Articles

Enriching Our Lives at Dinner 

Meals make our family members feel loved. They help us to connect. A reporter from Biloxi, Mississippi told me that washing a family member’s laundry may be an act of love, but it is rarely recognized. Good food is always noticed.  It brings the family together and enriches our lives.

One of the big problems we (families) face today is living in a plugged in culture. How much time are our children playing with other children and communicating with us, the parents?   Or, better, how much time are we communicating with our children? Traditionally dinnertime has provided the format for family communication.  Just three generations ago, families ate two to three meals a day together.  The also sat on the porch after dinner to visit more.   Now we are "on automatic pilot" as dining has become less social and more utilitarian. 

Tawra Kellam, author of Dining on a Dime (www.livingonadime.com) , believes that having a commitment to eat together as a family is more important than serving a fancy meal. She does not supper swap, but she recommends keeping meals simple in order to make the family dinner a nightly event (and save money, of course).  She serves sandwiches and soup two nights a week. Dinner solutions are available whether you swap meals or make sandwiches. Everyone can turn their dinner ritual into a social event with the whole family.

"Gathering together for the main meal is an American tradition that is fast fading. Around the table we may pour out our opinions, heartaches, questions and dreams.  All of us have mealtime memories.  It may be the flowered ceramic plates, spaghetti every Saturday night, bread slices stacked like a centerpiece, or even hommade pie on special occasions.  Maybe it's the stories, jokes, or even debates.  Many of these memories are tucked away in the pantries of our minds.  When they resurface, they often bring sweet aromas reminding us of times past" - excerpt from Supper Swapping.  Enrich your life through the family dinner.