I’ve been eagerly anticipating the arrival of CookingLight Dinnertime Survival Guide: Feed Your Family, Save Your Sanity written by dietitian, Sally Kuzemchak. If you don’t know who she is, Sally is the blogger behind Real Mom Nutrition. She shares her own challenges feeding her family with humor and grace — and offers realistic solutions.
That’s what Dinnertime Survival Guide is all about. No matter where you are with cooking — novice or experienced — there’s something here for you. Because as Sally points out, even people who love to cook aren’t always motivated to cook for their family every single night. The book has the same engaging, realistic and non-judgmental tone I so enjoy reading over at Real Mom Nutrition.
Dinnertime Survival Guide is divided into chapters to address different mealtime challenges such as “I have zero time,” “I can barely boil water,” and “Frankly, I just don’t feel like it.” The solutions come in easy tips, smart strategies and recipes that get the job done. The tips are from experts and busy moms who share secrets for pulling off dinner. These include making food ahead for easy access, simple ways to improve cooking skills, and my fave, meal ideas for those times you think you don’t have food in your fridge and cabinets (but you really do!).
Because this is a CookingLight book, Sally had expert help testing and making the recipes perfecto. I have to say, the meals look delicious and very doable with tons of options for a busy lifestyle including slow cooker meals and dinners you can make ahead. I haven’t tried one yet, but here are the recipes I plan to start with:
Pasta Primavera with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes and Ricotta
Honey Glazed Pork Chops
Salmon Cakes with Lemony Garlic Sauce
Make Ahead Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pudding
This is an awesome book that will go a long way helping anyone cooking for a family. And I got two copies, with an extra for one of my readers! (Although I did receive a complimentary copy of this book, my opinions are all my own).
Here’s what to do to enter the giveaway:
1) Mandatory entry: Leave a comment with your biggest mealtime challenge or why you want to win this book.
2) For a second entry, Like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook and leave another comment saying what you did.
3) For a third entry, Like Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook and leave another comment.
4) And for a fourth entry, tweet or share this post leaving one final comment.
The giveaway ends Thursday, May 1st at midnight. The winner will be chosen by random.org
I just get burned out cooking ALL THE TIME.
I’ve never really enjoyed cooking, so it’s hard to be motivated to do it!
Time is my biggest issue. I love having meals prepped ahead of time, but I’m very good about making that a priority.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
I liked Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook.
Our biggest challenge is definitely finding things everything likes! 2 kids – 1 picky, 1 loves must things & 1 veg-phobic husband. Always trying to push that comfort zone a bit!
My challenge is picky eaters!
It is difficult to come up with new recipes that meets everyone’s needs.
My biggest issue with dinner is coming up with what to make. This book could help me plan!
I liked Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook.
I am burned out on our weekly menus or lack thereof and could use a boost!
My biggest challenge is having a husband and 1 child who like foods to be very plain (not mixed together, few sauces, no casseroles)… cooking gets boring!
My biggest meal time challenge is planning ahead – knowing what to make and having all ingredients before my family gets ravenous!
I’ve like raise healthy eaters on fb 🙂
I’ve liked real mom nutrition on fb 🙂
I am struggling with a dinner rut!
I’ve shared this giveaway on fb via raise healthy eaters fb post 🙂
I have a little baby and half the time I’m only cooking for myself! Having easy healthy ideas at my fingertips would be an amazing help!
I like real mom nutrition on Facebook!
I like raise healthy eaters on Facebook!
My biggest challenge with dinner is time. I pick up my son at 5pm and he wants to eat within 30 minutes. I don’t have time for fancy complicated meals that take an hour or more.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
I liked Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook.
I would love to win this book because I’m a big fan of Sally’s and that chocolate pudding looks amazing!
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
BY FAR, my biggest challenge is managing the pre-dinner snacking. I work full time (as a dietitian 😉 ), so while scrambling to cook a quick, healthy meal, I’m also doing my best to avoid a total toddler melt-down!
Cooking with my 2-month-old in a carrier while keeping my 2- and 4-year-olds entertained!
I liked Raising Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
I liked Real Mom Nutrition on facebook
I also liked Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook
I have young children and always end up making a meal for them and a meal for the adults! I would love family friendly recipes!
Biggest challenge is getting motivated to cook after a long day of work – and figuring out what to make!
My biggest meal time challenge is my 9 yo who refuses to eat all vegetables, literally gagging and crying when she tries small bites. I will be seeking out a feeding therapist once I research them for our area and get a referral.
Shared on FB
I already like Raising Healthy Eaters. 🙂
My biggest mealtime challenge is wanting to try out new recipes but knowing my husband probably won’t try them.
Liked Real Mom Nutrition
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook.
I liked Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook!
I’d love to win this book for my own (future) family, as well as for a tool to use with clients in my nutrition practice! It’d be an all-around great resource.
Liked Raise Healthy Eaters on FB.
Also liked Real Mom Nutrition.
I’d like to win the book because the recipes look delicious
like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook
like Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook
I’d like to win for some new meal ideas
My biggest challenge is finding veggies that we all like
like Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook
like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook
shared on FB
My biggest challenge is finding foods my children will eat consistently. And cooking within a tight budget.
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook!
I like Real mom nutrition on Facebook!
My biggest challenge is how to be more creative in preparing veggies so that my 2 year old will be interested. Thanks!
I have to cook during my son’s nap time and sometimes all I want to do is nap too!
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on Facebook
I like Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook
I liked Real Mom Nutrition on FB!
Finding meals that fit in my small grocery budget.
I like Raise Healthy Eaters on FB.
I like Real Mom Nutrition on FB.
My biggest challenge is staying motivated. There is always someone at the table with a complaint. . .after the shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning up . . . there is always someone disappointed I didn’t make a boxed mac & cheese. LOL
I could use some side dish inspiration!
I like Real Mom Nutrition on FB!
Biggest challenge: dishes. oh the dishes.
Biggest challenge is planning. My husband usually cooks, but he wants me to come up with all the ideas, and I have a picky toddler. Second is exhaustion. When one of our kids isn’t sleeping at night, we’re not either and that makes it extra hard to cook dinner at home the next day.
I tweeted your review & Liked Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook. (I already Liked you.)
The biggest challenge I have with my 2 year old right now is getting him to eat a variety of foods.
Biggest challenge for me is I work at an overnight camp and as the director I am always being pulled in different directions. The food at the camp is great for kids staying for a week but not for someone eating it day in and day out all the time. I need easy, quick, healthy options I can prepare for myself to have while camp is in session! Otherwise it’s mac & cheese, breaded chicken fingers, and potato chips on the side!!!
Tweeted about it! http://twitter.com/ItsMeVsMe/status/460093664471953409
Many good options to pick from for meals home made
My biggest challenge is how time consuming it is to to cook healthy and natural, unprocessed foods.
Liked on facebook
I’m definitely in the ‘I don’t feel like it’ camp! I can usually muster up 4 nights, the other 3 are hit or miss!
I liked real , mom nutrition!
My biggest challenge is finding the time to make good food of a variety for my family.
Finding a meal my whole family can enjoy. Love to cook, but it’s discouraging when my son has a selective eating disorder and is so limited.
I would love to figure out how to use the items in my pantry that don’t seem conducive to a quick dinner after I get home from work. Cooking ahead of time just doesn’t work for me … but neither does cooking in the evenings after work – I fall into the “I just don’t feel like it” group, but I love feeding my kids home-cooked meals!
I liked ‘Raise Healthy Eaters’ on facebook long ago!
I get stuck in a rut…I would love some new ideas!