Chances are someone’s been cooking for you all your life. Sure, you’ve probably
helped cook from time to time, and hopefully acquired some cooking skills along
the way, but now you’re in college, miles away from home and must feed
yourself.

Living on your own can be hard, especially when you’re studying, working and
socializing. With all that is going on in your busy life, the last thing you want to
think about when you’re hungry is what to get at the grocery store so you can
cook your own meals. That’s why you often turn to fast food takeout or delivery.
While these foods may taste good, they aren’t always the best choice to help fuel
you through your studies – and the cost can certainly add up!

Here in the pages of The College Kid’s Guide to Cooking, you’ll find easy-to-digest
tips for planning, shopping and cooking meals while at school, along with
simple, yet delicious recipes tailored to your busy student lifestyle. Whether
you’re a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned cook looking for quick and affordable
meals, this guide to college cooking is here to simplify your culinary journey and
make eating well on a budget a rewarding part of your college experience.

With this cookbook, you will learn how to

• Set up your kitchen with the right tools and organization
• Find simple, quick-to-make recipes with few ingredients and short prep times
• Plan meals ahead of time that will fit your busy schedule
• Set your food budget and shop efficiently
• Grow your skills and confidence in the kitchen
• Manage your time to do it all

In addition to an easy-to-follow format, with quick and simple tasks to complete,
you’ll find a collection of Cheat Sheets which are designed to provide you with
answers to essential questions you will have about the planning, shopping and
cooking process. The Recipe section includes more than 50 recipes that will
provide you with plenty of mealtime inspiration.
With a bit of planning and preparation, you’ll be ready to cook in no time at all!

The post The College Kid’s Guide to Cooking appeared first on Family Eats.

Asian cooking is more popular than ever, and creating delicious, authentic—or fusion-inspired—Asian meals at home is easier when you have the right kitchen tools. From stir-fries to soups, dumplings to noodle bowls, a few well-chosen Asian cooking tools can elevate everyday meals without adding complexity.
But don’t save these tools just for “Asian night.” Many traditional Asian kitchen tools are surprisingly versatile and can be used in everyday cooking—from weeknight dinners to family meals made from scratch. Whether you’re sautéing vegetables, steaming fish, or prepping grains, these tools earn their place on the counter, not hidden in a cabinet.
Here are some of my favorite Asian cooking tools that will serve you well—no matter what’s on the menu.

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Stir Fry Sauce Bottle

What I love about this sauce bottle is that it is designed to measure, mix, serve and store stir fry sauces – in a quick-to-make, and easy-to-store manner. Forget looking up a recipe every time you need it, this bottle has four, authentic Asian stir fry sauce recipes printed directly on the glass bottle. (And, they’re permanent, so no worries about it fading or wearing off). 

Go ahead an mix things up and make Mandarin Orange, Canton Oyster, Beijing Hoison or Sichuan Spicy Black Bean Sauce. The 13-ounce bottle comes with an airtight cap, so you can store what you don’t use, in the fridge. Bottom line, authentic, Asian meals couldn’t be easier.

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Rice Washing Bowl

A rice-washing bowl is an imperative whether you are simmering the grain on the stove or preparing it with a rice cooker. Unfortunately, I was well into my adult life before I learned of the need to rinse my rice. Admittedly, with Minute Rice gracing the table when I was young, there was no need to rinse the rice. So, when I set out on my own, and began cooking non-Minute Rice rice, it never dawned on me that I needed to rinse it. 

For all those cooking purists out there, you’ll be relieved to know that I am rinsing my rice. And, while it isn’t an arduous task, I do find that the Helen’s Asian Kitchen Rice Washing Bowl makes it quite easy to do. The design, with its flat solid base stabilizes the bowl for soaking, and with a quick tilt, the perforated side strainer allows water and debris to drain out. Made from stainless steel, it is easy to wash by hand, but if needed, it’s also dishwasher safe. 

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Steamer 10″

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Steamer 12″

https://amzn.to/3KoQvHrHelen’s Asian Kitchen Stainless Steel Steamer Ring 10″

Steamer Ring 11″

Dumplings are delicious and so easy to prepare when using this 10″ steamer. But, what makes this bamboo steamer even more great is its versatility in the kitchen. Go beyond dumplings and use the steamer for so much more including veggies, fish, eggs, meat, bao and beyond.  The 2-tier design offers ample room for preparing single or multiple servings. Made from 100-percent all-natural bamboo, its design, especially when used with the stainless steel steaming ring turns almost any pan or stockpot into a steamer. 

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Spider Strainer

Affectionately nicknamed for its web-like design, the Spider Strainer is ideal for making noodles, homemade dumplings, and other types of pasta, blanching vegetables, deep frying, and more. This Spider Strainer features a shallow mesh basket that drains fried food quickly so they stay crispy and flavorful without an oily residue. Its bamboo handle stays cool to the touch during use. 

