Your session is about to expire. Please save any changes as soon as possible to avoid losing them.
Your session has expired. If you have unsaved work, select and copy it prior to logging in again or it will be lost.
All Campaigns
Causes
Fashion & Beauty
Entertainment
Lifestyles
Sports
------------------------
Blaze across America
------------------------
Upcoming
Completed
Winners
Account Info
Preferences
------------------------
Campaigns
Friends
Mail
Profile Comments
Profile Corner
Watchlist
------------------------
More...
   Audio
   Blogs
   Photo Albums
   Videos
------------------------
   Bricks
   Interests
   Layout Tools
   Profile Summary
People          
Photos          
Albums          
Videos          
Blogs          
What is Brickfish?
FAQs
Member Support
Report Abuse
Log Inclose
 Member Log In
User Name: 
Password: 
(Case Sensitive)
 
    Forgot Password
 
    Or login via:
 Not a Member?
Sign Up >>
Enjoy exclusive benefits of free membership today.
 
Blog Entry -  Submitted for:  Share Your Dinnertime Moments
View all blogs for this user
Meaningful Mealtimes Throughout the Year
Categories:
Having Everyone Involved in Creating Meals

Added: 1/12/2010
Last Modified: 1/12/2010
Tags: Meaningful Mealtimes Menu Planning and Family Involvement
Ranking: 2
Score: 27514.79
Viral:
Write a review.

Share This Entry
?
Publish to Facebook Wall
Share Link to Facebook
Add Link to Twitter
Post to Websites
Email to Friends
Bookmark
flag for moderation
Please log in as a registered member to flag content.
Sponsored by:
Submitted by:

SandyKC
Ever since our boys were little, we have involved them in dinner time preparation, and we dine together daily. We do many things to make dinnertime a fun family priority, and we have family dinners almost every day. Everyone looks forward to dinnertime together.

Our dinners start with a system I created for planning our meals for the year (yes, the year--see image at the end of the text) where we repeat meals once every two or three months. This helps keep us from falling into a repetitive rut with our meals, and it keeps everyone interested in "What's for Dinner?" Our children help with the menu planning process, which involves sitting down for a couple of hours once per year to plan the meals for the year. Included in the meal planning, we have a weekly "choosing" where the 'Person of the Week' chooses one meal during the week, indicated by the person's initial on our calendar. Everyone LOVES when it is their week to choose a meal! This gives each person a chance to try something new, or to repeat a favorite of his. We are flexible about moving meals around during any given week, which allows the person to choose the day as well as the meal.

Having Everyone Involved in Creating Meals is probably our greatest strength. To involve each person in creating meals, our boys are learning to cook. While early meals our boys cooked were hot dogs or scrambled eggs, our boys now scan recipe books and look forward to learning to create a new meal. Once per month we have a "Create-A-Meal" day on which we try a new recipe someone has found, which heightens the interest in trying new meals.

**This year, to better involve everyone in creating meals, we have also added days in our meal planning calendar when each person is responsible for planning and cooking an entire meal. Each teen boy looks forward to his chance to cook whatever he wants for dinner. While the boys may not always be able to cook the entire meal independently YET, the boys will be GREAT cooks by time they leave home. The anticipation of getting to plan and cook whatever they want is exciting for both the young chef and the family. The confidence and skills our boys are developing are well worth having penciled each child's cooking day in on our calendar!

We also improve the Quality of Food at Dinnertime by talking about the nutritional content of the foods we are trying, and deciding on ways to improve the nutritional value of the recipe. By engaging our boys in cooking, discussing nutrition, and allowing them to plan meals, they are much more aware of our healthy meals. It has become a priority to eat healthy, whole foods.

At dinnertime, we have also established a routine of asking each person.. "How was your Day". This provides a GREAT opportunity for each person to share successes, disappointments, and for us to support each other through the tough times. Family dinners help keep our family connected on a daily basis and help us support each other throughout the week.



All-in-all, family dinnertime is probably the MOST important time of day for our family. Family dinners let us transition from our busy day into a connected family as we plan, cook, and eat our dinners together in meaningful mealtimes throughout the year. 

