Mom's, Sports and Thermoses

by Heather Durenberger, Tastemaker in Residence

As a mom of four children each involved in their own activities, mealtime gets interesting to say the least.  Our family is committed to having one meal together each day.  As a result, we have come up with some creative ways we make it work and wanted to share them with other busy moms.  

Here are some tips and tricks that we have learned and created over the years.  

A friend shared this tip with me and it is brilliant. You can grill hot dogs, sausages or brats at home and then place them in a thermos for hot beverages and fill it with hot water to keep the food warm.  Then bring rolls, chips, and cut veggies for an on the go meal.  We enjoy this frequently at the baseball and soccer field.  

One of our favorite on the go meals is preparing a cheese and cracker tray and a fruit and veggie tray.  This is a great alternative for our family and always a hit!  Providing them with healthy alternatives at the ball fields not only helps them feel better, but as a mom I feel good knowing I have found a way to combine nutritious food and mealtime.

Another trick is to make pasta salad or chopped salad and place it inside tall beverage cups or individual sized Rubbermaid or Tupperware containers.  We do this often when we are driving to multiple practices or when we are on the road for vacation.  The nice thing about this strategy is that often times, kids will simply “graze” rather than consume their entire meal in one sitting. This idea lets them eat a little bit before the game/practice and then finish the meal after the game, when they are a bit more hungry.  

Regardless, I would say be creative and committed to finding ways to bring your family together each day.  Use this time to provide teachable moments by asking  questions like: What happened on the bus today? What happened on the playground? and What was the best part of your day? These questions have been invaluable moments for our family and opportunities for us as parents to be engaged more fully in our children’s lives.  

I send blessings to your family.  May you have countless fun by creating your families own out of the box meals for wherever life takes you.