The Family Dinner: 2012 ICAP Cookbook Award Finalist

February 17, 2012  |
• by The Family Dinner


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We are very pleased and honored to be selected as a 2012 ICAP Cookbook Award Finalist in the Children, Youth and Family category.

The ICAP award, from the International Society of Culinary Professionals, is considered the gold standard among cookbook awards, and we could not be more thrilled. Congratulations to all the Finalists in all categories, we are in great company with some of the best chefs and writers out there (click here for a full list of 2012 Finalists, and past winners)

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in NYC on April 2, 2012. Keep your fingers crossed!

The Environment and Food: Q&A with Laurie David

January 30, 2012  |
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As Laurie comments, in a recent Q&A with Acupuncture Today:

“The bigger picture is that so much more happens at the table then just the chance to pack in the protein. The dinner table is the place we civilize each other, where we learn vocabulary and debating skills. It’s where our kids learn to listen and take turns. It is the place where the family gets to “purposely” be a family. It’s were we get to fill each other up in a way no multivitamin can substitute.”

Visit Acupuncture Today, and read the full conversation with Laurie, where she talks about family dinner, the environment and staying healthy in the modern world.

Q&A with EatingLiberally.org’s Kerry Trueman

August 30, 2011  |
• by Laurie David


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I recently spoke at The Omega Institute’s Design by Nature conference in Rhinebeck, NY, where I talked about the benefits of family dinner and what we are missing out on in terms of community, civility and discussion when we lose this tradition.

During my amazing weekend in Rhinebeck, I sat down with Kerry Trueman, co-founder of EatingLiberally.org, to answer a few questions.

Click here to read our Q&A session at Alternet.org.

The Dinnertime Challenge

August 26, 2011  |
• by Laurie David


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I was in New York this week, and had the opportunity to sit down with Real Simple magazine Managing Editor Kristin Van Ogtrop.

Real Simple has just started a “Take Back Dinnertime” challenge, a campaign very closely in line with our Family Dinner mission.

We had a great chat about family dinner, and I shared four easy (but incredibly powerful) tips for making your family dinners better. Did you know you shouldn’t pester your kids to finish what’s on their plates? Read Kristin Van Ogtrop’s post at RealSimple.com for more tips.

LINK » Kristin Van Ogtrop: “Laurie David is Going to Save My Life”

Healthy Parenting: Laurie’s Q & A with Nourish

August 15, 2011  |
• by The Family Dinner


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Nourish, a program of WorldLink, is an educational initiative designed to open a meaningful conversation about food and sustainability, particularly in schools and communities.

Recently, Laurie talked with Nourish about why family meals are essential for children’s growth and development:

NOURISH: Why are family meals important for children’s health and well-being?

LAURIE DAVID: There are many benefits in the simple act of sitting down to eat dinner together. Kids get better grades in school, are less likely to do drugs, and develop healthier eating habits.

Family meals provide deep emotional benefits. They boost self-esteem and resiliency, and the ritual gives children a sense of safety and normalcy. It is a consistent place where they have access to their parents, and their parents have access to them. When you make the table a treasured place, you are sending a message to your loved ones: This time together—to share food, laugh, and talk—is sacred.

From a health perspective, only when we cook for ourselves do we really know what we are eating. If all your meals come from take-out, restaurants, or the processed food aisle in the grocery store, you can be pretty sure the food is higher in fat, sodium, and sugar. Sharing family meals gives parents the opportunity to teach kids how to eat well, what size portions to take, and manners.

For more of Laurie’s Q&A session with Nourish on healthy parenting, visit NourishLife.org.