Podcast Episode 133: Eat, Laugh, Talk – Bri DeRosa

The Family Dinner Project

What happens during a meal is just as important as what is being served.”

The Family Dinner Project’s mission is for families to gather regularly for food, fun and conversation about things that matter. FDP is not the “food police;” they believe that home-cooked meals are naturally going to produce a healthier outcome, but that families need to let go of the idea of “perfection” and focus on connecting with one another at the table. What happens during a meal is as important as what is being served.

Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook – 52 Weeks of Easy Recipes, Engaging Conversations and Hilarious Games

Over 20 years of research has shown what parents have known for a long time: regular family meals lead to long-term benefits, including higher resilience, self-esteem, and grade-point-averages, and lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, eating disorders, and depression.

Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook emerges from the brains behind The Family Dinner Project, a Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy-affiliated nonprofit that notes the profound impact that a fun family meal can have on the spirit, brain, and health of all family members.

The Family Dinner Project’s new book gives readers the tools to kickstart a habit of putting together fun family dinners, including:

• Conversation starters
• Quick and easy recipes
• Fun table games for everyone to play
• Tips for overcoming obstacles, setting dinnertime goals, managing busy schedules, and engaging everyone in the conversation

With anecdotes from real families who have become a part of The Family Dinner Project’s growing movement, this book will inspire readers of all ages to look forward to dinnertime (together)!

The Family Dinner Playbook’s Four Core Principles:

1. This is not about perfect
2. We are not the food police
3. We are realistic about technology
4. We are all about the fun

NOTE: ALL of the author proceeds from the book are going towards the FDP’s community programming, so every sale helps them reach more families!

Family dinner is good for you. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t even have to be dinner – but gathering to share something to eat, a good laugh and a great conversation is important for everyone’s well-being.”

Brianne DeRosa, MFA

Brianne DeRosa, MFA, is the Content Manager for The Family Dinner Project and co-author of their new book, “Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook.” As a freelance writer and consultant to nonprofit organizations, she has spent over a decade working in communications, program development and creative initiatives. Bri runs her own food blog, Red, Round or Green and has contributed to the Cooking with Trader Joe’s: Easy Lunchboxes cookbook as well as the Cooking Light Dinnertime Survival Guide. She has also written for numerous outlets including Motherwell Magazine, Yahoo! Parenting, HandPicked Nation, KidsNation Magazine, Real Mom Nutrition and The Lunch Tray. Bri has the opportunity to practice her family dinner skills every day with her husband and two young sons.

We take the science about WHY family dinners are important, and turn that into actionable steps that every family can DO — the HOW family dinner happens.”

Book Giveaway Details!

We are giving away one FREE copy of Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook! You can ENTER TO WIN by sharing the podcast episode on Twitter and/or Instagram, writing a comment on the shownotes/blog (below) or submitting a review of the show on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) by 11/30/19 at 11:59 pm central time. Each action you do counts as a separate entry. Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts counts as a DOUBLE ENTRY. Tag @MelissaJoyRD when you post on social and email Melissa at Melissa@SoundBitesRD.com to confirm your entry or entries. Winners will be randomly selected (US only please).

Resources:

Book: Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook

The Family Dinner Project: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

New Ways to Connect at Thanksgiving (and Beyond)

Bri’s blog Red, Round or Green

Melissa’s Do M.O.R.E. with Dinner Resource Kit

Related Episodes and Blog Posts:

The Family Dinner Project – podcast episode #33 with Lynn Barendsen

Snacking: Trends, Threats & Opportunities – podcast episode #117 with Dr. Shelley Balanko

Meal Planning & Prep – podcast episode #106 with Toby Amidor and Jessica Levinson

Around the Table – podcast episode #53 with Bonnie Taub Dix

Healthy Kitchen Hacks & MORE – podcast episode #51 with Deanna Segrave-Daly

Family Mealtime Matters – podcast episode #50 with Jill Castle

Family Meals Month – podcast episode #47 with Susan Borra

Get Melissa’s Sound Science Toolkit here!

Partnership with AADE

Sound Bites is partnering with the American Association of Diabetes Educators! Stay tuned for updates on the podcast, blog and newsletter!

• November is National Diabetes Awareness month. If you or someone you love has diabetes, a diabetes care and education specialist can help support and guide you on your journey. You can find a diabetes educator or education program near you HERE.
• Check out AADE’s NEW “Perspectives on Diabetes Care” blog and see my post Vaping and E-Cigarettes: What You Need to Know.
• Get FREE printable holiday resources and other tip sheets for people with diabetes HERE.

Music by Dave Birk

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