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok

This carbon steel wok is the perfect addition to your cookware collection as it is ideal for stir frying, stewing, sauteing, steaming, braising, frying, and deep frying. Made of high-quality carbon steel that conducts heat evenly, and once properly seasoned, will work like a charm. It’s flat-bottom design sits securely on any stovetop and works equally well with gas, electric, and induction.

Whether you’re a skilled home cook, or just starting out, this collection of Asian kitchen tools are essential for every day use. Enjoy!

Send me a note about your favorite Asian cooking tools at Laura@amilyEats.net

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The post My Favorite Asian Cooking Tools for Everyday Home Cooking appeared first on Family Eats.

With that in mind, here is the Family Eats 2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Laura’s Favorites Edition. The products listed here are staples in my kitchen – the ones that will never go out of fashion, and that I’ll be hanging on to for years.

Hopefully these ideas for your food-loving family members, hostesses and friends will inspire you to slow down a bit, and be more intentional with your gifting so that you’ll give a gift that will be loved – for a long time.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Laura’s Favorites Edition

A Cookbook Destined to be Well-Used

I’ve a deep collection of cookbooks, ranging from cuisine-specific tomes to short-and-sweet single subject cookbooks on salsas and dips. Before I add a new cookbook to my shelves, I let things simmer a bit. I research what it’s about, read reviews and then add another to my collection. As a result, I find that my cookbook collection is a usable collection that provides me with an ongoing array of recipes, insights and all-around cooking inspiration so things won’t get too boring around here. That’s why I believe The Bean Book by Steve Sando (with Julia Newberry) would be the perfect gift this holiday season. It’s filled with a bean primer, how to cook beans and how best to enjoy them – along with one hundred recipes using all kinds of beans. In a time when we are worried about rising food costs, choose healthier proteins and are attempting to make more sustainable food choices, Sando’s bean book is perfect for anyone looking to expand their love for healthy and flavorful beans. You can purchase it here.

Olive Oil

For any true food lover, a great tasting, high quality olive oil is essential for so many recipes in your kitchen. My choice is the Lucero EVOO collection from the American Olive Farmer. The collection of olive oils is produced from olives grown in Corning, CA, resulting in several delicious bottled varieties: Arbequina Extra Virgin, Olio Novello and Ascolano EVOO, in addition to several flavored lemon, basil or garlic olive oils. In fact, Lucero Olio Novello is on its way! Crafted from Mission Olives, which are scheduled to be harvested at first light and milled immediately on November 26th (that’s today!), they represent the Lucero brand’s first bottling of California Mission olives in over a decade. Right now, you can save up to 25% off with a Novello trio! An don’t forget to grab a gift from the collection of balsamic vinegars or one of the various assorted olive oil dipping bowls. Head on over to American Olive Farmer, Home of Lucero Olive Oil for all your flavor-filled gift-giving needs.

Fondue: The Communal Pot

Whether you’re skiing in the Mountains of Switzerland, or cozying up at home with friends, fondue is the social meal of the season. The communal pot, when filled with delicious Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses, which are then sublimely melted in a caquelon (the pot), make for a delicious dip for veggies, potatoes and more. The ritual beckons you to slow down from all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, so you can embrace the convivial spirit of the season. The Kuhn Rikon fondue and raclette offerings bring a bit of Switzerland’s tradition to your table this season. The fondue pots vary in styles, sizes and what they’re made of, but all help you easily bring this longstanding tradition to your own table this season. For those times when you want something quick, and more portable – perhaps to bring with you to the sunset, date night, or as a hostess gift, try the individual mini raclette set, powered by candlelight, for an unique raclette experience.Take it with you and enjoy.

Matcha for Embracing Mindfulness

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding matcha these days. It’s taken over TikTok and can be found in numerous hot and cold beverages at your favorite coffee shop. I encourage you to go back to its roots, and give a gift that evokes tradition and healthfulness, while embracing the ideal of slowing down in our daily lives. Not only will matcha provide us with its health benefits, but the process of preparing the drink in its traditional manner adds to the special-ness of the tea. Give the gift that embraces tradition, healthfulness and healthy habits, with the Helen’s Asian Kitchen Matcha Tea Gift Set. The set includes everything you need to enjoy this time-honored tradition – except the tea: Matcha Tea Bowl , Whisk and Stand, Scoop and Tea Sifter. If you’re looking for quality matcha tea, try Harney & Sons Organic Matcha.

One Pot Meals

Nostalgic recipes and flavorful one-pot meals are on the table, and the Emile Henry Sublime Dutch Oven lets you prepare it and serve it in style. I’ve had this beauty in my kitchen for over a year now, and it remains one of my favorites. Made from a new ceramic technology designed to do all kinds of cooking. It is extremely versatile, handling the high heat of searing, frying or barbecuing on the grill and also softly cooking on low heat so that sugars in a caramel sauce or a custard are gently heated without burning or over cooking. The Sublime ceramic distributes heat smoothly across the whole pot better than any metal, including cast iron or stainless steel and it is 50% lighter than those other materials. You can find it here.

