I love cooking, but these days especially I’ve been hampered by lack of time and inspiration. So when local “meal kit” service Just Add Cooking asked whether I’d like to test their service for editorial consideration, I was -- to say the least -- enthusiastic! And I've been really happy with the service for a number of reasons -- so much so that I booked and enjoyed another delivery last week! Allow me to enumerate the reasons (12 of them).

Quick note to start: roughly speaking, Just Add Cooking serves the 495 belt inwards; pop your zip code into their service area finder to check if they deliver to your town! Now, on to why I think you should give it a try -- and if you'd like, use code REFGVJE to get $20 off your first order.

1. Pricing. The price is very competitive with -- and in some cases less expensive than -- other meal kit services. Pricing for 3 meals for a family of 4 = $109 (4 meals = $129, 5 meals = $139). You can also opt for 2 servings per meal.

2. Flexible commitment. I will admit, I'm a commitment phobe about some things. I don’t like getting locked in to contracts! I like that you can opt in or out of meals each week. You need to decide and select meals by Wednesday to get the Sunday delivery; if you don’t want service that week, just select to skip.

3. Ordering. The layout of the site makes it easy to look at recipes, see how much time each meal requires for prep, make selections, or skip a week altogether. Yay for easy web interface!

4. Shipment arrival. Just Add Cooking texts you when your package has been dropped; which was handy when we got our first shipment since we were home but just cruising around in our jammies. Who knows when we otherwise would have stepped outside!

5. Packaging. Meal kits include pre-measured ingredients. The shopping and measurement has been done for you; all you need to do (in some cases) is chop and cook.

6. Local love. I love that Just Add Cooking sources local! For example, our shipments have included salmon from Captain Marden’s, Greek yogurt from Green Mountain Creamery in VT, bread from Nashoba Brook Bakery in Concord, cream from Mapleline Farms in Hadley, MA, and steak from Creekstone Farms.

7. Clear instructions. Recipe instructions are clear and in your welcome letter, they provide a recommended cooking order for your dishes.

8. Taste. Overall, the dishes have been tasty! The salmon toast with horseradish and slaw was excellent and easy and the chicken gruyere was delicious and decidedly fancy feeling. The beef stir fry was more of a B+ in my book, but that may be because I’m used to stronger Asian flavors (being Asian and all…). This week we enjoyed the tarragon crusted salmon and Shepard's pie and I'll make the last meal this evening when I return from D.C.

9. Leftovers. All of our meals have rendered leftovers. Thumbs up for leftovers!

10. Rut busting capacity. It has been SO AWESOME to bust out of our food rut with this service. Not only in the immediate sense, of having the meal prepped for us, but also in the longer term sense of being reminded to use different ingredients and preparation methods.

11. Engages little helpers. I’ll have to see if this effect lasts, but there is something about the neatly packaged box with all of the adorably packaged items that makes Violet want to help prepare meals. Longtime readers know that I’m a huge fan of getting kids in the kitchen!

12. More time for fun. One clear benefit of paying for a meal kit service is that it frees up TIME. So precious, right? I love spending less time attempting to meal plan and shop and more time playing with my family.

I think my only critical recommendation would be to select your meals with balance in mind. So, for example, the first week, 2 of our 3 meals came with cabbage as a side. Cabbage and potatoes seem to be a common side (makes sense, given that they are sturdy vegetables) but we tend to want more green vegetables so I need to keep an eye out for that.

In short, this is an awesome solution! We’re thinking we’ll use it 1-2 times a month, depending on our schedules and bandwidth (or lack thereof!). If you’re interested in trying Just Add Cooking and want to get $20 off your first order, you can use my referral code REFGVJE when you sign up. Happy cooking!

Disclosure: Just Add Cooking provided me with 3 complimentary meals to try out; all opinions expressed here are, of course, my own. And I loved the service so much I laid down my credit card and ordered a box last week and can't wait to order another!

Image credits: logo by Just Add Cooking; photos by Christine Koh

After recently sharing about 5 ways to eat local on a budget, I started thinking a lot about tip #2: shopping seasonally. And it inspired me to start a new editorial series! Via Eat Seasonal I’ll share roundups of simple recipes to help you figure out what to do with seasonal produce. I know that every year that we’ve signed up for CSAs, I’ve scoured around for just this sort of thing -- I hope you love the series!

