As the holiday season ramps up, there’s more and more online chatter about switching up celebrations this year. Many families are turning to the idea of a simpler, less commercial celebration. In this final episode of Season 2, Bri and Annie talk about why a more handmade holiday may appeal to different families, and share lots of ideas for ways to lean into a low-shop season. They also discuss how to get family members on board, and suggest new traditions families can try to keep a festive spirit without consumer clutter.

Key Takeaways:

• Go to 2:35 for Annie’s thoughts on why this shift may feel particularly appealing this year
• Go to 7:18 for some of the most popular homemade gift ideas Bri and Annie have turned to over the years
• Go to 11:14 for a discussion about how to get reluctant family members on board
• Go to 16:45 for some “gifts of experiences” ideas
• Go to 21:03 for new traditions and activities that can help take the focus off fewer gifts
• Go to 27:04 for food, fun, and conversation ideas to make the holiday season extra special

Related Links:

• Podcast Episode 1: Home for the Holidays?
• Podcast Episode 7: Holiday Politics
• Homemade Gifts
• The Family Dinner Project’s Holidays Hub
• Annie’s husband’s Latke recipe
• Dinner and a Movie: Family Holiday Movies
• 31 Days of Family Fun Calendar
• Family Memory Bingo

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On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, we invite Leslie Kimball of Responsibility.org to talk with us about the research demonstrating that family dinners can help prevent substance use, and how she and her team recommend parents and kids communicate about risk behaviors.

Bri, Annie, and Leslie delve into the findings suggesting that a routine of connected, welcoming family meals is one tool parents have to keep kids from engaging in substance use and other risky behaviors. They share strategies to help parents manage and discuss their own alcohol use, engage with other parents around keeping kids safe, and most importantly, create the kind of positive and pleasant family dinner environments that promote open communication. Packed with tips, reassurance, and ideas for food, fun, and conversation, this episode is a must-listen for any parent who wants to help safeguard their children from substance use.

Key Takeaways:

• Go to 3:00 for Dr. Anne Fishel's summary of the key research into substance use prevention and family meals
• Go to 9:10 for Leslie's thoughts on how to talk about and model responsible consumption
• Go to 16:35 for tips on making the dinner table a welcoming space for conversation
• Go to 20:05 for tips from Responsibility.org on opening up a discussion about alcohol use
• Go to 31:26 for hands-on food, fun, and conversation ideas you can use at your dinner table

Related Links:

• Responsibility.org and Ask, Listen, Learn
• What to Know About Family Meals and Substance Use with Dr. Timothy Wilens
• Episode 6:Table Trauma
• Episode 2: Is it the Family, Or the Dinner?
• Guess the Emotion
• Raggedy Ann Salad, Origami Dumplings, and Homemade Pizza

About Leslie Kimball and Responsibility.org:

Leslie Kimball is the executive director of Responsibility.org, and prior to becoming executive director, Leslie worked on the organization's programming and communications campaigns, including the Ask, Listen, Learn, and Parenting influencer programs.

Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate underage drinking, eliminate drunk driving, and work with others to end all impaired driving and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. As part of their mission to eliminate underage drinking, responsibility.org developed a free science and evidence-based digital prevention program for kids nine to 13, their parents and educators: Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix. The program, created in 2003, helps adults start conversations with kids about alcohol and the developing brain to prevent underage drinking, and is the most widely distributed program of its kind.

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Grocery prices are a hot topic these days. With prices on some items, like beef, at an all-time high, it's becoming more challenging to afford family meals. On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Bri and Annie invite their colleague, Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, to share her perspective as a pediatrician and the Senior Health and Research Advisor at the Greater Boston Food Bank. Together, they discuss the food bank's research into the scale and implications of rising food insecurity; how families can access help as needed; what more could be done to help bridge the gap for struggling families; and how all of us can try to save more money at the store right now.

Key Takeaways:

• Go to 7:22 for a discussion about the nutritional impacts of food insecurity on families
• Go to 10:14 to learn what the Greater Boston Food Bank has found about the community and civic impacts of food insecurity
• Go to 16:50 for ideas about how to save money on groceries
• Go to 32:20 for food, fun, and conversation you can take back to your dinner table

Related Links:

• Podcast Episode 6: Table Trauma
• Podcast Episode 4: Picky or Problematic?
• How to Get the Most out of a Roast Chicken
• Dinner Tonight: Budget Friendly
• The Price Is...? Game
• Easy Pesto Recipe
• The Greater Boston Food Bank
• Feeding America
• Click 'n' Cook

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