Simple Ways to Celebrate, with Flavor

The Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company has curated cheese collections that showcase the best of their farmstead offerings. The Cheese the Moment Cheese Board features a delicious array of their handcrafted cheeses, including classics like Original Blue, Toma, and Bay Blue, paired with artisan accompaniments (like honey and crackers), then packaged (with all eco-friendly materials) for a memorable unboxing experience. A perfect hostess gift . . . if you don’t eat it all yourself!. The Point Reyes Cheese the Moment Cheese Board can be found here.

Powerful Blending in Your Hand

The Blendi Pro+ is the blender I never knew I needed. For years, I’ve been living with a full size blender – for smoothies, blending soups, sauces and more. But this portable blender adds so much function to my kitchen – and takes up no space at all! (OK, just a smidge of space). The blendi Pro + is guaranteed to crush your ice resulting in perfect consistency. It’s cordless design and extra container for ingredients, means you can take (and blend) your smoothie post workout at the gym. It is also great for meal prep, chopping nuts, and blending a delicious salad dressing. This portable and powerful blender is definitely making waves in my kitchen, making it a great gift for just about anyone – from college kids to your workout buddies, and friends. You can get it here.

Cover Up in the Kitchen

’m a lover of aprons and have a pretty big collection handed down from my grandmothers (mostly handmade, several holiday-related), and then a few new ones. But, as I always say, one can’t have enough aprons! One of the most recent additions to my collection is a Hedley & Bennett apron. It is definitely built to last and is also quite stylish — with so many options to choose from, you’ll certainly find the perfect one to gift this season. You can find the collection here.

For the Burgeoning Chef

Finally, it’s The College Kid’s Guide to Cooking. I created this guide using the Family Eats Four Pillars method I created years ago, which focuses on breaking down the steps needed to overcome the overwhelm when it comes to mealtime. This version has the college student in mind and walks the reader through essential steps of creating a budget, how to find recipes to fit their lifestyle as well as how to meal plan, shop and prepare food while staying on budget. The book focuses on making the process simple and doable for a busy college student. The Guide also includes 50+ recipes. The perfect gift for any current, or soon-to-be college student. You can purchase it here.

Have a great week “reconnecting with the food you eat and the family (and friends) you love.”

~ Laura

The post 2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Laura’s Favorites Edition appeared first on Family Eats.

Originally written in 2014, I took some time to review this decade-old post, and realize that these truisms  are, for the most part, still true today in 2024.  The original Thanksgiving post is below, with minor changes for this year, appearing in bold. Enjoy!

Things are pretty much normal these days – by that I mean the usual normal of feeding a family of six, driving kids to school (still doing this, but only for 2), play dates (their friends pick them up for time spent with friends) and after school classes (sports) – then finding time for myself, to spend with Greg, to clean the house . . .

So, as a result of my ‘normal’ I am just getting around to  planning for Thanksgiving. But I’m not frazzled yet. As it stands, it is three weeks (nine days) before the big day, and these are the things that I can count on:

1) We will be eating alone. This year’s celebration will be just our family of six. While we may be sad that we won’t be seeing the family, I can rest a bit easier since I won’t have the extra pressure of cooking for, and entertaining, others.

2) We will have turkey. You know, the free-range, heritage, or organic kind of turkey you typically cannot pick up on a whim the day before Thanksgiving. Problem is, I have yet to order it.

3) My feet and back will ache. As much as we have come to expect that overfull feeling and general drowsiness after we eat, those of us who prepare the meal can come to expect an aching body from standing, stooping and stumbling around the kitchen for hours on end. I am no exception. (Add in Greg’s recent knee replacement).

4) There will be no shortage of: Thanksgiving menu ideas delivered to my inbox in the coming week. No shortage of Tweets beckoning me with try a host of tasty side dishes. (Twitter, ie X, is no longer a fun and carefree platform to use) l No shortage of Black Friday deals offering me great prices for everything from electronics and toys, to clothes and Viagra (yes, I know you get those emails too!) (Replace Viagra with Skyrizi, Ozempic, Rinvoq, and the bent carrot pill, Xiaflex)

5) The stress will come and come and come . . .Although, my current state of Thanksgiving denial appears to be a good way of keeping the stress from overtaking me.

6) We will make four pies for six people: Pumpkin, Pecan, Apple and Mincemeat.

7) We will need to make at least one trip to the grocery store to pick up something we forgot on our list.

8) We will get over-zealous about menu planning. Let’s face it, we love to cook, and this is the day we will make the transition from the everyday ‘get the food on the table’ to a more professional-chef style attitude, in which we will pay attention to details, follow recipes religiously, and prepare enough food to feed an army. Which leads me to the next truism . . .

9) There will be leftovers. But isn’t that what we want? The fridge will be jam-packed with uneaten turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and more. The challenge will be to turn them into something that the kids will eat again, and again, and again for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Which leads me to my next truism .  .

10) The kids will quickly tire of my attempts to disguise leftovers as another meal.

