The Family Dinner Project Podcast

In the first weeks of the New Year, how can you leverage family time to help you beat the post-holiday blues and stay connected to each other, without retreating to individual screens? We're talking with special guest Betsy Bozdech, Editorial Director of Common Sense Media, about celebrating a tech-smart New Year with family film recommendations, cautions about AI, and guidelines parents need to know. Make sure to listen for our 2026 Dinner and a Movie ideas, age-by-age breakdowns, and the latest research to help you stay one step ahead of the algorithms this year.Key Takeaways:Go to 2:58 for Dr. Anne Fishel's guidance for families on setting strong tech boundariesGo to 10:40 for Betsy's favorite family film recommendationsGo to 13:29 for a conversation about choosing the first media experience for young childrenGo to 16:48 for ideas on making your family viewing experience more interactiveGo to 24:45 for a discussion about the rise of AI and what parents need to knowGo to 32:00 for food, fun, and conversation inspiration you can use at your table tonightRelated Links:Common Sense Media's Best Movies of 2025Common Sense Selection TitlesFirst Movies for Kids: Common Sense RecommendationsNintendo Switch Games for Family FunCommon Sense's Guide to Teaching Kids Good Screen Time HabitsThe Family Dinner Project's Technology at the Table GuideThe Family Dinner Project + Common Sense Media Dinner and a Movie Experiences

As the holiday season ramps up, there’s more and more online chatter about switching up celebrations this year. Many families are turning to the idea of a simpler, less commercial celebration. In this final episode of Season 2, Bri and Annie talk about why a more handmade holiday may appeal to different families, and share lots of ideas for ways to lean into a low-shop season. They also discuss how to get family members on board, and suggest new traditions families can try to keep a festive spirit without consumer clutter.Key Takeaways:Go to 2:35 for Annie’s thoughts on why this shift may feel particularly appealing this yearGo to 7:18 for some of the most popular homemade gift ideas Bri and Annie have turned to over the yearsGo to 11:14 for a discussion about how to get reluctant family members on boardGo to 16:45 for some “gifts of experiences” ideasGo to 21:03 for new traditions and activities that can help take the focus off fewer giftsGo to 27:04 for food, fun, and conversation ideas to make the holiday season extra specialRelated Links:Podcast Episode 1: Home for the Holidays?Podcast Episode 7: Holiday PoliticsHomemade GiftsThe Family Dinner Project’s Holidays HubAnnie’s husband’s Latke recipeDinner and a Movie: Family Holiday Movies31 Days of Family Fun CalendarFamily Memory Bingo

On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, we invite Leslie Kimball of Responsibility.org to talk with us about the research demonstrating that family dinners can help prevent substance use, and how she and her team recommend parents and kids communicate about risk behaviors.Bri, Annie, and Leslie delve into the findings suggesting that a routine of connected, welcoming family meals is one tool parents have to keep kids from engaging in substance use and other risky behaviors. They share strategies to help parents manage and discuss their own alcohol use, engage with other parents around keeping kids safe, and most importantly, create the kind of positive and pleasant family dinner environments that promote open communication. Packed with tips, reassurance, and ideas for food, fun, and conversation, this episode is a must-listen for any parent who wants to help safeguard their children from substance use.Key Takeaways:Go to 3:00 for Dr. Anne Fishel's summary of the key research into substance use prevention and family mealsGo to 9:10 for Leslie's thoughts on how to talk about and model responsible consumptionGo to 16:35 for tips on making the dinner table a welcoming space for conversationGo to 20:05 for tips from Responsibility.org on opening up a discussion about alcohol useGo to 31:26 for hands-on food, fun, and conversation ideas you can use at your dinner tableRelated Links:Responsibility.org and Ask, Listen, LearnWhat to Know About Family Meals and Substance Use with Dr. Timothy WilensEpisode 6:Table TraumaEpisode 2: Is it the Family, Or the Dinner?Guess the EmotionRaggedy Ann Salad, Origami Dumplings, and Homemade PizzaAbout Leslie Kimball and Responsibility.org:Leslie Kimball is the executive director of Responsibility.org, and prior to becoming executive director, Leslie worked on the organization's programming and communications campaigns, including the Ask, Listen, Learn, and Parenting influencer programs. Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate underage drinking, eliminate drunk driving, and work with others to end all impaired driving and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. As part of their mission to eliminate underage drinking, responsibility.org developed a free science and evidence-based digital prevention program for kids nine to 13, their parents and educators: Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix. The program, created in 2003, helps adults start conversations with kids about alcohol and the developing brain to prevent underage drinking, and is the most widely distributed program of its kind. 

