Ragu Mom’s the Word

Sticky fingers? Crumbs, big & small, on the floor?  Spilt milk?  Does your dinnertime resemble this?
Ok, it’s not thaaaaaaat bad here.  Well, now with Baby C on solids, she’s pretty much a disaster at dinner.  Although I must say that it’s pretty darn cute!

Dinnertime, just like any other time in our homes, is a time when Smart Mamas must pick our battles.  If your daughter has the asparagus on her fork, are you really going to remind her that her elbows are on the table?
Or the meltdown (yes, we have many of those) when she refuses to try the delicious pork that you made…does it warrant a full of World War 3 on your end?
So what is dinner like at your house?  Battles, harmony or a little in between?
I’ve been inspired by Ragu® Mom’s the Word’s latest conversation!  Join me!  Visit Facebook.com/ragusauce and comment …

Silly Pasta Shapes – Become a pasta designer! Win a $100 AMEX card!
I get so excited when I hear, “Mom, can we have pasta and sauce for dinner?”  I honestly feel like it’s a special gift from someone upabove who is trying to cut me some slack after a chaotic day.

 
My husband is more often than not, not home for dinner these days – he works long hours.  With a preschooler and infant at home, well, you can just imagine what the witching hour (5-7PM) can be like around here!
I like love to cook, but have given up on complicated yummy recipes for nights when I’m the only adult eating.  Don’t get me wrong, I do make good, yummy dinner for me and the preschooler, but they do tend to be less complicated.
I have found that a jar of sauce and a box of pasta can be a busy mom’s …

No More Leftovers, It’s a Brand New Meal Now!
Meatloaf, roasted chicken, spaghetti & sauce…these are all common dinners in my home.  I may serve meatloaf on Monday but will have enough remaining to serve it again.  No problem for me, but I’ve been blessed with both a husband and 5 year old who might as well roll their eyes when I suggest we’re having the dreaded word LEFTOVERS!
So let’s start with that meatloaf.  How can you switch it up to keep it from being just a leftover dish?  Serve it as a meatloaf sandwich or dice it up and throw it into a pot of tomato sauce and treat it like meatballs.  What are your ideas?
Fellow bloggers Kim Tracy Prince, Whitney Moss and Renee Moss chatted as part of Ragú®  Mom’s the Word, on this Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent episode!  Renee’s reuse …

Ragu© Mom’s the Word Talks about Grocery Shopping with Kids! Do you?
I did it yesterday. I sort of hated it. Alright, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but I prefer to keep the occurrences to a minimum.  What did I do? I went grocery shopping with my 5 month and 5 year old.  It could have been much more of a nightmare than it was!  But, it could have been way easier if the girls where home with Nana.
Grocery shopping with children certainly has its pluses and minuses.  I utilize my 5 year old to grab a lemon, box of pasta or entertain the baby who is strapped into her carseat locked into the cart. But, her help, while very much appreciated, isn’t exactly what I need what I want to get through a big list. The “I’m tired Mom. When are we going to be done?” whining …

Balancing the Dinner Budget – Ragu Mom’s the Word on Dinner Asks Moms
An on-the-budget dinner isn’t always so easy.  We’ve all done those last minute recipes where we spend an arm and a leg buying the ingredients at full price because our pantry was empty.  I’ve learned, the hard way I might add, the importance of stocking up.  I’m not saying 30 jars of olives and 50 bottles of mayo.  I think taking advantage of the buy 1 get 1 free promotions for items that can help make easy dinners is a Smart Mama strategy.
Stocking Your Pantry
My pantry is typically stocked with these 5 essentials for easy, yummy meals:

Pasta
Sauce
Canned soup
Canned veggies
Broth

With 1, 2 and even all 5, I can create something fast that will be enjoyed and won’t stress me out to make! 

Dinnertime doesn’t always have to be disastrous.  Finding ways to encourage a positive dining experience is pretty much every Smart Mama’s dream.  If adding a seatbelt to your preschool/elementary aged child’s chair would be appropriate, I bet half of you would use it no time.  Or if every child was so excited to try the new vegetable you have placed on the plate, I am certain you might find a few speechless moms.