11) There will be at least one melt down –not by my kids, but me.

12) I will bark “Get out of the kitchen!” no less than 25 times that day. (I will plead, Get in here and help!)

13) I will answer the “Is dinner ready?” question no less than 85 times that day.

14) I will hear “I don’t like this,” whined from at least 1 child. (No longer an issue, I’ll hear lots of, “Oh, this is delicious!)

15) The family will call to wish us “Happy Thanksgiving” just as we are sitting down to eat.

16) Something on the table will be cold (other than the milk).

17) I will forget to serve something.

18) At least on person at the table will be wearing pajamas. (And, if I don’t get into the shower before I head into the kitchen, it just might be me.)

19) I will drink before noon.

20) I will drink after noon.

21) Because Greg is aware of Truisms 20 & 21, the wine cabinet will be full.

22) The kids will say they are full, but will have room for dessert.

23) After dinner, Greg will lie down on the floor, moan about how much he ate, then promptly fall asleep.

24) Two minutes after I put the last dish away, someone will say they’re hungry. (But now, they can get their own food!)

25) We will be thankful for all that we have.

What are some of your Thanksgiving Truisms? Please share them with us below.

The post 25 Truisms for Thanksgiving appeared first on Family Eats.

I recently pulled Grandma’s recipe for Sour Cream Coffee Cake from my recipe file, and remembered what my daughter had said to me many years ago just as I was pulling the cake out of the oven:

“Why do they call it coffee cake?” asked 5-year-old Nicole. My reply was simply, “Because it is cake that is eaten with coffee.”

Ahh, the coffee cake.  For me, it is a deliciously moist and nut- and cinnamon-filled cake topped with sweetness. But coffee cake comes in all shapes and sizes. In fact, there is no official coffee cake recipe. They can be a pound cake, sponge or yeast. They can be filled with fruit, spices and nuts. And yes, every ethnic tradition has its own version.

Whether it’s the Butterkuchen, a yeasted German-style coffee cake with cinnamon sugar topping, the Swedish Flop Coffee Cake covered with a crunchy streusel that is split and filled with butter cream, or the delicious sweet Danish Pastry that is a specialty of Scandinavian countries, it is not only the cake itself, but the ceremony that accompanies enjoying it that is so compelling to so many of us. 

There is something truly enjoyable about the simplicity of stopping the day, sitting down together with friends or family, and enjoying a cup of coffee accompanied by a cake. The Germans have even given it a name – kaffeeklatsch: the tradition of enjoying Kaffee – coffee – and Klatsch – gossip

Back to that coffee cake discussion I had with my children 14 years ago:  

After Nicole thought about my answer for a few seconds, it was clear that she was going to make sure she had some of that cake, even if she didn’t drink coffee.

“I’m calling it water cake,” she declared, as she sat with a glass of water in front of her. 

Then her sister got into the coffeecake renaming game.  “I’m eating milk cake,” said Addie.

“Looks like Daddy is having wine cake,” added Grayson.

Our water-milk-wine-coffee cake session way back then, brought us gossip about the Halloween poem Addison and Keely learned at preschool, Nicole’s art project at school and Grayson’s adventures searching for arachnids during Science class.

A dozen years later, we are all still enjoying our coffee cake – with our favorite drink of the moment alongside – and chatting about each other’s day. We got a run-down of Nicole’s list of things to do before heading back to UCLA, Addie and Keely gave us updates on their Eagle Scout projects and college applications, and Grayson, already back in Miami, had to sit this kaffeeklatsch out.

Last evening it was water cake for me; this morning, as I write this, it is undoubtedly coffee.

Enjoy a bit of coffee cake, with your friends and your family. You never know what you may find out!

Grandma’s Special Coffee Cake

Filling

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Cake

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ cups sour cream

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. grease 9” tube pan.

2. Make Filling: mix sugar, cinnamon, cocoa and walnuts in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream butter, 1 cup of sugar, add eggs.

4. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder.

5. Blend in flour mixture alternating with sour cream.

6. Spoon half of batter into pan, sprinkle ½ filling over it, and spread remaining batter over it. Sprinkle top with remaining batter.

7. Bake 1 hour. Cool about 10 minutes in pan.

The post Coffee Cake (or is it water cake? wine cake?) appeared first on Family Eats.

Taste is personal, and a concept that I never thought much about when I was a child. What seemed more important than the taste of the food was my mother’s directive to eat what was put in front of me, regardless of whether or not I liked it. For me, eating the food (and listening to my mother) was more important than whether or not I enjoyed the taste of it.

That’s not to say the food on our table was bad, because overall I liked nearly everything that was put on the table. But, there were a few things that were prepared I just didn’t like – fish, for example. Lake Erie fish. And to this day, I am not much of a seafood eater – or is that a ‘lake-food’ eater – because I like shellfish.

