I did some internet searches on the the topic and I came across blogger Kathy Yevchak who recently posted on this same topic with an anecdote about getting help from your kids at dinner time - even when you could do it quicker yourself. Seeing as I work for a very family-friendly food company, I thought this was definitely worth a read.

I also reached out to Elizabeth Marcotte, mother of two teenagers and one of Let’s Dish’s co-owners. Here are some helpful suggestions from her:

I have finally figured out how to navigate spring sports chaos! First off, I look at the game schedule for the upcoming week on Sunday morning. Then I think about the each night as one of three categories:  (1) nights I need to have dinner ready early before sports, (2) nights it needs to be ready quickly to feed post game starving kids and (3) nights the family has to eat at different times because everyone is on a different schedule. I plan the whole week out in advance. Here’s my approach:

Nights when kids eat early - On these nights I make something that goes in the oven or on the grill. These dinners typically take longer to cook and I generally cook dinner around 4 PM. I’d rather give the kids a solid protein dinner early then have them carb-load on snacks before they play. They don’t eat a lot before sports but a chicken breast or piece of fish after a day at school and before a game provides enough protein so they can go the distance. Sometimes when they return home later they will have a second lighter round consisting of fruit, yogurt, or cereal.

On nights when the kids have games before dinner, when they get home they are starving and need to eat right away. I make something that cooks quickly in a skillet or on the grill. The minute I walk in the door I pull out some carrots, cherry tomatoes, fresh green beans, and/or cheese and put them on the counter so they can munch on something to take the edge off. Right away I put something in a skillet or on the grill. Favorite options are the Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken, Chicken and Asparagus Risotto, Bacon Cheddar Sliders (done on the grill) or Greek Burgers. While those are cooking I empty a bag of lettuce into a big bowl, add some tomatoes and cucumbers to have a quick and easy salad. Sometimes when the skillet or grill dish is almost done, we sit down to a first course of salad.

On nights when everyone is off in a different direction, we use the slow cooker. Some of our favorites are Let’s Dish’s Southern Pulled Pork and Whiskey Beef over Noodles. It’s great; dinner is hot and ready to be served at any point throughout the evening.

One last tip: cold salads are awesome for on-the-go nights! Let’s Dish’s Thai Style Shrimp and Noodles is a perfect dish to make one day ahead and bring to the game the next day in small containers. Better yet, bring it in one big container with some extra plates and forks and everyone on the bleachers will be your new best friends.

Thanks for sharing these helpful tips, Elizabeth!

So, dishers and DishBlog readers, what works for you? We would love to hear your stories, tips, and strategies for surviving the chaos that is sports season.

Cheers,

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Recently we learned about an eighth grade assignment at The Potomac School in McLean Virginia where each student was asked to write an essay similar to the popular NPR This I Believe essay collection. The NPR program is “based on a 1950s radio program of the same name, Americans from all walks of life share the personal philosophies and core values that guide their daily lives”. The eighth graders were asked to write about a core value – something they believe in.

It’s no surprise that the students chose topics including achieving world peace, feeding and sheltering the homeless, living with high moral standards, and always giving 100 percent. However, one essay about the importance of the family routine was brought to our attention and was particularly meaningful to us at Let’s Dish!

The student’s essay entitled “I Believe in Family Dinner” really hit home for many of us. At Let’s Dish!, we’ve referenced studies about the importance of family dinner from the adult point of view. (http://thedishblog.com/2008/01/08/introducing-family-matters-the-importance-of-family-dinner/) We discuss the fact that children of families that eat dinner together regularly are less likely to have problems with alcohol and substance abuse. We have learned that children who eat dinner with their families are less like to develop eating disorders and we know that these same children score higher on standardized tests. However, this is the first time we have heard the child’s point of view about the importance of family dinner.

The student wrote about how she enjoys coming together at the end of the day because it makes her family more aware of each other’s schedules, achievements and stresses. She wrote that the time at the dinner table makes her family closer because of shared anecdotes and laughter. Most importantly, she wrote that over time she has come to learn that the dinner table is a safe place to raise her fears and concerns about absolutely anything. She wrote:

     I also believe that because I have been having dinner with my family most nights since I was young, it has become a safe place for me.  It is where we go to celebrate the happy things in life such as birthdays, victories, or good grades, but it also is where we are all together during the hard times.  It has become a place where we can comfort each other by just being there.  I feel comfortable when my family is sitting around the kitchen table because I know that no matter what I say, they are all there for me.  Whenever someone in my family is feeling down, the dinner table is where they feel loved and their sadness goes away. 

Wow! What amazing insight from a 13-year-old. We love this story and we really love knowing that Let’s Dish! is a part of so many family dinners in the area.

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If you’ve never attended one of our parent/kid sessions, here’s what you need to know:

Kids are welcome at any Let’s Dish! session (not just parent/kid sessions), provided they follow the guidelines listed below. We do encourage you to consider bringing your child along to daytime sessions as they tend to be less crowded, or a Second Sunday where we gear the session towards a younger crowd.

• Children must be 8 years old (no, we don’t check i.d. )
• For safety reasons, children must be able to reach the food prep stations without using a crate or stool.
• Children must be well-behaved and mature enough to handle basic food safety procedures (hand washing, etc)
• Children must be accompanied by a parent at the food stations while dishing
• One child per disher, please

Hours for this event vary by location; check your local store’s calendar.

Looking forward to seeing you and your little disher soon!

Cheers,

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If you are one of the first 50, we’ll email you by Monday, June 20th and you’ll be able to pick up your two tickets at either our Baltimore or Columbia stores. We’ll do our best to accommodate on preferred show times, but they will be given out on a first come, first serve basis.

Make sure to share the sign-up form with your friends and to stop by the Let’s Dish! table at the event for tasty samples and giveaways!

For more information about the event and the Kratt Brothers, visit the Maryland Zoo website or see below.

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