Also, if you’re a food writer, please feel free to submit your recipe links for potential inclusion in a feature! I'd love to hear from you!

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today, Debbie shares 5 ways to eat local on a budget:

“Eat local” is a popular sentiment these days, and for good reason. When we eat what’s grown nearby, we support the local economy, reduce the environmental impacts of long-distance shipping, and get food that’s more nutritious than the mass-produced, shipped kind. Of course, one challenge is that mass-produced, shipped products are often cheaper than their small-crop, locally grown counterparts. Here are 5 ways I've learned how to eat local on a budget:

1. Join a CSA. A CSA (community-supported agriculture) has you pay a certain amount up front for your share of that season’s crops. Vegetable, fruit, fish, meat, and grain CSAs are all available in the greater Boston area. Some deliver; others require you to pick up. You don’t get to choose what’s in your share, but the overall dollar value of the share typically exceeds what you pay for it. Find a CSA near you at Local Harvest.

2. Shop seasonally. Produce costs less when it's abundant, so it helps to keep track of what's in season and menu plan around seasonal produce. For those in Massachusetts, refer to this handy in-season chart.

3. Preserve the harvest. Preservation can be as simple as freezing (e.g., I puree and freeze tomatoes) or you can try canning or dehydration (perfect for those who like fruit leather or dried apples). Here’s a good first source for information on home food preservation.

4. Visit a farmer’s market for education. Ask about the growing season. Get recipes. If prices are high, buy only specialty items and tastes of new foods. Another benefit? Booth displays can tempt kids to try foods they might otherwise ignore! Use Local Harvest to find a farmer's market near you, and here are links specific to Massachusetts farmer's markets.

5. Find farms that don’t come to market. Small farms and orchards might not have extra staff for markets, but they want your business at the farm stands and pick-your-own days. Check this local farm guide for options near you.

From a parenting perspective, what's been particularly great about committing to eating local is that my kids see that food is produced by real people. They're starting to understand the basis for every economy in the world and are eating more fruits and vegetables thanks to meeting the growers.

Image credits: Local Harvest Facebook page

What a gorgeous, gorgeous day! It was wonderful to feel the amazing Boston Marathon energy downtown, enjoy some self-care (definitely call my friend Honey Jo if you're looking for a stellar hair stylist!), and watch Laurel and Vi hunt down eggs with a gaggle of kids. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, and also these great reads and visuals via Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome:

- The world if there were only 100 people.

- 3 meditation techniques for beginners.

- Stick or twist: the postdoctoral dilemma.

- Lemon burst cookies. Yummy.

- Can’t afford organic? 10 foods you can eat anyway.

- 15 beautiful indie posters that could pass as fine art.

- The crossroads of should and must.

- 36 genius ways to hide eyesores in your home.

- Portraits of reconciliation.

- College ROI: The value of a college education.

Image credit: lemon burst cookies via Pinterest

Hello everyone, I hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend! Things are pretty lovely and mellow here; the girls are crafting, the snow is falling, and we're hoping to get out and finally see Frozen later today. If you're looking for some good reads/visuals, I've got you covered in this week's edition of Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome:

- 25 happiest cities in Canada (according to Instagram).

- #9 on this list of 10 cities where you're most likely to achieve the American dream! 

- Middle School: not so bad.

- The important thing about yelling.

- Animals sitting on capybaras.

- Redefining girly.

- This is what happens when a kid leaves traditional education.

- On click bait headlines. And baby rhinos.

- Reforming a picky eater: step one.

- What the most iconic women’s figure skaters are up to now.

- Give motherhood a microphone...in Boston.

- I’m Queen Amidala, who are you?

- 10 houseplants that clean indoor air.