Eventually I got a job in the food industry, which allowed me to expand my palate. I learned to appreciate the flavors I had not previously experienced.  I moved from Kraft Singles to wedges of Stilton and Roquefort. I transitioned from Wesson Oil to olive oil, from Chef Boyardee – to making homemade pasta. I expanded from meat, potatoes and veggies on the plate every night to a tapas of ingredients and small bites, homemade dressings and sauces, and an overall upgrade to the offerings on my table. The driver for all these changes, was my opportunity to ‘taste’ something different; to taste something more flavorful, to taste something with various flavor notes using all my senses – and the appreciation that came with that.

I vividly remember the time when it all clicked for me. 

I credit my expanding palate to a visit with the head of The Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association in the county of Leicestershire. Arriving at Long Clawson Dairy, I divulged to him that I was not a fan of blue cheese, the taste being too strong for my liking. He smiled and assured me that by the time I left that day, I would be a fan of Stilton.

He was correct in his assertion, and that visit, when I learned the story behind Stilton cheese, took the time to slow down and learn about what I was tasting (and to appreciate it), brought me to my current level of cheese enjoyment. 

But the adventure didn’t end there –  in fact, it’s been a delicious multi-decade adventure.

My Recent Tasting Adventures

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a Tasting in The Dark & Prosecco DOC adventure, during which Dr. Hoby Wedler opened the doors to the world of wine aromas and sensations by developing a truly blindfolded wine tasting experience.

Dr. Wedler, chemist, entrepreneur and sensory expert, has been completely blind since birth. In 2016 he earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from UC Davis and in 2011 he developed Tasting in the Dark, in collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola, leveraging his highly-trained palate and acute sensory insight of his surroundings, to create customized tasting experiences applied to a variety of projects. 

Throughout the event, I experienced the  diverse expressions of Prosecco DOC through a custom Multi-Sensory Kit developed by Emotitech and designed especially for this experience, providing me with an innovative approach to wine tasting and Prosecco DOC. The kit allowed me to integrate tactile and olfactory elements, providing me an unique and deeper perspective on Prosecco DOC distinctive qualities.

What this adventure provided me was a greater understanding of the broad spectrum of flavors found in various Prosecco DOC wines. Beyond Prosecco, this experience reminded me to slow down and pay attention to, as he explained it, “the raw art of flavor, aroma and texture which come together on their own to form a language.” 

Too often when I’m cooking or eating a meal, my focus is on the prevalent sense – the one that hits me first, such as the aroma of coffee being brewed, the crunch of potato chips as I eat them, the creaminess of a chocolate mousse. These first impressions bring forth expectations. And sometimes these expectations keep me from paying too much attention to my other senses. With the blindfold on, I removed the visual distractions (and clues it would give me to what I was tasting), and learned to integrate other senses into my tasting experience.

Then Came Olive Oil

A few weeks later, I took my senses on another tasting adventure. This time it was with my colleague and friend, Liz, whom I met many years ago when I served as editor of a leading magazine for the specialty food and kitchenware trade. Then she was a buyer for major retailers, and in addition to her four decades of international business experience, Liz boasts over 200 hours in olive oil sensory evaluation training, olive milling instruction, and related master classes around the world.

She invited me to Corning, CA to walk through the olive groves, chat with her about her American Olive Farmer endeavors and the delicious Lucero Olive Oil brand she has rebranded. It truly was an eye-opening visit, as I soaked in her expertise, and felt the love and passion she had for her work.

Once back at my home, I sat down with her again. This time it was a zoom meeting, and she took me through the basics of tasting olive oil – and I had my full senses available to me this time. A simple tasting walk-through, of both the Arbequina and Ascolano varieties she offers, and I was once-again excited about tuning in to all of my senses before, during and after tasting. 

Now, most of you probably won’t blindfold yourself to taste your Prosecco, or get yourself a tasting wheel and olive cups to conduct your olive oil tasting, but it’s a reminder that we should all reacquaint ourselves with the full flavor of food. Both adventures offered me the opportunity to slow down a bit and pay attention to all of my senses, and to enjoy how each plays a part in the overall experience. 

In the end, it is my assertion that if we take the time to slow down and taste something, to appreciate all the flavors that it has to offer, then we can truly appreciate the food we eat. Perhaps when we do, we’ll retrain our senses to appreciate an expanse of flavors, growing our appreciation for the beauty of whole foods and the enjoyable experience associated with the meal.

Try some Stilton

Close your eyes and taste some Prosecco DOC

Pay attention to the flavor notes of your olive oil

Let’s create wonderful new tasting adventures in our kitchens.

ATTENTION: American Olive Farmer is offering Family Eats readers an opportunity to add some great tasting olive oil and vinegar in your kitchen. Use FamilyEats$10 for $10 off your first purchase of either olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Order Yours here!

The post Adventures in Taste: Prosecco and Olive Oil appeared first on Family Eats.

Recently, I became frustrated with our city’s recycling efforts, and the long list of do’s and don’ts of what we can put in the bins. It seems that what I thought was a better choice for the environment, actually can’t be recycled or composted in the city’s waste management facility.

