Managing Mealtime series

In one way or another we’re all particular about the foods we like to eat. However, kids seem to have some common dislikes when it comes to dinner choices. This article, complete with recipes, explores three different techniques: stealthily adding vegetables, eliminating offensive flavorings, and simplifying the menu. Word count is around 1179.

Dinnertime can be crazy, whatever the season. But as life rolls into Fall and the accompanying business, it can become increasingly more difficult to swing a home-cooked supper. This article, the first in a series about mealtime tips, presents menus as well as methods and recipes for simpler suppers. An added focus is that kids of all ages can help with some stage of the preparation. The word count is about 670.

You’ve heard all the research. The family that eats together stays together. Their children do better in school; they have fewer drug and alcohol problems; they are socialized better; the list goes on. However, applying what you know is good and true is difficult to do when confronted with the suppertime rush hour. Sports practices, scouts, church events, and other after school activities, not to mention extra hours at work and traffic on the streets can all throw a wrench in any well-oiled family machine. How can you provide a good meal and healthy social interaction in the midst of the busyness of life? One way to achieve dinnertime harmony is the practice of cooking ahead.

This piece suggests practical ways for families to prepare a meal with a little advance planning. It’s a recipe for successful family meals with less hassle. This 1032-word article is available for reprint with an optional 240-word sidebar. The sidebar includes helpful websites, cookbook titles, and a delicious and easy recipe.