Shows
The Family Dinner Project PodcastDinner by DoorDash?The NY Times reports dinner delivery is on the rise. On this episode, we're unpacking what's gained and what's lost with family dinner by DoorDash.Bri and Annie dive into a recent article, "Freedom with a Side of Guilt: How food delivery is reshaping mealtime," to examine how the opportunity to have dinner dropped at your door is changing the face of family meals. They talk about the economic, social, and scheduling effects -- both positive and negative -- of outsourcing meal preparation, what's behind this trend, and how to balance much-needed convenience with other values...
2026-02-2436 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastAnd a Tech-Smart New YearIn 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:...
2025-12-2236 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastHandmade HolidaysAs 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 fo...
2025-11-2533 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastHow Family Dinner Can Help Prevent Substance UseOn 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...
2025-10-0737 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastTightening the BeltGrocery 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...
2025-09-1738 min
Helping Families Be HappyHow Lunch Makes a Happier and More Successful FamilyHow Lunch Makes a Happier and More Successful Family
In this episode of "Helping Families Be Happy Podcast," Christopher Robbins welcomes Bri DeRosa to discuss the importance and benefits of family meals, not just during dinner but also lunch. They highlight research showing that sharing meals improves happiness and mental health across all ages. The conversation delves into the impact of shared meals on children, touching on topics like academic performance, reducing anxiety, and promoting early literacy skills. The episode also offers practical tips on simplifying lunch preparation and encouraging children to pack their own lunches to...
2025-09-1720 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastBack to School Family DinnersIt'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...
2025-07-3034 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastReal Family Dinner Projects Q&AThis 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?”Ke...
2025-06-0417 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastDoes Dinner Make Us Happier?A groundbreaking global study has just shown what we suspected all along: Eating together does make us happier! On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Annie and Bri sit down with one of the study's co-authors, Micah Kaats, to dive deep into what he and his team learned about happiness and shared meals.Key Takeaways:Go to 1:50 for Micah's overview of the key findingsGo to 9:54 for a discussion about the clear upward trend in young people eating aloneGo to 16:41 for a TFDP subscriber question about eating aloneGo to 22:13 for a breakdown of cultural...
2025-04-3037 min
Building KnowledgeEp. 63 - The Many Negatives of Good Cause EvictionThe Many Negatives of Good Cause Eviction” was the topic of this episode of “Building Knowledge.” Good Cause Eviction is a New York State law that affects the Landlord/Tenant Sector. The law went into effect on April 20th, 2024. The building and realty sectors in New York State are seriously concerned about the many negatives of the Good Cause Eviction Mandate. Two well-known representatives of the building and realty industry reviewed those concerns in this segment of “Building Knowledge” - Ann Korchak, the Board President of The Small Property Owners of New York (SPONY), and Lisa DeRosa, Chair of The Buildi...
2025-04-0825 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastJust the Two of UsWe tend to think of family dinners as being about the kids. But all families start with two people, and some families stay that way. What does the research tell us about the benefits of shared meals for adults? And how can couples use their dinners together as a way to strengthen their bond and connect with one another, no matter how many children are at the table, or what phase of life they're in?In this episode, Bri and Annie draw on Annie's decades of experience in family therapy, as well as...
2025-03-1440 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastIntentions MatterIt's a New Year, and we're not talking about resolutions. In this episode, Bri and Annie explore the idea of setting intentions for the family dinner table, to help families get the most out of their shared meals. They delve into the recent research on how families adapted their mealtimes during COVID, and how those experiences have shaped attitudes and ideas about eating together ever since. The research shows that what we most often set resolutions around -- nutrition and healthy eating habits -- actually isn't what matters most to us.What do families want out of...
2025-01-1033 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastHoliday PoliticsIn this episode, Bri and Annie talk about the consequences of the 2024 US Presidential Election on family Thanksgiving and holiday dinner plans. Whether families are planning to spend the day together and try not to talk about politics at all, or are finding themselves in the midst of rupture and canceled plans, there are feelings to sort through and ways to make the day easier for everyone.Bri and Annie discuss the potential grief of family estrangement; how to keep things polite and positive if there are guests at the table who don't share political views...