Image credit: Pinterest

One of the most stressful parts about Violet's recent state of plague was that for the better part of a week she refused bottles and pretty much all solid food, save occasional bites of cheese and blueberries. The logical part of my brain knew that she would eventually drink and eat again, but I was still concerned about dehydration and getting her some calories, particularly because she was so limp and sad and not herself during this time.
During this period, an unexpected little miracle arrived in the mail: samples from Plum Organics. I have known about Plum for a couple of years, but I haven't purchased starter purees of any kind since I've been making baby food (the Beaba Babycook makes it absurdly easy to do so), and at this point, Violet has largely moved on to finger food chunks. However, when I opened the box, I decided to try the purees. Not only had I not seen these yogurt/fruit/veggie and fruit/grain blends before, but it occurred to me that if Violet would actually eat them, she would get a little more fluid in her by way of the liquid content in the purees.

And to my enormous glee and relief, I approached her first with the apple-spinach yogurt blend and she gobbled it up. I also presented some of the apple/raisin/quinoa blend and she gobbled that up too. For the next couple of days, we continued to present her usual foods and she gradually started taking them again, but she readily consumed these purees on each presentation. {Cue angels singing.}

I'm not sure if it was the food novelty factor, the comfort of being spoon fed (as I mentioned, Violet has moved on to finger foods, save yogurt), the taste blend, or something unbeknownst to me (Vi still hasn't sprouted any teeth, so we wondered whether gum pain and not wanting to mash on solids was contributing to her food rejection), but these products were a saving grace. It was a huge relief to see Violet get some calories, and at the risk of a TMI moment, the liquid content of the purees also helped her on the output side.

Violet is finally back to her usual cheerful self, eating her solids, but we are keeping these pouches on hand as a handy and convenient back up/supplement. I especially like having the fruit and grain blends in our arsenal because other than brown rice and quinoa, I never cook millet, barley, or amaranth so it's nice to have those grain options in rotation for variety.

As of this writing, these two new Plum products haven't been fully released in stores. I learned this the hard way when I ran to Whole Foods panicking in dismay in the baby food aisle when this was the only food Violet would eat! After writing the Plum Organics representative who sent the samples, she informed me that the products are available at Toys "R" Us (here are the links for the fruit/veggie/yogurt and fruit/grain blends), then they'll be available at Target in March, Safeway in April, and Whole Foods later in the spring. We've tried every variety except the fruit/grain blend including mango (since we think Vi might be allergic to mango) and all have been consumed happily!

Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! I just wanted to check in to let you know that I'm going to be largely absent this week (though I do hope to reveal some exciting news soon!). I want to spend time with Jon and the girls on the front end of this week, particularly because I will be heading to BlissDom to speak and on behalf of a client on Thursday. Meanwhile, if you're looking for stuff to do this week, here are a slew of February vacation ideas, plus I wanted to share some posts that caught my eye this week. Have a fantastic week and happy reading!
This post about Asian American icons moved me very, very much.

On carrying sadness and letting it go.

Ten excellent ways to reduce stress.

How to get your kids to stop nailbiting.

Twenty ideas for giving yourself 10 minutes a day.

Gluten- and dairy-free breakfast ideas.

On Rick Santorum and women voters.

I love these images of hearts in nature.

Ideas for getting kids to clean up.

Have you tried alternative therapies for depression and anxiety?

Image credit: Kirtsy

When Laurel was a baby, one of my rookie nursing mom mistakes was attending a wedding in a regular dress -- meaning, one with an inflexible neckline and a side zipper that basically made it impossible to nurse without undressing. So when I started looking for nursing-friendly dresses to wear to a couple of weddings this year, after being completely underwhelmed by the nursing cocktail dress market, I was thrilled to land on the perfect style -- a dress that looks fabulous, nursing or not.
Basically, the key to finding a non-nursing, nursing-friendly dress is a stretchy material with a crossover neckline that will open widely enough to nurse. And here is where Ralph Lauren became my best friend. In general, I love the simple elegance of Ralph Lauren's style, but after I started prowling department store websites, I noticed that he clearly gets the perfect combination that is stretchy jersey, a trim silhouette, and waistline shirring and has run with this concept in a variety of lengths, colors, and sometimes patterns.