Together, we have all “been there, done that,” in attempting

Elbows, elbows off the table; this is not a horses table! Ever hear that one?  Ha. I can’t even count with all the fingers and toes in the world the times my mother recited that to me.  Ok, so fast forward a few years and here I am, reciting the darn chant to my 4 year old (my 2 month old is allowed to do what she wants at this point!)
Elbows on table, eating with your mouth full, playing with your food…table manners are important, or are they?

It’s the 1st day of summer!!! Woo Hoo!  Actually, summer means heat, ridiculous humidity and 100% chance of afternoon thunderstorms in South Florida!  That aside, there are summertime food treats that we all love 100 degree heat and all!  Popsicles, watermelon, sherbet, corn on the cob, burgers & dogs….Yes, I’m getting hungry.  As Ragú’s Mom’s the Word series continues, let’s keep up the conversation about dinnertime!  Although the dinnertime setting maybe different (more outdoor dining) the story is still the same…getting kids to eat a quality meal!
How are you incorporating some summertime foods with dinner?  Do your kids enjoy them?  Is it easier to conive your preschooler to eat salad with the ambiance of the outdoors and threats of no upcoming beach day if she doesn’t have a bite?  Remember the Mom’s the Word conversation with Kim Tracy Prince …

Have you spotted Smarty Pants Mama on the screen at http:///www.Facebook.com/ragusauce? Be sure to visit the Mom’s the Word on Dinner app to see me share my insights on these videos:

Is your dinner online of offline?
What are your go-to veggies?
What was your funniest dinnertime moment?

Simply Join the Conversation and scroll through the 9 videos available!  Which is your favorite?  Which one relates to you & your family the most?  Leave a comment here or there to share your own insights!  Let’s use this time to share stories and tips with moms just like us!
Disclosure:  This post & videos were created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program.
 

My daughter is a riot, who can drive me a little bonkers at times.  Dinnertime is always an event.  I’m sure you all can relate.  This event can be productive, humorous or in reality, more often than not, frustrating!
Let’s think about those more humorous times.  You know, the ones where you mumble, “I can’t believe she just said that!” or “I can’t believe he just did that!” which have you red and laughing as you try to maintain order at dinner!
I recently sat down with moms Mindy Roberts (http://www.themommyblog.net) and Vicki Howell (http://www.VickieHowell.com) to converse about our funniest dinnertime moment.

This Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner episode is also available for you to watch at Facebook.com/RaguSauce!  Be sure to visit Mom’s the Word on Dinner and “Join the Conversation” by posting your funniest moment!  I’m sure there are …

Peas. Carrots. Broccoli. Corn. Sometimes Cauliflower. Red pepper when cooked.
That would be the huge assortment of vegetables that my 4 ½ year old will eat without much protest.  Dare I introduce anything new, it would certainly be a fight.  You see my daughter is in that stage where “I don’t like it,” is stated BEFORE she even tries it.  I don’t understand.  “How do you know you don’t like it if you haven’t even tried it?”  All along I’m thinking if someone offered me beef tongue for dinner I would respond just like her!  She’s in ways nervous to try something new and prefers her “comfort” veggies.  Better that than nothing.  Right?  I’m still not trying beef tongue though!
In a recent conversation with moms Kim Tracy Prince and Daphne Brogdon as part of Ragú’s Mom’s the Word on Dinner, I was quickly reassured that I am …

TV on? Phone within reach?  One eye on your Facebook feed?  Do you twitch when you hear the chirp on your smart phone that a text has arrived?
As a mom, is your dinnertime online?  Are you still “attached” to the online world while you dine with your family? That’s what Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner is asking moms today!
We all know what the “Super Mom” answer is…, “Of course not.  I would never allow my family to watch television during dinnertime and all phones are shut down and not accessible.”
Ha. Ha.  I know the truth!  Even Smart Mamas face a BIG challenge when we sit for dinner and the ding-ding on our phone is heard letting you know that text has come in, maybe one you’ve been expecting all night.  What do you do? Do you ignore it until all the peas and carrots are …