Bringing #SundaySupper to All

When I first came across the #sundaysupper movement I was immediately intrigued. It was so lovely to find a group of people who still believed in the power of a family sitting down for dinner and sharing a meal. No TV, no video games, no texting in the middle of the main course. Supper is a time to regroup and focus on the family.

Yeah, a lot of my friends think I am old fashioned. We are fairly conservative. We go to church together on Sundays, we have family "date night", I homeschool my kids. We spend a lot of time together as a family but to me there is something special about the time spent in the kitchen. My kids love to cook with me and with them being so young sometimes it is more of a headache than a help but I love knowing I am building in them a fondness of food and the care to make meals by hand that seems all but extinct in many households these days. We take pride in our creations and without even knowing it my children are building a bond of trust and admiration that will last through out their lives.

Our topic this week was to discuss what #sundaysupper means to me. It encompasses so many things but I truly believe that this small daily act of sharing a meal with your family will grow our children into more competent, respectful, and socially aware adults. We have a long lasting tradition in our home that at least once a week we will make double the recipe we need for our family and freeze the extra half to give to a family in our community in need. I don't necessarily mean an impoverished family (although many times the families we help have fallen on hard times) but bringing help to a family of new parents, single parents, new neighbors, and other families who may find it temporarily difficult to have the time to cook a meal themselves. It is sad today how many people will go out of their way to donate to reputable charities that send aid to other countries when they couldn't even tell you the first names of their next door neighbors. 50 years ago these were the people you depended on in an emergency, the women you swapped recipes with, the men who helped you carry in your groceries when you had 3 small kids in tow, the children who would come play in your yard and drink your lemonade. I know, again, many say I live in a dream world, but why should it be? How easy is it to reach out and help your neighbors in need? You never know who or what is going on behind closed doors and perhaps that is what people are so afraid of (too much Desperate housewives on tv! haha) but the simple act of saying hello or bringing someone some extra bread you made can make a world of difference in someone's life. Food speaks to everyone, it is a universal language because it is something we all need to survive. Another is companionship.

I have found a great resource for freezer meals is over at Once a Month Mom. Now you don't have to make EVERY recipe she has for the month if you don't want to but she has a great template to know how much extra to make for an extra family. You could even quadruple the recipe and give the same dish to a few different neighbors. It comes with the recipe, shopping lists, and labels with directions for heating up from frozen! I love seeing my neighbors who are now my friends faces light up when they see us coming with some goodies for them! And the joy it brings my children to give someone something they made that they know with bring them happiness is a priceless reward for my heart. I encourage you all to look around to those closest to you and bring a hand delivered meal to them with a message of friendship and watch the love in your community blossom!

The #sundaysupper initiative has been gaining a lot of national attention in recent months (yay!) and we are blessed to have many brand name companies wanting to join in and promote our cause. This week, Merrill has extended a wonderful opportunity for our readers to enter for the chance to win a new pair of shoes! Head over to some of my foodie friend's blogs for your shot a winning one of 10 pairs of brand new shoes! Then you can put them on and go meet your neighbors! :)

Merrell has chosen these 10 amazing bloggers to host a giveaway on their site.  Make sure you stop by for a chance to win some great Merrell Products.  From city streets to mountain trails and everywhere in between, we are impressed by Merrell’s passion!

• Blueberry Muffins by Magnolia Days 
•  ‎Korean Ribs – Alaska Camping Edition with MrsMamaHen
•  Fresh Corn on the Cob by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Hearts of Palm Salad with Avocado by Basic n Delicious
• Shallot BBQ Shredded Beef by Juanita’s Cocina 
•  Taking #SundaySupper Outdoors With a Fun Picnic…Featuring Spicy Pinto and Black Bean Salad with Roasted Corn and Avocado by The Weekend Gourmet 
• On Top of Our Game with Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars by The Watering Mouth 
•  Chicken & Dumplings Around the Campfire by Daily Dish Recipes 
•  Wine & Food Festivals; a lifestyle the whole family can enjoy! by Wine Everyday
• Outdoor Grilling Filipino Rice Cakes in Coconut & Banana Leaves by The Queen’s Notebook

The inspiration and recipes don’t stop there, we have more reasons to celebrate wine, food, friends and #SundaySupper and you don’t want to miss these great posts and recipes:

• Embracing Old Family Traditions while Creatiing New Ones ~ Enchiladas de Chile y Ajo by Girlichef 
• The Embassy´s Nut Crescents by Vintage Kitchen Notes
•  Chicken Curry Pie by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Prosecco Sangria by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Grilled Campfire Steak with Bleu Cheese Sauce by The Messy Baker 
• Bringing #SundaySupper to All by Doggie at the Dinner Table 
• Honey Mustard Baked Beans by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• S’mores Brownies: Desserts Make #SundaySupper by Mama Mommy Mom 
• Tandoori Salmon Rolled in Whole Wheat Couscous by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz 
• Whole Wheat Macaroni with Spinach Pecan Pesto-Enjoying  by Soni’s Food for Thought 
• Southwestern Chicken Wraps Fam Friends Food 
• Ahi Tuna Salad Family Style Family Foodie
• Wines For The Foods That Move You ENOFYLZ

Let’s celebrate wine, food, friends and #SundaySupper.  The fun starts every week at 3:00pm ET by showcasing fabulous recipes. At 7:00 pm ET, we will start our live chat.  Join us on twitter by using hashtag #Sundaysupper or using Tweetchat.  We love to feature your recipes on our #sundaysupper pinterest board and share them with all of our followers.
You might want to say hello to our friends at Merrell too: www.merrell.com
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