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5 Minutes for Books – Part 2 – The Great American Supper Swap

July 30, 2007 by Jennifer Donovan

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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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.

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5 Minutes for Books – Part 1 – Fifteen Candles

About Jennifer Donovan

Jennifer Donovan has been a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom team since 2007. She writes product reviews, covers events, and manages the 5 Minutes for Books weekly column and website. She lives in Houston and blogs at Snapshot about life with her family.

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46 Comments

  1. Christine Steendahl says

    August 4, 2007 at 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!

    Reply
  2. InsaneMom2Four says

    August 4, 2007 at 3:22 pm

    This book sounds awesome!! As a working mommy with four little ones, supper is the biggest mess in our home. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Kim says

    August 3, 2007 at 7:34 pm

    I need this book.. thanks..

    Reply
  4. Briggie, Woodbury, NJ says

    August 3, 2007 at 3:24 pm

    sounds like a winner.. count me in.

    Reply
  5. Dawn says

    August 3, 2007 at 1:25 pm

    I would love to be involved in this. What a great idea it all is!

    Reply
  6. Stacey says

    August 3, 2007 at 10:08 am

    What a neat idea!

    Reply
  7. Janne says

    August 1, 2007 at 6:32 pm

    Sounds great! Count me in.

    Reply
  8. Kristi in Texas says

    August 1, 2007 at 2:15 pm

    Would love a copy. Great idea to write about! Count me in!

    Reply
  9. Sarajeen says

    August 1, 2007 at 11:34 am

    Please enter me into your contest. I love reading and cooking, so I’m sure I’d love this book.

    Reply
  10. Jodi says

    August 1, 2007 at 10:17 am

    I would love to win!!!

    Reply
  11. Bev says

    August 1, 2007 at 1:13 am

    I would like to win!

    Reply
  12. Stephanie says

    July 31, 2007 at 6:30 pm

    Sounds like an interesting concept. Please enter me in the drawing! Thanks.

    Reply
  13. Jenn in AZ says

    July 31, 2007 at 10:55 am

    This sounds great. It would work well with our smaller homeschool group. Thanks! Put me in!

    Reply
  14. Trish Berg says

    July 31, 2007 at 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

    Reply
  15. Dawn says

    July 31, 2007 at 10:19 am

    This sounds like a great book.

    Reply
  16. Becky B says

    July 30, 2007 at 9:21 pm

    Sounds like a great one!!! I’d love to be included – I have you linked on my blog!!!!

    Reply
  17. Stephanie says

    July 30, 2007 at 6:51 pm

    Sounds like a great idea! I can’t wait to learn more.

    Reply
  18. Ruth :) says

    July 30, 2007 at 6:16 pm

    This would be a GREAT addition to our library and fun thing to try with the Mommy Group I belong to!!!!

    Reply
  19. Tessa says

    July 30, 2007 at 5:52 pm

    this sounds fun. I wonder how many of my friends would do it. count me in,.

    Reply
  20. Amy says

    July 30, 2007 at 5:25 pm

    I’d like to learn more about a Supper Swap. Anything to make my busy life easier! Thanks.

    Reply
  21. Michele says

    July 30, 2007 at 4:48 pm

    Please enter me!

    Reply
  22. Naomi says

    July 30, 2007 at 4:39 pm

    I am curious to learn more about this.

    Reply
  23. Cole's Mama says

    July 30, 2007 at 4:00 pm

    This sounds like a great book!

    Reply
  24. Sandi says

    July 30, 2007 at 3:06 pm

    I would love this book!

    Reply
  25. Megan says

    July 30, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    Enter me too!

    Reply
  26. Myrna says

    July 30, 2007 at 1:18 pm

    Count me in

    Reply
  27. Sherry Early says

    July 30, 2007 at 12:59 pm

    I want to do this through our homeschool co-op. Please include me, Jennifer.

    Reply
  28. Caryn says

    July 30, 2007 at 12:23 pm

    Sounds like a great book!

    Reply
  29. MommaBlogger says

    July 30, 2007 at 11:33 am

    That looks very interesting. I would like to check this book out.

    Reply
  30. Jill H. says

    July 30, 2007 at 10:58 am

    Interesting idea…I’ll have to add this to my Amazon List…

    Reply
  31. Michelle says

    July 30, 2007 at 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.

    Reply
  32. jenna says

    July 30, 2007 at 10:21 am

    Supper swapping saves so much time & energy. I would love to learn how to do it better.

    Reply
  33. Heather (Heather's reality show) says

    July 30, 2007 at 9:11 am

    Great review Jennifer. I hope I win it!

    Reply
  34. Heather says

    July 30, 2007 at 9:03 am

    I love this idea! My girlfriends & I have been trying to figure out how to do something like this.

    Reply
  35. Laura says

    July 30, 2007 at 8:59 am

    Sounds interesting Jennifer!

    Reply
  36. stephanie says

    July 30, 2007 at 8:55 am

    This sounds great!

    Reply
  37. Carey says

    July 30, 2007 at 8:30 am

    Count me in.

    Reply
  38. Billie says

    July 30, 2007 at 8:19 am

    Count me in, sounds like great fun! Billie

    Reply
  39. Jennifer says

    July 30, 2007 at 7:48 am

    This idea has interested me for a while…I would love to read more about it! Looks like a great book.

    Reply
  40. Krista Wolf says

    July 30, 2007 at 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.

    Reply
  41. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings says

    July 30, 2007 at 7:04 am

    I’d be interested in checking this out!

    Reply
  42. Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry says

    July 30, 2007 at 3:06 am

    Oh, I’d love to read this book. Thanks for the review and another great giveaway!

    Reply
  43. Robin says

    July 30, 2007 at 2:29 am

    I’ve been intrigued with this idea. I’d love to check out the book. Thanks for the review.

    Reply
  44. melody is slurping life says

    July 30, 2007 at 2:27 am

    Please include me. thank you.

    Reply
  45. Angela says

    July 30, 2007 at 1:16 am

    This sounds like an interesting book. I’d love to have a copy in my kitchen library.

    Reply

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