So What’s For Dinner?

Dinner is often the most exciting meal of the day. Breakfast fuels up our engines to get us going in the morning. Lunch is there to hold us over and dinner, well dinner is what it’s all about! Dinner is the time everyone convenes around the table and discusses how his or her day went. We’re glad to be home from work or happy that the kids will be in bed soon so we can get a little “me time”. And who cares if the dinner dishes sit until the morning? No big deal. Take the stress out of this wondrous daily event with a little organization and planning. A friend once told me to know what you are going to make for dinner by noon that day, even if you’re going to eat out or get food delivered. Great advice. Some Moms (or Dads) are very organized and have a weekly or even monthly menu planned out. If you’re not wired that way, just try the daily method. When you go to the supermarket, stock up on meat sales and freeze it when you get home. That way you always have a main dish on hand. It’s also wise to stock up on cans of fruits and veggies as side dishes and dinner rolls are easy and fast to make. Or you can just skip the extra carbs. Find out when everyone is going to be home for dinner and then subtract the cooking time of the item that takes the longest. Plan to start dinner then. Don’t forget the extra time it takes for the oven to preheat or a pot of water to boil. And if you are craving carbs, they take time to prep and bake as well. Know all of these things well in advance of dinner time. Have one of the kids set the table, serve it all up, and bon appetit!

Family Values at the Dinner Table

The Crunchy Domestic Goddess put out a challenge to all moms in September: give your children presence. In the 50’s parents would give their children presence around the dinner table, asking them questions about their day and sharing their thoughts. It seems that those days are gone. Accept the challenge and figure out how to spend quality time with your kids.

What if there was one thing you could do to lessen the likelihood that your child would get involved with smoking, drinking or doing drugs; lessen his/her chance of developing obesity; and help him/her do better in school? What if that thing was as simple as having regular family dinners together?