Dinner Time

Dinner Time

I wrote this post as a participant in the Eat Better, Eat Together Balancing Act blog carnival hosted by MealsMatter and Dairy Council of California to share ways families everywhere can make time for family meals that include foods from all the food groups. A list of other registered dietitians and moms who are participating in the Balancing Act blog carnival will be listed at the bottom of this post or can be found at MealsMatter.

As Blogger "Always Healthy Mom" I find healthy family meals to be especially important to my family's routine. But lets not be unreasonable sometimes this is no simple task. Besides a blogging mama and  a professional taxi driver for 3 adorable kiddos,  I also have a full time 40 hour per week job, to boot. So when 5:00 hits I better be on my "A" game- if you know what I mean. So you ask, how do I balance work and family life? If I told you I had it all figured out I would be the first to admit that I was misleading you! So I won't!  But I am telling the truth when I say that I do take a great deal of pride in the thought and dedication that goes into raising a healthy family today!
Yes, of course most days it might be easier to go through a drive through at 5:00 but that's not what I believe is best for my family or yours!  So here is what I do to pull off a healthy meal...

• Start on Saturday and Sunday by making a list. ( write dinner ideas and shopping list)  This is a must for me!
• Have a routine! I always go out on Sunday to gather the supplies. This way I am prepared for the week!!!
• I like to mix this up with crockpot favorites and stove top creations. I always try to include a variety of colors, vegetables and fruit selections in my meals. I even start my shopping trip at the front of the store and load up on fresh produce. 
• Get the family involved. ( my kids help me with the list and the shopping)

 Sometimes it does get difficult to always make sure my family enjoys a home cooked meal when I am not there. ( I work 2 evenings per week) But I always have a dinner ready to heat or in the crock pot ready to serve. The other five days of the week we make sure that we all sit down together. I was brought up with family dinners, and I want that for my children too.

So even when soccer practice and PTO meeting make it challenging, you will find me hard at work still trying my best to make our family dinners count!

Meals Do Matter!

Forget about the color of the plates or fancy napkins, don't worry if you can't cook a five course gourmet meal,

just make YOUR family dinner happen!

Some of my BEST memories are around the dinner table!

*WARNING: No fine china here!

Don't stop here! Other bloggers share their stories and tips on how they juggle the balancing act of getting a well-balanced meal on the table!

10 Commandments for Guilt-Free Feeding – Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen, MS, RD
Beating the Lunch Box Blues – Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD
Dinner Time – Michelle Rowe, RN and Health Educator
Eat Better, Eat Together– Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RD, CDN
Family Dinners Fuel Healthier Kids – Susan Weiner, RD, MS, CDE, CDN
Families that Cook Together Eat Together – Kia Robertson
Making Time for Family Meals: How I’ve Earned My “RDH” – Trina Robertson, MS, RD
Meal Planning: Taking the Stress Out of the ‘What’s for Dinner’– Laura Everage
Pressed for Time? Moms Know Best: Tips for Getting Food on the Table – FAST! – Samantha Lewandowski, MS, RD, LDN
Roasted Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal – Cheri Liefeld
Sunday Night Family Dinner, In the Dining Room – Jill Castle, MS, RD, LDN
The Balancing Act – Ann Dunaway Teh, MS, RD, LD
The Power of Family Meal Time & How to Squeeze It In! – Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD
The Truth About Family Dinner – Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD
Toughen up: Give Two Choices for Dinner – Take it or Leave it! – Glenda Gourley