to provide Sponsor with proof that they are the authorized e-mail account holders of the e-mail addresses associated with the account/submission.  Proof of submitting entries will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. 

Sweepstakes sponsor: Meijer, Inc. 2929 Walker Grand Rapids MI 49544 Sweepstakes is subject to applicable federal, state and local laws. By participating, entrants release Meijer and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and the directors, officers, employees, or agencies of any of the above organizations from any and all liability for any injuries, losses, tax liabilities or damages of any kind arising from entrant’s participation in this sweepstakes or resulting from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize. Acceptance of prize shall constitute and signify the winner’s agreement and consent that Sponsor may use his/her name address (city and state only), likeness, and/or prize information for promotional purposes without further compensation, where legal.

8. WINNERS LIST:

To receive a list of winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Meijer Mealbox Sweepstakes P.O. Box 1863, Grand Rapids MI 49501 - 1863.

Keep it simple.  If you don't have time to make something, your local Meijer delicatessen has all the side dishes you could possibly hope to indulge in at any picnic or barbecue.  If you have the time but not the energy, remember that no one expects a gourmet dessert or dip.  Check out recipes that are quick to make and require fewer ingredients.  My favorite go to recipes for potlucks are cheese balls or dips.  They're so easy to make and very easy to add your own touch (I like adding extra fresh vegetables).

 Check out the Parties and Celebrations collection on MealBox for more potluck ideas!

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In 1934, Hendrik Meijer, an immigrant from the Netherlands, opened a storefront grocery in Greenville, Michigan.  The town wasn't very big and neither was the grocery store.  However, that store manage to carry enough of what people needed at prices they could afford.

Just about everyone who walked through the door became a loyal customer.  This pattern has repeated itself again and again for seventy-five years.  This success was based in part on Hendrik Meijer and his son, Fred, keeping their standards high and their prices low. 

Also because Hendrik came to an early realization that what brings people back isn't stocked on shelves or piled high on the floor.  People appreciate honesty, integrity and humanity.  Theses qualities are in as much demand today as they were back in 1934.  Every day, in every Meijer, you'll find an unlimited supply.

MealBox:
Take your saved recipes and generate a shopping list while cruising the aisles at your local Meijer.  Download it now from your computer or phone!

WineList:
Not sure what to pair with your meal? Overwhelmed with the amount of wine Meijer offers? If you had WineList on your phone you wouldn't have these problems.  Add it to your iPhone or iTouch and use it on your next shopping trip.  Download it now from your computer or phone!

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MealBox has a terrific selection of refreshing desserts that will cool you down while lifting your spirits up.  Take a glance through our ice cream desserts (link will refresh screen and recipes will appear in MealBox widget), they are all must try recipes for the summer!

What's your favorite ice cream focused recipe?  Let us know or just add it to MealBox!

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We encourage you to look through the recipes and then save them in your recipe box so that you always have new ideas waiting for you when you're tired of the same old thing.  But why use Mealbox? Our recipes are linked to our OneStop Savings and Money Saving Coupons that you won't find anywhere else, allowing for more affordable cooking creativity. 

Even expert Foodies need new inspiration and that's another way Mealbox is there for you?  Did you know we have a variety of ideas on the foods we love best? (clicking the links below will refresh the page, returning to the homepage, and will load your recipes in the widget on the right.)

On Mealbox there are at least:
49 Chili Recipes
23 Meatloaf Recipes
13 Spaghetti Recipes
27 Stew Recipes
340 Chicken Recipes
119 Beef Recipes
275 Salad Recipes

So we challenge our Foodies, get out there and embrace your love of art (tasty, delicious art)!

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Is it your first time venturing into the world of outdoor cooking?  Some things you might want to know:

1. There's a difference between charcoal and gas in price and flavor.  Charcoal grills cost less but charcoal gives your food a smokey flavor.  Gas is efficient in heating but could give a very slight gas-flavor to your food. 

2. What tools do you need?  Basically in addition to the grill you need something to flip your meat or veggies with, long metal tongs work nicely.  You may also want to consider a long metal spatula.  If you are going to cook a lot of veggies on the grill, a metal basket is a great way to keep them together.  The last must have tool is a scraper for cleaning your grill when you're done.

3. What to grill?  MealBox is full of delicious grilling ideas (clicking link will refresh this page and recipes will load in MealBox widget).

Have your own grilling suggestions or stories?  We'd love if you shared them in the comment section below!

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Adding a recipe is simple:

1.) Sign-in to Mealbox using your Meijer ID in the "Profile" tab on the widget.  (Not yet a Meijer Member?  There's a link in the "Profile" section that will direct you to where you can create an account.)
2.) Go to the "Recipes" tab and then select "Collections".
3.) Click on "Submit Your Recipe".
4.) Fill in the information about your recipe, be thorough and have fun with it, if you have a picture of the finished product or a YouTube video of the cooking process, we'd love you to add those too!
5.) When you're all done, click "Submit" and as soon as it's approved your recipe will be live!

Looking for new ideas? Click here for some of the great recipes that have already been submitted by other Meijer Mealbox Members!

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Looking for other options for your menu planning?  We have a delicious selection of all your favorite Mexican recipes (clicking link will direct you to homepage where recipes will load in Mealbox Widget).

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 Another way to give back to others is the Meijer Simply Give card.  It looks just like a gift card and can be found near our checkout lanes in your local Meijer store or click here to find them online.  Purchasing this card is a donation that will help replenish food pantry staples like tomato sauce, pancake mix, peanut butter, applesauce, syrup, green beans, jelly, quick oats, and more.  Your nontaxable $10 donation will be converted into a Meijer Gift Card and given to food pantries in communities Meijer serves.  In addition, Meijer will donate a total of $100,000 to participating food pantries to help restock their shelves.