July 30, 2007
5 Minutes for Books - Part 2 - The Great American Supper Swap
This is the second review of two in 5 Minutes for Books this week. For the first, click here.
This review is authored by regular contributor Jennifer Donovan, book lover and mother of two of book lovers, who blogs at Snapshot.
The Great American Supper Swap
The Great American Supper Swap by Trish Berg sets out to “solve the busy woman’s family dinnertime dilemma.” We all face different challenges in getting dinner on the table, be it a dislike of cooking, being away from home during the dinner-making hour, little ones underfoot or some combination of these factors.
There are many statistics about why eating dinner as a family is critical. Ms. Berg devotes two chapters to what has happened to the family mealtime of late and why it is important to make it a priority. Since it is difficult to get a good dinner on the table night after night, but the act of eating together as a family is something that most of us value, swapping suppers is one way to accomplish this goal. Ms. Berg explains the hows as well as the whys quite thoroughly in other chapters:
- The Great Adventure: How Supper Swapping Works
- From Frazzled to Dazzled: My Supper-Swapping Story
- How to Start Your Own Supper-Swapping Group
- How Supper-Swapping Saves You Money
- What Dads and Kids Say about Supper-Swapping
The final chapters include a general Q&A and proven family-pleasing recipes. Many of these are suitable to make ahead or freeze. Even if you are unsure about the process of supper-swapping, the encouragement about the importance of making an effort to serve your family a home-cooked meal, along with the recipes, is valuable.
The book also has fun sidebars throughout which give a Potluck Activity intended to be used as an icebreaker at your meal-planning session, but it could also be used at any get together. One I liked was the Mommy Must-Do where moms write one must-do chore that they like and one that they dislike and then put it in a bowl. The other moms draw a slip of paper from the bowl and guess who wrote it and if it’s a like or dislike.
If you’d like to find out more about supper swapping, you can ask her a question this week by clicking over to my blog. Trish Berg will be reading and answering your questions about supper swapping in the comments on that post. She also has a website. She will be making her first national television appearance on The Harvest Show on August 7. Click the link to check for affiliates (including DirectTV and other regional channels).
The author has donated a copy of this book that can ship to U.S. or Canada. If you would like to win, please leave a comment by Friday. For a bonus second entry, please click over to leave a question on my post as well. She will be checking back throughout the week and answering questions within the comment section.
We already announced the winner of Here for You: Creating a Mother-Daughter Bond that Lasts a Lifetime here in conjunction with the Dog Days of Summer giveaway. If you’d like to buy it, you can click through the link.
The winner of Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten is ChupieandJsMama
and Let’s Get Ready for First Grade is Tanyetta. If you did not win, but would like to support this mom-owned business, please click on over.
Filed under * Feature Columns, 5 Minutes for Books, Contests, Family, Recipes by Jennifer
Thank you soooooooooo much for sharing this post! (ps. Kirtsy and StumbleUpon are our favorites)
45 Comments on 5 Minutes for Books - Part 2 - The Great American Supper Swap »
#1 - Angela @ 1:16 am
This sounds like an interesting book. I’d love to have a copy in my kitchen library.
#2 - melody is slurping life @ 2:27 am
Please include me. thank you.
#3 - Robin @ 2:29 am
I’ve been intrigued with this idea. I’d love to check out the book. Thanks for the review.
#4 - Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry @ 3:06 am
Oh, I’d love to read this book. Thanks for the review and another great giveaway!
#5 - Beth/Mom2TwoVikings @ 7:04 am
I’d be interested in checking this out!
#6 - Krista Wolf @ 7:32 am
Sure does sound like a great book. My friends and I have talked about doing this, but never knew how to organize it.
#7 - Jennifer @ 7:48 am
This idea has interested me for a while…I would love to read more about it! Looks like a great book.
#8 - Billie @ 8:19 am
Count me in, sounds like great fun! Billie
#9 - Carey @ 8:30 am
Count me in.
#10 - stephanie @ 8:55 am
This sounds great!
#11 - Laura @ 8:59 am
Sounds interesting Jennifer!
#12 - Heather @ 9:03 am
I love this idea! My girlfriends & I have been trying to figure out how to do something like this.
#13 - Heather (Heather's reality show) @ 9:11 am
Great review Jennifer. I hope I win it!
