I want to go to there
I started Meal Better for many reasons…
…mostly to help solve the ceaseless refrain of “what’s for dinner?” that plagues so many families - including my own - everyday at 5:00 pm. I also hoped to make dinner more easily prepared and shared by everyone in the home - something I hope I’ve helped readers do. Though there’s plenty more to do here, I’m not able to be as present here as I’d like, and releasing new recipes on a weekly basis isn’t possible (more on this below)— so I’m pivoting, as they like to say.
This month marks a year of Meal Better’s newsletter, though I’ve worked on it for far longer. As some of you know, Meal Better was born soon after my return to DC. I was freshly divorced, in a new (old) city, and living in a garden apartment with my beloved pup. At age 30ish, I was on my own for the first time, and lonely. I was working as a private chef, and my days were largely solitary - I interacted with my clients, but spent many hours cooking by myself. I hadn’t anticipated working with (and for) so few people; I’m a grassroots girlie at heart and wanted to reach a broader population. Plus, my meals mocked me - I made time consuming, beautiful food for couples and families, while I ate slapdash meals on my own at odd hours.
But, those quick and easy meals actually turned out to be the origins of Meal Better, since they’re what every fam needs: something delicious when you cannot possibly cook one more thing. To cure that loneliness, I enlisted my bestie from culinary school - the one and only Grace - and we embarked on a weeknight meal project. We had a blast: no one finds me funnier than Grace, and I am my funniest around her. This project provided a regularly scheduled dose of structure, company, and laughter during a dark time period in my life.
As I grew and dug roots in my new home, Meal Better changed, too. And, when covid happened, Meal Better changed again. And now, (re)marriage and motherhood have happened, and Meal Better will change yet again. Stay tuned for more candid content - on both food and family life - and more focus on hacks and tips. In keeping with the times, we’re going to focus more on video (though we still refuse to join Tik Tok) - get excited to see my talented hubs star in a #daddinners series :).
On the note of social media, along with many moms I’ve spoken to (more on this soon) I’m having a desire for more in-person connection and collaboration. We all know the quote: we’re more connected than ever, yet somehow more isolated. But, it’s true: I started cooking from home during the pandemic, than had two kids in short order, so continuing to cook from home made sense. But, I never expected to work from home - or alone - for so long, and I’m suddenly itching to get out of the house. I love my home dearly, and the refuge and flexibility it provided was a godsend during several wild years. But, now that we’re in a groove with childcare and the girls are sleeping through the night, I’m excited to explore new opportunities that involve seeing people besides my (beloved) kiddos.
I’ve loved writing the newsletter the past year - being on this weekly journey with you has brought me so much joy! But - just like I’m seeking more IRL community, I’m excited to announce our move to Substack, where new Meal Better content will be published and where there's a thriving food (and media!) community. We know many of you are already there, and we can't wait to see you in our new space - please join us!