Do you feel like summertime is slipping through your fingers like sand on the beach? My favorite season of the year, summer seems like Mother Nature’s reminder to slow down, savor and celebrate life.
In fact, it’s the perfect time to slow down, savor and celebrate family, friends and food. I’ve been doing my “Do M.O.R.E. with Dinner” initiative since January, but summertime has invited me to take a slightly different approach.
There’s a more relaxed feel to our days and also our dinnertime. There’s less structure, but, nonetheless, we still need some planning to make the most of our family dinnertime. Ever since we started doing “more” with dinner, my daughter and I have been making time every week to consider our dinnertime plans for the coming week. Sometimes we try a new healthy recipe or make sure to plan for leftovers to cover busy nights, or we sneak in more veggies, or we simply take the time to make memories in the kitchen or at the dinner table that have nothing to do with food.
One of the best things about this initiative is that my kids remind me every day that food should be fun! I’ll admit, sometimes as a dietitian, I tend to forget the fun factor. My kids help me make sure to plan for some fun activities as well as some fun foods. I can’t think of any summertime treat that’s more fun than a s’more! And I love this recipe for a lightened up version that still tastes great.
As the “Guilt-Free RD” it definitely has my stamp of approval. Since food shouldn’t make you feel bad, I wouldn’t want the traditional version to leave you guilt-ridden, but I sure do like how this option can help you enjoy s’mores with less guilt and more gratification!
As these last remaining days of summer slip through your fingers, take time to make some memories with your family and do “S’MORE” with dinner! And share with me on social media how you’re making more out of dinnertime by using #domorewithdinner.
Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE is a nationally recognized registered dietitian nutritionist with more than 20 years’ experience helping people enjoy their food with health in mind. Melissa is a certified diabetes educator, a former supermarket dietitian, and also a former national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). She was named Outstanding Dietitian of the Year in Illinois by AND and Outstanding Diabetes Educator of the Year in Chicago by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Melissa is a paid contributor to Sucralose.org. Melissa is the CEO of Sound Bites, Inc. based in Chicago, Illinois, and you can connect with her on Twitter (@MelissaJoyRD), Pinterest,Facebook, and check out her blog at SoundBitesRD.com.
