As summer approaches and we’re faced with another season of determining what's for dinner, we're sharing a glimpse at how BHG readers gather for a meal. Welcome to our new series, Dinner Diaries, where we're asking readers to anonymously share how they get dinner on the table including grocery shopping, budgeting, cooking, and their favorite family recipes. Here, a family of three in Georgia works together to get dinner on the table. Read on to see how they shop, prep, and cook to get dinner, and weekend breakfasts, on the table.
- Occupation: Not employed
- Location: Sautee Nacoochee, GA
- Age: 60
- Cooking for: 3
Q: How often do you go grocery shopping?
Weekly.
Q: What's your average weekly grocery budget?
$100 to $150.
Q: Do you make a grocery list?
Yes.
Q: What grocery stores do you shop at most frequently?
Aldi and Walmart.
Q: Who is going to cook dinner?
I do most of the dinner prep and cooking. If we are grilling, my husband is the grill master, and my granddaughter often bakes with me.
ILLUSTRATION: GRACE CANAAN
Q: What are things you always have in your fridge or pantry?
We always have coffee, tea, eggs, milk, flour, rice, pasta, cheeses, potatoes, and canned tomatoes.
Q: How do you share the labor of cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping?
I do most of the dinner cooking. Everyone makes their own breakfast and lunch during the week. Weekend meals are a mixture of shared cooking, going out to eat, and potlucks with family and friends. Clean up is shared. I do most of the grocery shopping.
ILLUSTRATION: GRACE CANAAN
Q: What are your go-to meals or family-favorite recipes?
Fresh produce when our garden is producing, pasta dishes, meat and veggie dinners, and huge breakfasts with homemade biscuits on the weekends.
Q: Do you cook daily or do you meal prep for the week?
We cook daily. We all have varied tastes and likes and just don’t do well with meal planning.
Q: What was the last meal you cooked at home?
Pan-grilled chicken breast with fried potatoes and onions and broccoli.
Q: Would you make it again?
Yes, we eat all these ingredients weekly.
Q: Do you often have dessert with dinner?
Not usually, however there are almost always homemade baked treats and other sweet items available.
We want to hear from you! Submit your dinner diary here for a chance to be featured.