2024-11-1437 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastTable TraumaWe talk a lot about the positive aspects of family meals, but in reality, eating dinner together isn't always the safe, warm experience we want it to be. For many people, trauma is an unwelcome guest at the table. To find out why that might be, and how to make dinner feel safer, Bri and Annie talk with therapist, author, and trauma expert Dr. Marti Straus.Marti begins by explaining that trauma is a response to stressful experiences, not a single event. She distinguishes between what she calls "Big T trauma" and "little t trauma," or a...
2024-10-1537 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastLabor of Love?Bri and Annie dive into the difficulties of domestic labor -- who's doing what, who bears the brunt of making family dinners happen, and what can be done about uneven distributions of labor in our households.Taking on the cultural criticism of family meals as anti-feminist, Annie points out that the role of The Family Dinner Project has always been to try to encourage people not to create perfect, retro-style family meals that require women to spend hours in the kitchen doing all the work. Instead, the goal is to create meaningful and joyful experiences where...
2024-07-3034 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastPicky or Problematic?On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Bri and Dr. Anne Fishel are joined by Dr. Evelyna Kambanis for a deep dive into the world of picky eating, ARFID, eating disorders, and more.Dr. Evelyna Kambanis is a Clinical & Research Fellow at the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research and clinical interests focus on avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). She helps walk us through the differences between developmentally normal picky eating, which occurs in most children, and feeding issues that may signal a problem warranting medical help...
2024-06-2035 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastFamily Dinner During May MadnessIn Episode 3, "Family Dinner During May Madness," we're talking about one of the busiest times of year - the end of the school year, when family calendars overflow and dinner is the last thing on anyone's mind. Bri and Dr. Fishel chat about some of the concerns with overscheduling, as well as the benefits of allowing kids to explore extracurricular activities and interests, and how this time of year can be an opportunity to look at family time differently.They also discuss the pressure to do it all and be a perfect parent, and how to...
2024-04-0331 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastIs it the Family, or the Dinner?In Episode 2, "Is it the Family, or the Dinner?" we dive into one of the trickiest topics in family dinner research: How to tell whether it's really eating together that offers a variety of physical, mental, social, and academic benefits, or whether it just so happens that families who eat together already practice healthy habits. Dr. Fishel outlines the various types of research that have been done on this topic over the past two and a half decades, and covers the scientific methods that back up the results. Together, she and Bri talk through how researchers in different countries...
2024-02-1332 min
Imperfect LoveBoosting Your Body Image and Eating Habits with Expert Bri DeRosaBody image. Food. Perfectionism. The relationships we have with our bodies and the food we eat are shaped by factors such as childhood environments and societal messaging. Throughout life, the conscious and unconscious choices we make around food have the power to impact us mentally, emotionally, and physically. When we pause to notice the negative thoughts that often push us into unhealthy actions, we can mindfully create new, empowering dynamics that foster positive change. Join Dr. Carla and expert Bri DeRosa of The Family Dinner Project to explore the little shifts we can make in our mindsets to create lasting...
2024-01-2441 min
Imperfect LoveBoosting Your Body Image and Eating Habits with Expert Bri DeRosaBody image. Food. Perfectionism. The relationships we have with our bodies and the food we eat are shaped by factors such as childhood environments and societal messaging. Throughout life, the conscious and unconscious choices we make around food have the power to impact us mentally, emotionally, and physically. When we pause to notice the negative thoughts that often push us into unhealthy actions, we can mindfully create new, empowering dynamics that foster positive change. Join Dr. Carla and expert Bri DeRosa of The Family Dinner Project to explore the little shifts we can make in our mindsets to create...
2024-01-1241 min
Imperfect LoveNeurodivergence, Trauma, and Special Needs! Strength-Based Tips for Fostering Healthy Family Time with Expert Bri DeRosaNeurodiversity—the idea that each person experiences and interacts with the world around them in different ways—is a truly empowering concept. When we remove labels that promote a view of the self or others that is deficit-focused and embrace a strength-based approach, we reduce bias and judgment while promoting acceptance and forward momentum. I've certainly found that there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, behaving, or communicating. The key for ourselves and others is to focus on fostering beliefs and inclusive environments that recognize and emphasize each person's individual strengths while also providing support for differences and need...
