Winning Solutions for Family Mealtime

Fourth of July is the perfect excuse to gather the family around the picnic table! To celebrate America's independence, here is a craft, activity and simple snack perfect for outside entertainment:

Red, White and Blue Bracelet. This no mess, no fuss craft is easy to do at the picnic table and is the perfect takeaway for all ages! All you have to do is gather some red, white, and blue pipe cleaners and braid them into patriotic friendship bracelets.

Photo Scavenger Hunt.Before the family picnic, make a list of things everyone has to find across the camp ground, back yard or park (or wherever your celebration is this year). Have everyone bring their digital camera and break up into teams - the first back with everything on the list wins! Make the prize patriotic, such as a flag or a jar of red, white and blue jelly beans. Losing teams should have to do cleanup, like author of Total Mom Makeover, Hannah Keeley, suggests.

Simple Snacks. While your main courses will probably be staples such as barbeque and Summery Slaws, adding some canned fruit to the mix will make your life a little easier. Bring Libby' s Jumbo Fruit Cups and let the kids have at it!

Originally founded to commemorate Civil War soldiers, Memorial Day started in 1868 on the last Monday in May and became an official Federal holiday in 1971. While the history behind this day is not lost, many Americans view this holiday as the start of summer and celebrate with family barbeques, picnics and parades! Here are some ideas on how you can celebrate Memorial Day:

Attend a parade or fair. Check your local newspapers, blogs and websites for fun community activities your family might enjoy. Many cities and suburbs host parades, craft and food fairs.

Make healthy Memorial Day themed food. Food at family gatherings is not always healthy! Instead of brownies for dessert, why not make a Memorial Day fruit sundae? All you need to do is layer blueberries, Libby's canned pears and low fat strawberry ice cream in a cup, then drizzle with granola. This red, white and blue treat is sure to please!

Get crafty. To prepare for the holiday on Monday, gather the family around the kitchen table on Sunday to make craft decorations. Use the website Free Kid Crafts to find lists of fun things you can make, such as 3-D stars and 'Uncle Sam' hats!

Do you want to give back to your community, but aren’t really sure of the best way to do it? Here are a few ideas for how you and your family can give back, ranging from the quick ‘n’ easy to long-term commitments.

Food drives
Around every major holiday, charities and other organizations such as Feeding America reach out to their local communities seeking food donations to help the less fortunate. You and your family can help by donating, collecting, and distributing canned food. Contributing to local charities is a great way to have a direct impact on your community.

Volunteer work
Do you have free time and a passion for helping the homeless or providing quality daycare for those in need? Consider donating your time and try your hand at volunteering. Not only is it an excellent way to give back, but you can see first-hand how your actions can benefit those in need. Your children’s school board or local PTA to help ensure your local schools are heading in the best direction or pitch in at the local homeless shelter.

Donating money
If your family is fortunate enough to have disposable income to donate to the needy, consider identifying a charity that speaks directly to your family. Is there a health issue that has impacted your family? Are you passionate about feeding the hungry? Do you have relatives or close friends in disaster recovery locations such as Chile or Haiti? There are plenty of local and national organizations that need donations to help the needy and keep their operations afloat.

Raising money
Lastly, if you’re athletic or simply enjoy being outdoors, consider participating in a marathon or walk to benefit a cause and raise money in the process. These outdoor charity events require a minimum donation to participate. You can donate it yourself or raise money for the donation by asking your friends and family to contribute. You can either join a team or participate alone.

There’s always a way to help those in need and hopefully our tips can help you find the way that suits you best!

Planning dinner time meals shouldn’t be stressful. To help you make dinnertime fun, quick and easy this week, here are 7 recipes from Libby’s exclusive 10-10-10 collection (10 dollars, 10 minutes, 10 ingredients or less) that the whole family will enjoy:

Sunday: Get rid of some leftover chicken from last night’s dinner in this Colorful Chopped Salad

Monday: The sausage and chickpeas in this Italian Sausage, Green Bean and Garbanzo Soup makes it satisfying and filling

Tuesday: Put your broiler to use! Frittata with Peas and Potatoes is a delicious, simple recipe that reheats wonderfully the next day

Wednesday: Southwestern Hash in a Hurry only has five ingredients, but it’s exploding with taste

Thursday: This classic Hamburger Stroganoff will please the whole family

Friday: Whew - the week is over. Celebrate with a Teriyaki Stir-Fry Bowl

Saturday: Get out the chips and salsa! Tonight you’re making Mexican Tortilla Soup.