While we collect our compost in a bin on the kitchen counter and then take it to the green bin for pick-up, we cannot put our green bags in with the food. here is what I learned while searching our city’s waste management website:

“After dumping the food waste in the compost, the bag goes in the trash. Unfortunately, biodegradable plastics break down at different temperatures than organic materials, so they don’t compost well together and Redwood Empire Landfill will not accept them. Also, these plastics can’t be distinguished from regular plastic during processing.”

Some of the confusion about what can and can’t be put in the bins comes from labeling — or rather, a misunderstanding of the terms used on labels. So I thought I’d tackle one of the most common misperceptions about words used on labeling – the difference between compostable and biodegradable. 

To better understand the ‘why’ behind it all, I reached out to PlasTechFree, a company with a mission to not just replace plastic products, but to  revolutionize the paradigm by offering 100% compostable, plant-based alternatives for a cleaner, sustainable planet  today and generations ahead.

Here, I speak with Gene Benfatti, Co-Founder and president of PlasTechFree, about their innovative compostable bags, and better ways to compost at home.

FE: What is the biggest hurdle – or misunderstanding – consumers have about their compostable or biodegradable bags for home use? 

GB: There is a lack of overall understanding about compostable and biodegradable bags for what they’re actually made from. This is due largely to “greenwashing” on behalf of many companies, a practice that must be recognized and stopped immediately. 

Deceptive packaging is a huge part of the problem, and consumers should carefully read the packaging and labeling for these types of products that claim to be eco-friendly or home-compostable but are not. At the very least, consumers can go online to check for more information to make sure they understand which products truly are, and which aren’t meeting the proper standards. 

FE: Any tips for simple ways to make home composting easy and effective.

GB: To make home composting easy and effective, start by understanding what can and cannot be composted, opting for materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, yard waste, and paper products while avoiding meat, dairy, and oily foods. Choose a convenient location in your yard for your compost bin or pile, ensuring it’s easily accessible and away from direct sunlight. Maintain a balanced mix of green and brown materials, keeping the compost moist like a wrung-out sponge, and turning it occasionally to aerate the pile and speed up decomposition. Be patient with the process, understanding that composting takes time, and troubleshoot any issues like adjusting moisture levels or material balance. Finally, use your compost to enrich garden soil, reaping the benefits of natural fertilizer for healthy plant growth.

For tips and information about home composting, we have a great blog on the subject at PlasTechFree.com.

FE: When you say ‘home compostable’ does that mean it doesn’t go into the city compost stream — but only compost in your home system?

GB: In the right environment, a compostable bag will take between 90-180 days to decompose, mainly by the microorganisms present. Whether that’s done at a city site, or at home. If you’re looking to dispose of your home compostable bags at home, this can be done in a home compost heap, compost bin, or even in your garden, provided the bags are certified home compostable. 

FE: What should the consumer look for on a label when purchasing bags for their home compost bin?

GB: When purchasing bags for a home compost bin, consumers should look for this label indicating a Home Compostable Certification from the testing organization (such as) TUV Austria. 

FE: Why is compostable material a better choice than biodegradable materials – and does using the compostable label require certification?

GB: Compostable materials are a preferable step up over just biodegradable materials because they break down into only nutrient-rich humus, enriching the soil for plant growth. 

Biodegradable materials on the other hand can be made with plastic which, when it breaks down, leaves toxic micro and nano-plastics behind, nothing nutritional.  All compostable bags are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable bags are compostable.

Using the “home compostable” label requires strict evaluation from a testing lab, ensuring that the product meets home compostable standards. Our PlasTechFree line is certified home compostable by TUV Austria, a leading international lab in testing, inspection, and compostable certifications. 

FE: What are the most important benefits of composting for consumers, and tips for consumers to start making the choice for better products that lessen their impact – and use of plastics.

GB: Composting benefits consumers by reducing waste, enriching soil, and supporting plant growth. To lessen their impact and reduce plastic use, consumers can opt for home compostable products, minimize single-use plastics, support eco-friendly packaging, reduce food waste, and advocate for sustainability. Our line of home compostable products are made from plant-based materials that break down naturally within 180 days into nutrient-rich compost. By choosing our bags, individuals can actively contribute to reducing plastic pollution and promoting a healthier planet. 

Thank you for PlasTechFree for providing the Family Eats community with your insight.

The post Compostable vs Biodegradable: Do You Know the Difference? appeared first on Family Eats.

With four children, I was bound to have at least one who was a picky eater – and that, of course, manifested itself early on.

When the kids were young, I diligently created weekly meal plans that included a wide variety of foods that not only provided nutrition, but hopefully helped expand their food likes (and, meals that Mom and Dad would eat as well). Generally it was a success, except for that one child. Of course, each had their own likes and dislikes when it came to food — something I could deal with (I’m not a fish fan), but the daily struggle of dealing with the “I don’t like that” or “ I’m not eating that” was real — and constant . . . every single day. Through it all, I persevered and refused to automatically prepare a second meal for my picky eater, just so I could have some peace during family mealtime.