#14 - jenna @ 10:21 am
Supper swapping saves so much time & energy. I would love to learn how to do it better.
#15 - Michelle @ 10:38 am
I have always wanted to try doing some type of meal exchange with other families, but I really haven’t known how to go about it, especially to find recipes that most people will eat. I would love a chance to read this book and learn more about it.
#16 - Jill H. @ 10:58 am
Interesting idea…I’ll have to add this to my Amazon List…
#17 - MommaBlogger @ 11:33 am
That looks very interesting. I would like to check this book out.
#18 - Caryn @ 12:23 pm
Sounds like a great book!
#19 - Sherry Early @ 12:59 pm
I want to do this through our homeschool co-op. Please include me, Jennifer.
#20 - Myrna @ 1:18 pm
Count me in
#21 - Megan @ 2:19 pm
Enter me too!
#22 - Sandi @ 3:06 pm
I would love this book!
#23 - Cole's Mama @ 4:00 pm
This sounds like a great book!
#24 - Naomi @ 4:39 pm
I am curious to learn more about this.
#25 - Michele @ 4:48 pm
Please enter me!
#26 - Amy @ 5:25 pm
I’d like to learn more about a Supper Swap. Anything to make my busy life easier! Thanks.
#27 - Tessa @ 5:52 pm
this sounds fun. I wonder how many of my friends would do it. count me in,.
#28 - Ruth :) @ 6:16 pm
This would be a GREAT addition to our library and fun thing to try with the Mommy Group I belong to!!!!
#29 - Stephanie @ 6:51 pm
Sounds like a great idea! I can’t wait to learn more.
#30 - Becky B @ 9:21 pm
Sounds like a great one!!! I’d love to be included - I have you linked on my blog!!!!
#31 - Dawn @ 10:19 am
This sounds like a great book.
#32 - Trish Berg @ 10:43 am
So great to hear from so many of you busy moms out there! I just want to encourage you to give supper swapping a try.
You don’t need a gaggle of girls, you can simply start with 1 grilfriend or neighbor if that’s all you have. You cook one meal times 2-2 days, she does the same, and you have already cut your cooking in half!
If you can get 2 other friends to swap, you can cut your cooking by 80%!
I have never spent more than 1-2 hours on meal prep and another 30 min on meal delivery. All in all, a sound investment of time!
I have been a supper swap mom for over 5 years now, and some girlfriends have come and gone from my group. You have to be flexible about that. But there is always a friend willing to swap.
One of the most amazing things supper swapping does that suprised me most was add deeper friendships to my life. You talk more, relate more, and feel closer to your girlfriends when you swap meals.
When you put a jigsaw puzzle together, you start by snapping in the outer edges. That’s what supper swapping does for your friendships. Snaps friendship into your life and makes it simple!
And as busy moms, we all need more friends!
Just had to share - and encourage you all-
If you have any other questions at all, you can come over to the other blog where I am answering questions all week, or contact me via my website and send them to me directly. I’d be happy to answer them for you and help you get started swapping!
Blessings - Trish Berg, Author, The Great American Supper Swap
#33 - Jenn in AZ @ 10:55 am
This sounds great. It would work well with our smaller homeschool group. Thanks! Put me in!
#34 - Stephanie @ 6:30 pm
Sounds like an interesting concept. Please enter me in the drawing! Thanks.
#35 - Bev @ 1:13 am
I would like to win!
#36 - Jodi @ 10:17 am
I would love to win!!!
#37 - Sarajeen @ 11:34 am
Please enter me into your contest. I love reading and cooking, so I’m sure I’d love this book.
#38 - Kristi in Texas @ 2:15 pm
Would love a copy. Great idea to write about! Count me in!
#39 - Janne @ 6:32 pm
Sounds great! Count me in.
#40 - Stacey @ 10:08 am
What a neat idea!
#41 - Dawn @ 1:25 pm
I would love to be involved in this. What a great idea it all is!
#42 - Briggie, Woodbury, NJ @ 3:24 pm
sounds like a winner.. count me in.
#43 - Kim @ 7:34 pm
I need this book.. thanks..
#44 - InsaneMom2Four @ 3:22 pm
This book sounds awesome!! As a working mommy with four little ones, supper is the biggest mess in our home.
#45 - Christine Steendahl @ 9:35 pm
I would love to have this! I do menu planning as a business, but I would love to learn more about this!