By: Tabatha Brown-Flowers, Owner of the NEWLY OPENED My Girlfriend’s Kitchen in Bear & Laura Keehan, Owner of My Girlfriend’s Kitchen Wilmington

What’s for dinner? It’s one question that needs to be answered each and every day. Some answer it for themselves. Some answer it for their families too. When you ask yourself that question, do you like the answers you come up with?

In this busy, fast-paced world dinner too often comes out of a box, a can, a drive-thru bag or a Styrofoam container. But most people really do want to put a hot homemade dinner on the table. In fact for those of us with children at home, research shows that the effort really pays off. Look at what the experts have to say:

• “More mealtime with the family was the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems – even better than time spent studying or in church,” according to a University of Michigan study of children ages 3 through 12.
• Kids who regularly eat dinner with their families are MORE LIKELY: to have lower levels of tension and stress at home; to say that their parents are proud of them; to say they can confide in their parents; to get better grades at school; to be emotionally content and have positive peer relationships.
• Regular family dinners communicate to your children, “I like your company”. They keep us in touch with family members’ activities and life experiences. They set the stage for us to value our family relationships, not take them for granted.

So, what stands in our way of the family meal? Some of us never learned how to cook and aren’t comfortable enough in the kitchen to pull it off several nights a week. Others of us love to cook, but can’t find the time. Some of us just need a break from all the planning and shopping.
Luckily, you are living in the age of Dinner Stores! My Girlfriend’s Kitchen makes it easy for you to put healthy, homemade dinners on the table! Here’s how it works.

• Look at the 14 menu choices and pick out what you’d like to make (the menu changes each month)
• Choose the serving size that’s right for your household (either 2-3 people or 4-6 people)
• Come to the Kitchen, follow the recipes and make each dinner in about 5 minutes (or call ahead and we’ll make them for you!)
• Take your dinners home in the pans and freezer bags provided
• Follow the simple instructions on the cooking label when you’re ready to enjoy each meal

It’s so easy that kids love to do it. And, while you’re at the Kitchen, you can customize the dinners for your family –leave out the peas if Timmy hates peas! Need to substitute chicken for pork? No problem. After all, you are making these meals yourself.

Bring a friend and spend some time catching up. Bring 10 friends and have a party (baby and bridal showers, engagement parties, book clubs, corporate team building events and the ever elusive, Girls Night Out)! This is cooking as recreation, not work.

You owe it to yourself to give something new and different a try. You will be glad you did.