Torrie's Top Tips for Dining in on Family & Consumer Sciences Day
by Torrie Smith
December 3 is Family & Consumer Sciences Day and to celebrate, we are asking you to
pledge to dine in. Here are my top 5 tips for dining in!
Hey y’all! National Family and Consumer Sciences Day is upon us and every year we
want to celebrate with you by asking you to pledge to dining in on December 3! 2020
has brought us many changes and eating in more often may be one of them. We have been
eating more at home due to regulations and our working environment may have changed.
While some of us may be going to a workplace, though others of us are working from
home but each come with their challenges of eating at home. Whether you are going
into work or working from home, here are my top tips for choosing “Dining in for #FCSsuccess”
this December 3.
Plan ahead and eat from the pantry. Think today about what you want to make for FCS Day! Take inventory of your pantry and create a meal using what you already have on hand.
Pastas and soups are an easy go-to pantry meal! Think about things that you can cook from what you already have with minimal need
to go to pick up from the store.
Use a convenience cooker. Consider using an air-fryer, pressure cooker, or a slow cooker to make your meal.
There are lots of recipes that you can adapt for an air-fryer, pressure cooker, or
slow cooker. They can speed up recipes that may take too long or they can help you
start cooking in the morning and gave it ready by dinner time! With using only one
or two of these, clean up can be a breeze.
Make your favorite dish. Need extra motivation to eat at home? Make your family’s favorite meal! You may be
feeling the fatigue of eating at home and really want to eat take-out from your favorite
local restaurant but wait one more day and dine at home.
Involve your children. Tired of making a meal that your kids end up NOT eating? Wanting to take a night
off from wasting yet more food? Research suggests that kids who assist in the kitchen
preparing their meal are more likely to eat it. Check out this website for age appropriate tasks your child can help with in the kitchen!
Try something new. Uninterested in eating the same ole meal? Look at Pinterest and find something new
you can make for your family to eat! Check out my Pinterest page for extra inspiration. Try a new protein, make a new side dish, eat a new vegetable!
Spice up your routine and finally make that recipe your friend shared on Facebook
that you commented on, “That looks amazing! Invite me over when you make that!” Now
is the time. Today is the day!
Thursday is game night, basketball game night, for the Smith household! We will spend
most of the night at the basketball arena watching Michael’s teams play so we won’t
be home until late that evening. I plan to put something in the slow cooker so that
it will be ready to eat with minimal work by the time we get home. Try this recipe
for a healthy one pot meal!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
3–4 pound beef rump or chuck roast 1 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon instant minced onion 1 cup beef broth
Combine salt, seasoned salt, pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Rub all sides of
meat with the spice mixture. Place seasoned beef, onion and bouillon in a crock pot.
Cover and cook on low 8–10 hours. Remove from slow cooker. Let rest for 15–30 minutes
and slice.
(Makes 8 servings) Made with 4-pound chuck roast, fat trimmed. Calories 370 | Total Fat 20 g | Saturated Fat 7 g | Protein 43 g Carbohydrates 0 g | Fiber 0 g | Sodium 630 mg
To make the pledge for "Dining in for #FCSsuccess," follow this link!
Torrie Smith, Carroll County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H
shares information on about living well, saving money, and sharing tips to make life
better and easier for the everyday person. I release videos on my Facebook Page will
be providing more information about them here on this blog.
Make your favorite dish. Need extra motivation to eat at home? Make your family’s favorite meal! You may be
feeling the fatigue of eating at home and really want to eat take-out from your favorite
local restaurant but wait one more day and dine at home.