I wanted something other than black so was thrilled to find these two Ralph Lauren dresses on separate occasions:

I wore the purple Elsie dress (left; $130 at Lord & Taylor) to a wedding in California. The dress has a flattering deep neckline that makes nursing very easy, and a fitted empire waist with flattering shirring. The color is fantastic; a nice change from the LBD. And I found the red Casimer dress (right; $134 at Lord & Taylor) a couple of weeks ago when I was prowling the new arrivals section and ordered it immediately to wear for my sister's wedding this past weekend. The dress is already sold out online but it would be worth checking local stores. Featuring the same shirring as the Elsie (though not empire style), this dress features a stand collar and also pretty shirring at the sleeves. The color is stunning!

These dresses are both gorgeous in color and flattering in fit; I really liked having long sleeves on both since I haven't exactly had a lot of time to tone my arms (short of hauling Violet), plus it's perfect for chillier temperatures. And though I'm thrilled that these dresses work for nursing (I nursed Violet at both wedding receptions -- once while wearing the purple and twice while wearing the red), I'm also glad that they'll carry through in my closet once I'm done nursing.

A couple of final comments: 1) I recommend wearing Spanx with these dresses, as they are clingy. 2) Keep your eyes peeled for sales and coupon codes if you are shopping department stores for these dresses (I recommend checking Macy's and other department stores -- they all seem to carry Ralph Lauren). Lord & Taylor sends a lot of coupons by e-mail and post and I did not pay full price for either of these items!

I'm part of the Mom's the Word on Dinner conversation series via Momversation so I've been thinking a lot about mealtime (even more than usual!). Recent conversation on the program's Facebook page has focused on dinnertime mojo and quick meals, and these conversation threads have reminded me that meals are decidedly un-Zen for so many families. Indeed, with two busy parents, a chatty 7-year-old, and a sippy cup banging 8-month-old at our table, meals are not always the most relaxed. This all got me thinking about some of the typical stumbling blocks we face and how we try to address them. I hope the below thoughts are helpful, and I'd love to hear if you have other challenges at the dinner table and what you do to mitigate them!
1. Slowing down the horses.

Stumbling Block: By the time we get to the table, one or more of us typically is famished. Subsequently, there's a tendency to strap on the feedbag, as it were, and go.

Solution: We have taken to pausing to start our meals with an expression of gratitude -- for each other, for the food in front of us, and anything else that is top of mind. It only takes a moment, but has been a really effective way to slow down our pace.

2. Speedy, yet monochromatic meals.

Stumbling Block: If we're rushing with food prep, sometimes meals can end up, well, rather monochromatic (e.g., pasta, corn, etc.).

Solution: Our typical quick meals include quesadillas, breakfast for dinner, pasta, etc., and we try to resolve monochrome syndrome with quick additions such as baby spinach in the quesadillas, or cucumbers, carrot sticks, or grape tomato halves on the side. And fruit, always fruit.

3. Interrupting.

Stumbling Block: We are, er, a rather verbal family and Laurel has a tendency to start a conversation thread while another is in progress.

Solution: While it's sometimes just easier to let interruptions happen, we're trying to help Laurel get in a more mindful habit by stopping and reminding her that someone else needs to finish their thought before she jumps in. She's actually started raising her hand lately, to get in the queue, which is pretty cute.

4. Up and down, up and down.

Stumbling Block: This is something we struggle with, whether it's Laurel getting up and down when she realizes she has something in her backpack she wants to show us, or Jon or I fetching something we forgot for the meal. And it contributes to a general sense of mealtime chaos.

Solution: We now tell Laurel that whatever she wants to show us can wait, and unless it's something major, we do without whatever we've forgotten at the table. Alternatively, we limit our get ups (meaning, we wait until we've thought of a few things we forgot to get and take care of it all at once). It's amazing how much these small tweaks change the pace for the better.

5. General disaster zone.

Stumbling Block: This might be my own personal peeve, but I really, really dislike sitting down to a meal with the kitchen in a completely disastrous state.

Solution: I've tried to work on this one by chipping away at the build up that tends to start well before dinner -- for example, asking Laurel to wash out her lunch containers, chipping away at random dishes while items are cooking, and so forth.

Those are the major stumbling blocks for us. It's pretty much a work in progress! I'd love to hear what you're wrestling with, either here in the comments or at the Mom's the Word on Dinner Facebook page.

Image credit: Stoonn via FreeDigitalPhotos.net