She didn’t like beans, momentarily turned away from meat (as she would chew it for ages, and then spit it out), anything with vegetables (except corn), all cheese (except mozzarella), and the list goes on.

When the kids were young, they created their own little dinnertime game — It was based on overall ‘score’ of how many different types of food each of them liked. They measured one ’s level of liking a specific food simply by raising or lowering their hand in the air. The higher the hand and went up, the more they likes a food and their rating in the game went up.

My son worked hard at maintaining his superiority in this game (i.e. to like more foods than his sisters), that he would often turn to lying about it. But, we all quickly learned that when challenging him to prove he really liked a new food (by eating it), his nostrils would flare if he just didn’t like it. If he said, “I love this food,” yet his nostrils flared while eating said item, we knew that indicated that he was not telling the truth.
On the other hand, Miss Picky Eater wouldn’t even participate in the game, as she knew that she just wouldn’t win unless mealtime consisted of bread, crackers, strawberries, or that one recipe I first made when the kids were young, young Parmigiano Crusted Rigatoni. This recipe turned out to be her favorite.

She was a little girl when it became her favorite. She called it Tigaroni, as Rigatoni seemed a bit hard for her to pronounce at the time. Everyone in our family still calls it Tigaroni. And, Everyone in our family still requests it — yet, when it is served all these years later, it is still referred to as ‘her favorite’. She loved it so much that when her first grade class created a cookbook, Tigaroni was her submission, which also included her own drawing of herself in the kitchen making Tigaroni, which also appeared on the cover of the class cookbook.

That little girl is now a freshman in college, and was home for Spring Break this past week. It was a busy week for all of us, so it wasn’t until she had been home for a few days when she asked me, “Mom, do you think you can make Tigaroni for dinner this week before I go back to school?”

I immediately answered in the affirmative. Adding “Is there anything else you would like?’ (knowing that I only had a few more days with her home).

Maintaining Traditions with Teens

The night before she was to return to school, we gathered around the table for Tigaroni. No complaints and clean plates confirmed that this continues to be a picky-eater favorite. Following our Friday night dinner of Tigaroni, we continued to enjoy our Easter tradition of coloring eggs and frosting some Easter cookies. The next day, I hid their Easter baskets so the three at-home Everage kids could continue the family’s Easter traditions — followed by an egg hunt.

She’s now back at school, Spring semester at UCLA, and we are back to the day- to-day of the at-home Everage family. Our son will return mid-May from University of Miami, and Miss Picky Eater will find her way back home late June. Until then, when Tigaroni makes it way to our dinner table, we will definitely think of her.

The takeaway from a week with my former picky eater is that persistence pays off. Sure, beans are still not her favorite, but she has expanded her food repertoire and dinnertime is a bit less anxiety filled as it was when she was young.

The other, perhaps more important to me is that no matter how old they are, the traditions we established when they were young remain today — years later. That make my heart sing.

The post My Picky Eater Was Home for a Visit appeared first on Family Eats.

I’m truly enjoying a bit of Sunday morning quiet. I slept in, and really have nothing scheduled for the day. It’s the first Sunday like this in quite some time. So today, I’ll be taking some time for a short hike, and then perusing my cookbooks to  planning for some ‘lighter’ meals.

By ‘lighter’ I mean, lighter on the meat protein. 

We’re sending Grayson back to Miami this weekend, so the ‘demand’ for meat-based meals will be lowered significantly.  And, because one of Addison’s goals for the new year is to have one meat-free week a month, the opportunity is here to find some new recipes to add to our rotation. Keely is all in for the change as well.

I have a few go-to cookbooks for seeking recipes including the Oldways Make Everyday Mediterranean cookbook, and of course my Blue Zones cookbook is great, as well as the classic, Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. And lately, I’ve been in search of a few new cookbooks to add to my collection — those that will give me even more inspiration for preparing delicious, meat-free (or less meat) meals.

Transitioning to a New Way of Cooking

I’ve been on this journey for some time, and through the years, and I’m finally ready to go a bit further. Making the transition to even more meat-free meals can feel daunting. After all, 90 percent of our list of favorite meals are recipes with meat. So, it will take an effort, and some finger-crossing, as I prepare new recipes (with greater frequency) that my family look forward to eating. 

(You can read about our eating more meat-less meals in this 2013 post, Channeling my Inner Vegetarian) 

On a Similar Note

I remember listening to The Food Chain podcast, “Sleep, eat, repeat?” which focused on  the link between sleep, food and our overall health. It is truly amazing how the lack of sleep affects our health in so many ways — our brains, our bodies, and of course, our moods. The lack of sleep triggers certain chemical reactions in the brain which affect our cravings — and oftentimes those cravings are for high fat, salty and sugary foods. There is so much research and great insight packed into this podcast, I recommend giving it a listen. 

As for tonight, I’m working with the food I have in my house, so we’ll be enjoying crispy sweet potatoes and Quinoa Cakes. I did indulge on the dessert side of things, making the Chocolate Pecan Pots de Creme, from La Tourangelle.