Grocery prices are a hot topic these days. With prices on some items, like beef, at an all-time high, it's becoming more challenging to afford family meals. On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Bri and Annie invite their colleague, Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, to share her perspective as a pediatrician and the Senior Health and Research Advisor at the Greater Boston Food Bank. Together, they discuss the food bank's research into the scale and implications of rising food insecurity; how families can access help as needed; what more could be done to help bridge the gap for struggling families; and how all of us can try to save more money at the store right now. Key Takeaways:Go to 7:22 for a discussion about the nutritional impacts of food insecurity on familiesGo to 10:14 to learn what the Greater Boston Food Bank has found about the community and civic impacts of food insecurityGo to 16:50 for ideas about how to save money on groceriesGo to 32:20 for food, fun, and conversation you can take back to your dinner tableRelated Links:Podcast Episode 6: Table TraumaPodcast Episode 4: Picky or Problematic?How to Get the Most out of a Roast ChickenDinner Tonight: Budget FriendlyThe Price Is...? GameEasy Pesto RecipeThe Greater Boston Food BankFeeding AmericaClick 'n' Cook

It's Back to School season, and we're talking about how to get back into the swing of family dinners during the busy nights ahead! In this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Bri and Annie tackle back to school family dinners: How to plan them, what to eat, and how to manage everyone's big feelings with smart conversation ideas. Plus, Annie gives advice on easing back into the routine, and challenges Bri to a "lightning round" with questions about different ages and stages. What to do when a teenager suddenly decides they're a vegetarian this school year? How to deal with a preschooler who suddenly won't eat their favorite foods? And how to manage the tough transition when one kid heads off to college and leaves an empty seat -- and a sibling -- behind?Key Takeaways:Go to 5:25 for Bri's tips on coming up with ideas for easy mealsGo to 14:53 for Annie's thoughts on transitioning into the school year with conversation and a ramp-up to routineGo to 20:11 for the "lightning round" -- Bri's answers to questions about teens experimenting with vegetarian diets, preschoolers who refuse their favorite foods, and the first family dinners after sending a child to collegeRelated Links:Back to School hub100 Alternatives to "How Was Your Day?"20 No-Fail Dinner IdeasPantry Stock-Up SheetsThe Meal Sorting PlannerWhat's Your Meal Planning Personality? QuizRankings Game

This mini-episode is a special edition! We're answering a tough question submitted to us by a Family Dinner Project follower on Instagram:“I have a partner who feels dinnertime is time to eat and not talk. I do my best to see his perspective. Our littles have trauma related to foster care, so they tend to talk so much that it takes them over an hour to eat. One has sensory processing and has been through feeding therapy. She has a limited diet to begin with, and we want to maximize her intake. Both have ADHD. Any suggestions?”Key Takeaways:Go to 2:43 for the beginning of a discussion on how to untangle family dinner dynamics from nutritional intakeGo to 6:58 for a conversation about handling sensory processing challenges at dinnertimeGo to 10:28 for strategies to help with time management without adding pressure to the tableGo to 12:30 for a discussion of the relationship dynamics involved in this question, and how to handle the difference of opinion between the two parenting partnersRelated Episodes and Links:Episode 6: Table TraumaEpisode 4: Picky or Problematic?Episode 9: Just the Two of UsThe Welcoming Table Resources