Eating dinner together with my family is probably the best part of my day. I finally get to sit down, talk to my husband and kids without the distractions of the TV, my phone, or the iPad, and just enjoy some delicious food. It’s definitely the one meal I put the most effort into.
There are so many benefits to eating meals together at the table! Right now, the main thing I find myself doing is modeling manners. With a 4- and 7-year-old, if I turn my eyes away for even 2 seconds, something is bound to be thrown, knocked over, spilled… and drama ensues. I find that if I lead by example, the girls are much more likely to behave, as they are always watching what I do!
While we may have cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, dinner is where I experiment. We have a “one bite” rule, where we have to have at least one bite of a new food before declaring we don’t like it. And, yes, this applies to mommy and daddy, too.
More than anything, cooking and eating together helps us connect. Maya shares what she did at school, Maura asks a million questions about anything and everything, and my husband and I just relax and take it all in.
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MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
“Some of my favorite memories bring me back to cooking in the kitchen with my mom… it inspired me to become a chef and that’s a testament to the power of food and family.” – Aarón Sánchez, star of Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Heat Seekers”
Sierra Mist Natural has teamed up with Chef Aarón to launch “Comer Juntos: Una Tradición Natural,” a show that aims to encourage families to eat together ever night – not just for special occasions – and share fun times over yummy Latin-inspired dishes. Here’s a video of Aarón making his Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake. Doesn’t it look delicious? I’m definitely going to be trying this one with my kids! For more simple recipes with Latin flavors from Chef Aarón, visit the Sierra Mist Facebook page.