Afterwards, I’ll look forward to having a good night’s sleep.

Chocolate Pecan Pots de Creme

• 9 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons La Tourangelle Roasted Pecan Oil (can substitute olive oil)
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar (add an extra tablespoon if using bitter chocolate)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the chocolate and the pecan oil in a blender.

Whisk the milk, 1 cup cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula and almost boiling, 5 to 6 minutes.

Immediately pour the milk mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.

Divide the chocolate mixture among ramekins or small cups and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Garnish with fresh berries and sea salt before serving. Enjoy!

The post Lighten Up: Vegetable-Based Recipes to Fill Us Up appeared first on Family Eats.

Back in 2006, with two young children, and my growing responsibility to my family, I decided to leave my full time job as a Managing Editor of a specialty food and kitchenware retail trade magazine. 

During the nearly 12 years I worked on the magazine, I was lucky enough to immerse myself in the world of food and cooking. I traveled the world visiting manufacturers to learn the story behind the making of Parmesan cheese, Caribbean hot sauces, German chocolates and Brazilian Coffee, to French cookware, Italian cutlery, and English pottery. I grew to love learning about the place from where a food tradition comes and the story behind a product. Further culinary inspiration came from the countless lunches, cocktail hours and train rides chatting with people like with Jennifer Paterson of the Two Fat Ladies, Julia Child, Emeril, Wolfgang Puck, and even (the then) Prince Charles at his organic farm, Highgrove. It was a job that nurtured my passion for all things food related. 

Less than 2 years after leaving the magazine, we added twins to our family. Now, with four children under the age of four, life was hectic around the Everage household.  My days were filled with diaper changes, playdates, and preparing home cooked meals and snacks for the family. Despite our hectic lifestyle, I knew that I wanted to take all the food and cooking knowledge I gained while working at the magazine and create something that was reflective of our family’s lifestyle.

I got to working on a  business plan, and launched FamilyEats.net in 2008, with a mission to inspire others on the journey of “reconnecting with the food we eat and the family we love.”

I quickly learned that there was a need for the content I provided. Much more than providing recipes with a story attached to it, my goal was to create content that supports the family unit by instilling good eating habits, while building the lifelong traditions of making it a priority to gather together with family and friends for home cooked, healthy, meals.

Through the past 16 years, there have been ups and downs – and many times when I thought, maybe I should just give it up on Family Eats and head back to a full-time job. But then I’d receive an email from a reader – encouragement that my message was making a positive change in someone’s life. 

As I readied for 2024 to arrive, I found myself reflecting on my next steps and my desire to write, create and  bring my passion for, and knowledge of, food and cooking to my readers.

With that in mind, I re-dedicated myself to Family Eats and have spent the past few months focusing on creating content and a plan to bring even more inspiration to my readers. 

Additionally, I will continue with my Family Eats Substack newsletter, which I launched in 2023. It is the perfect complement for the website, allowing me to share my writing with a broader community, while writing more in depth content that is related to the Family Eats Four Pillars Method (a process I created that helps others build the small habits need to attain your goals as they related to food and cooking).

In the new year I will remain focused on helping others create the small habits needed to make a lasting change when it comes to food and cooking. But, there is no denying that the world of websites and social media is a lot different from the early days when I began creating content for Family Eats. In the past, I welcomed website advertisers, and coached a few clients on my Four Pillars method to help support my endeavors. 

As 2024 arrives, I will continue along the path of  writing and posting on FamilyEats.net and through my social media channels. I’ll also continue to send out an occasional newsletter, along with continuing any small-group or individual coaching opportunities that arise. 

To support my efforts to bring more dedicated content to the collection of Family Eats assets, I am adding a paid subscription option to the Substack in the new year. 

Through the addition of the paid Substack newsletter to the Family Eats family, I am focused on creating content that reaches — and inspires — more readers.

With a paid Family Eats Substack, subscribers will receive weekly posts and join in our weekly Community Chats focused on how to overcome the overwhelm if you lack time, energy or inspiration to get meals on the table and enjoy them with your family (or your family of friends). 

Additionally, your Substack paid subscription will offer a weekly round-up of essential food and consumer trends as well as healthy eating news items that will provide greater insight into the world of food and eating trends, and how they relate to our present day needs. I’m also working on additional benefits for paid subscribers, which will provide even more value to my readers.

I thank all who have encouraged me to continue, those who have supported me through reading my posts, and following Family Eats on social media. My goal for all of my Family Eats assets is to inspire readers on a journey of “reconnecting with the food we eat and the family we love.” 

If you strive to experience the benefits of home-cooked meals enjoyed together with your family, but don’t know how to overcome the overwhelm when it comes to dinnertime, let me show you how you can quickly and effectively ‘reconnect with the food you eat and the family you love.’ 

Please consider supporting my writing in 2024 and sign up for a yearly paid subscription for only $30.

The post To the Family Eats Community appeared first on Family Eats.