For tips on how to plan your week in advance, check out Hannah Keeley’s easy downloadable guide HERE. Just fill it out, make your shopping a breeze and you’re ready for the week!

It’s a new year! If you’re in the camp of making New Year’s resolutions, good for you. Popular resolutions often include eating healthy, saving money and getting fit, but how about spending more time with your family? Work, school, clubs and keeping up with friends are all necessary parts of life, but family should come first.

Since resolutions are more likely to stick when you have a plan, Hannah Keeley, Total Mom author and host of the public television series HANNAH HELP ME!, put together some goals and tips to help you spend more time with your family:

Resolution: Always Enjoy Dinner Together

Did you know that kids who eat dinner with their families are less likely to misbehave? They are more likely to get good grades, eat healthy foods and be emotionally secure. Make a resolution to eat dinner as a family a few times a week. And don’t stress about putting a gourmet meal on the table – choose quick, easy and affordable recipes like these made with Libby’s Vegetables:

• Turkey Tetrazzini with Green Beans and Mushrooms: Egg noodles never tasted this good.
• Paella Salad: Chicken, rice and veggies are a delicious mix in this special salad.
• Kicked-up Mac & Cheese: This will easily become a family favorite.
• Visit the CANvenient Recipes Database for other great ideas!

Resolution: Have Family Night Once a Week

Sports, after-school clubs, play dates and sleepovers make it hard to find time to spend with your kids. Dedicate a certain night of the week to all things family. Cook dinner together, eat together, and then do a fun activity. Here are some suggestions my family loves to do:

• Write and produce a play: Create a stage on the kitchen table and use stuffed animals as the actors. Record it!
• Create an obstacle course: Couches, cushions tables and chairs all serve a dual purpose!
• Make a scrapbook together: Gather pictures from a birthday, holiday or special event everyone in the family attended. Assign a group of photos to each person and scrap away! Bind together everyone’s pages and you have a special family keepsake everyone helped create.

Resolution: Trade-in Lazy Habits for Healthy Habits

Family members can feel ignored if someone else is spending too much time watching TV, playing video games or surfing the web. Resolve to spend less time with electronics and more time with family.

• Swap internet surfing for book reading: When you catch your kids goofing around online, turn off the monitor, pluck their favorite book off the shelf, make some cocoa and read out loud.
• Swap video games for sports: Instead of playing soccer or football on the screen, grab the balls from the garage and take your kids outside for some fresh air!
• Swap TV for board games: Everyone’s entitled to their favorite shows, but more often than not the TV gets turned on out of boredom. Instead of reaching for the remote, dust off the pile of board games. You can even create your own!

If you’re feeling the heat at the checkout counter, you’re not alone. The rising costs of everyday staples have moms wondering how they can afford to leave the supermarket each week with enough food to feed their families well. Total Mom author and host of the new PBS series HANNAH HELP ME!, Hannah Keeley, and Libby’s have teamed up to help you stretch your grocery dollar.

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Hannah Keeley’s Family Mealtime Strategies

Total Mom, Hannah Keeley, takes a break and gets frank about the tips, tricks and tales related to gathering the family around the dinner table each night.

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Seven Day Family Dinner Planner

Plan a week's worth of family meals in three easy steps.

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Five Timesaving Tips from the Expert

Ever wish you had an extra hour in your day to put a satisfying meal on the table, wash those pesky pots or even play board games? Well, it’s no longer a dream! With these timesaving, Hannah-tested tips you can find the extra time that you need to plow through dinner preparation and clean up, leaving more time for fun with the family!

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Hannah Keeley is a mother of seven, the host of public television series Hannah Help Me! and author of “Hannah Keeley’s Total Mom Makeover: The Six-Week Plan to Completely Transform Your Home, Health, Family, and Life.”