Welcome to YTF Community, a place to safely share in the challenges and joys of feeding our families.
Three years ago, my cookbook Dinnertime SOS: 100 Sanity-Saving Meals Parents and Kids of All Ages Will Actually Want to Eat came out. It was a huge moment for me—landing on the New York Times Bestsellers list was not something I even let myself consider as a possibility. I was humbled and so happy to hear how many families found the book truly useful. (I still am.)
But my memory of that book is also the memory of my divorce, which was (and I admit this is a vast understatement), the literal worst.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as I’m deep into writing a brand new book, which is essentially a sister to that first cookbook—with easy dinners, yes, but also recipes for every meal of the day. (Yay muffins! And all the easy snacks!)
It’s been a joy to write this new book now. I feel so much lighter in my approach, so much better at trusting my unique approach to making recipes easier. I’ve had a handful more years to practice everything I preached in Dinnertime SOS about ease, shortcuts, making recipes more flexible and simplifying feeding a family—and I really cannot wait to share that with you.
But a big piece of why writing the book feels easier is the freedom I’ve gained from continuing to drop more of my own internal checklist of mealtime “shoulds”.
This is the thing that has helped the most in my efforts to make the daily challenge of feeding everyone a little bit easier and a lot more manageable.
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I can’t wait for the new book! We use SOS weekly in our meal planning. This, Jamie Olivers 5 Ingredients and Skinny Simple are the bibles. Can’t wait for the new book! Pre-sale me up!
I’m so glad! I will share the preorder link as soon as we have one!
THANK YOU! Yet another post from you that shares so much from your heart and says so much that I need to hear. Your posts very often speak to me in a way that makes me realize (and better understand!) something that is weighing on me as a mom feeding our family…usually something I don’t yet realize is weighing on me! Thank you so much for all of your work, but for also keeping this real. Reading your work, whether that’s an inspiring blog post or another recipe that we’re sure to love, always makes feeding my family way more fun and achievable. xo
I’m so glad and I appreciate the comment!
Needed this today. I have one toddler but have lost the adrenaline rush of early motherhood and all of the rules and structure that came with having a tiny baby and found myself floundering. Iโm trying to be easier on myself and not see my childโs ability to eat as a reflection on my ability to effectively mother.
This really spoke to me. I am going through a divorce and felt like you were inside my mind putting a voice to my anxiety. Iโve been in a rut for a while now and in survival mode. As we head back into the school year I am grateful to have found your work. I feel supported by you! Thank you โค๏ธ
You are so welcome and you are doing exactly what you need to be doing in survival mode-and you won’t always be there. Hang in there and thank you for commenting!
I felt this so deeply. I, too, decided to divorce last year and it was finalized in May. And just like you, meal times were so challenging at first until I realized that I now have the freedom to make dinner more about connecting and less about the perfectly balanced meal. โSnack dinnersโ are weekly staple now, and my boys and I simply enjoy being at the table together. Thank you for everything youโve shared with this community – both food and life related. Your work means so much, and I love your book!
Thank you for commenting and I’m glad you have been able to feel some of this too!
Thank you dear Amy, itโs my birthday today and the relief after reading this is the best gift Iโve received. Please keep sharing with us. The sincere way you do it makes me feel so connected and understandood.
Happy birthday and I’m glad this came right on time for you!
Thank you dear Amy, itโs my birthday today and the relief after reading this is the best gift Iโve received. Please keep sharing with us. The sincere way you do it makes me feel so connected and understandood. Thank you!
You have no idea how much I needed to hear this. Thanks so much for sharing this and making all of us moms not feel so alone.
You’re so welcome and I really appreciate the comment!
Down an adult at my table, with just me and the kids, I had more freedom to simply do what I wanted. Meals became lessโฆโsquareโ, is the only way I can think to explain it. I didnโt have to make meat if I didnโt feel like it. (I almost never feel like it.) I could serve a snack dinner knowing no one would ask where the rest of dinner was. I could make buttered pasta again (and again) without any care at all that we had had it two nights before.
<3 <3 <3 the dream, thanks for sharing this post ๐
And thank you for reading it!
Thank you for writing this, it’s something I really needed to hear today! In particular, the fact that kids don’t like every food and that is absolutely OK and in no way a reflection on my abilities as a mother. Trying to let go of the guilt of the fairly limited diet my child eats despite being offered a wide variety
You’re welcome and thank you for reading. I know it’s all so hard, so for me, finding small ways to let go of some of the pressure has made a little less fraught.