4SC + The Partnership

FAMILY Dinner DAY

by

From The Parent Education Workgroup of the Communities That Care Coalition

Family Dinner Day is the fourth Monday in September, today, but it is something that can make a difference any day of the year!

Dinner Makes a Difference!

Family Dinner Day was created by a group called CASA to highlight the benefits of parents/caregivers spending quality time with their kids. We, the Parent Education Workgroup under the Communities that Care Coalition want to remind local families that a great way to do that is to eat dinner as a family as often as you can! 

We know it’s hard to pull dinner together during the week when life is so busy, so a tried and true way to deal with that is to make meals ahead of time, or double a meal, to freeze some in advance! That’s especially true as the weather gets cooler and those comfort meals are so appealing!

The benefits of families enjoying meals together include opportunities to:

  • Connect as a family to talk about almost anything
  • Cook with your children
  • Give your children regular chores, like setting the table or helping to clean up after the meal
  • Teach your children table manners

Also, remember that mealtime together doesn’t have to be dinner! Families are so busy these days – if you can do it just a few times a week, that’s great! Or maybe add week-end brunch to your family time – whatever works for you is what counts. For more information on family dinner, visit https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/.

Here are a couple of recipes to inspire you – feel free to tailor them to your family’s tastes:

Spanish Rice

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • 1/8 cup oil
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 6 stems cilantro (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 4 cups water (or 4 cups chicken lower sodium chicken broth – and no bouillon)
  • 1 cube chicken flavored bouillon – or vegetarian bouillion
  • dash cumin
  • dash garlic pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large frying pan on medium heat.
  2. Add rice and cook until golden brown.
  3. Add 1 chicken flavored bouillon cube to 4 cups water and microwave for 3 minutes.
  4. When rice is brown, add water, tomato sauce, salt, garlic, cumin and garlic pepper to pan.
  5. Stir and cover pan. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes or until all is cooked and there is no liquid left. Fluff before serving and ENJOY.
A local mom, Jomary Alicea, cooks Spanish Rice regularly; here she is in action!

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth                    

1 cup uncooked green lentils                                  

1 cup chopped onions

¾ cup chopped carrots                                        

2 tsp ground cumin                                                   

1 tsp kosher salt                                                 

1 tsp thyme                                                                 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained                          

¾ cup water                                                                 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice                                               

2 cups sliced kale or other greens (optional)         

½ tsp vinegar

Coat a 5-6 qt slow cooker with cooking spray. Put in the broth, lentils, onions, carrots, and seasonings and stir well. Cover and cook on low 7 hours. Then, in a blender, combine chickpeas, water, oil, and lemon juice until smooth. Add this mixture and kale (if using) to slow cooker and stir well; cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and serve.