 

  Posts: 43 Votes: 1,237 Views: 62,833 Reviews: 1,234
To view this content, JavaScript must be enabled, and you need the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player.  Download the free Macromedia Flash Player now!
Write a Review(Login if you are a member)
Please enter a review before clicking submit.
The review you are about to submit meets certain criteria consistent with reviews that our members have deemed unhelpful or irrelevant. Quality reviews typically are:

  • Relevant to the entry and/or campaign
  • More than a word or two long
  • More than just a plea for people to vote your entry

If you are asking people to vote for your entry, please do so by sending an email to friends or leave a profile comment (login required)

If you believe that your review is relevant and useful, click the Confirm button to post.

(You will be able to continue in 5 seconds.)  

Submit
Featured Reviews

GrannaGood son
1/12/2010 10:39 AM PT
(+13)
WOW! What a great planning idea! Your boys are absolutely adorable and what an AWESOME way to teach them! They look so involved and FAMILY CONNECTED! GREAT JOB, Sandy!!!
Reply

icecoled22 2
1/13/2010 5:27 PM PT
(+9)
this is absolutely a great idea for the boys to learn how to cook! it's great family time and learning time altogether! i love your entry =)
Reply

ebeth333
1/12/2010 4:34 PM PT
(+9)
I am impressed! You are so organized and so planned out and I love how you have everyone involved and teaching them at the same time.. Fabulous.....
Reply
Reviews
Order By Date
  |  
Order By Activity

yolyace23
3/4/2010 12:17 PM PT
(0)
I love this good luck in winnning!
Reply

wendidiva
2/22/2010 10:19 PM PT
(+1)
WOW! You are looking particularly viral! Good luck!
Reply

deidra_kat hleen
2/22/2010 10:05 PM PT
(+1)
Best of Luck!!
Reply

dork0114
2/22/2010 9:34 PM PT
(+1)
=D
Reply

cardude515
2/22/2010 9:30 PM PT
(+1)
Good Luck! =D
Reply

revelry
2/22/2010 7:15 PM PT
(+1)
Support! I would appreciate it SOOO VERY MUCH if you would please vote for my entry as well :), because my event closes in less than 5 hours :((. Thank you!
Reply

162050648_ 991326621
2/22/2010 6:56 PM PT
(+1)
Love and support for your AMAZING entry! Wishing you the very best! ♥♥ ~ GrannaGoodson ~ ♥♥
Reply

andrewryan
2/22/2010 6:45 PM PT
(+1)
Supported!!! :)
Reply

beachghost
2/22/2010 5:15 PM PT
(+1)
:)
Reply

jolai
2/22/2010 5:04 PM PT
(+1)
fantastic job :) good luck
Reply

chezie
2/22/2010 4:38 PM PT
(+1)
L&S , MIA, I've been burning the midnight oil.....closing the company's books
Reply

1lalaine
2/22/2010 4:07 PM PT
(+1)
I am here for you to give support! Good luck! :)
Reply

akshu
2/22/2010 3:38 PM PT
(+1)
:):):):):)
Reply

Cute_Pengu in
2/22/2010 3:00 PM PT
(+1)
Good luck!
Reply

cielo42
2/22/2010 2:48 PM PT
(+1)
great entry! i wish you luck, please support my entry in the greatest photo i've ever taken competition! thanks, i'll continue to support you! http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/PhotosAlbums/PhotoView.aspx?picid=1097885_46389313&profilename=Lifestyles&groupname=MyFavoritePhotoIveEverTaken2&tab=submit&jspost=1&cid=5842724&scid=516&new=1&isep=1&pbapi=3437982&pbvi=155115012&plyli=1&pdi=23&=FBPOST¬pbb=true
Reply
Page: 12345...82Next >| Show All
Loading...

More Entries
Entries: 389
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5


See More...

Copyright © 2010 Highedge, Inc.
Brickfish, Viral Map and Cost Per Engagement are registered trademarks of Highedge, Inc.
Geo View is a trademark of Highedge, Inc. All rights reserved. (Patents Pending)
Company     Privacy     Terms     Member Guidelines     Report Abuse     Contact