2023-12-2042 min
The Family Dinner Project PodcastHome For the Holidays?On the first episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Bri DeRosa and Dr. Anne Fishel dig into the tricky question of what to do when gathering with family for the holidays feels complicated. Will there be tension at the dinner table? Political or ideological differences that make it hard to stay merry? Does it even feel safe to go home for the holidays? Dr. Fishel shares strategies and advice from her decades of experience in family therapy. From neutralizing tension with smart ideas for games and conversation starters that distract from differences, to offering wisdom...
2023-12-1331 min
Imperfect LoveNeurodivergence, Trauma, and Special Needs! Strength-Based Tips for Fostering Healthy Family Time with Expert Bri DeRosaNeurodiversity—the idea that each person experiences and interacts with the world around them in different ways—is a truly empowering concept. When we remove labels that promote a view of the self or others that is deficit-focused and embrace a strength-based approach, we reduce bias and judgment while promoting acceptance and forward momentum. I've certainly found that there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, behaving, or communicating. The key for ourselves and others is to focus on fostering beliefs and inclusive environments that recognize and emphasize each person's individual strengths while also providing support for differences and...
2023-12-0842 minHelping Families Be HappyCooking up Connection: Holiday Meal Strategies for a Happier Family with Bri DeRosaOn today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Christopher Robbins, co-founder of Familius Publishing, husband, father of nine, author, fisherman, backpacker, and aspirational musician based in the Central Valley of California, talks to Bri DeRosa about books, particularly what to do for holiday meals and those recipes that we want to make and how to have that be a wonderful experience.
DeRosa is a freelance writer and communications consultant with expertise in creative and dramatic writing, arts education, and service learning. Bri has over a decade of experience in program development for no...
2023-11-2221 min
The Ben and Emil ShowPP 15: Enough Taylor Swift Already, A Corrupt Cuban King, Biden Joins UAW StrikeTaylor Swift is everywhere. She's behind you right now. It's too much. It's constant, it HAS to be reaching a tipping point, right guys? She and Travis Kelce have to be getting paid by the government or something. Or has our culture just gotten to the point where we all collectively just focus on ONE thing each week? Seemingly ranch, right guys? LOL!!!! Anyway. We also cover all you need to know about the corrupt Cuban king ROBERT MENENDEZ, because man oh man is that guy shady as hell (and we love him for it). Also we cover the...
2023-09-281h 06
The 5 to 8 Shift with Susannah McMonagle, a podcast for parents73. Doing Family Dinner Different (and WAY Better!), Bri DeRosa, The Family Dinner ProjectThe Family Dinner Project is one of my favorite nonprofits to follow on social media, and today's guest, Bri DeRosa, of The Family Dinner Project, shares some wonderful insight for families. Whether you have toddlers, elementary-aged kids, or high schoolers - there is something for you in this episode to help you think about dinner in new ways that benefit your kids tremendously.
In episode 73, we chat -
- The compelling research that drives this initiative to support families
- Advice for families with little kids - how to make dinner smoother
2023-03-2752 min
The Cognitive Crucible#137 Vic Garcia and Mike Berger on Information Operations and IntelligenceThe Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Vic Garcia and Mike Berger of Peraton give a deep dive into IO-related challenges facing the United States and allied nations, plus dynamics between the intelligence and the operations communities, and the importance and current state of IO assessments. Research Question: Vic Garcia suggests: How are the Chinese leveraging...
2023-02-281h 11
A Healthy Bite - ThatOrganicMomMaking Family Dinner Happen When Life is BusyThis article was originally written in April 2015. In 2022, after a comment from my daughter, my goal was to slow down. I noticed it was becoming harder to get my family together, so I invited an expert to give us insight for making family meals happen.
You'll find tons of helpful information above and below, including resources and links, a podcast episode, books, and more.
What to do if Family Mealtimes Stop Happening
The importance of family dinners is clear, however life happens. After four of my six children became adults and moved out, our routines gradually became less consistent. Add...
2022-10-1736 min
Healthy Living by Giant PodcastTable Talk: Family Meals MonthSeptember is Family Meals Month and a great opportunity to examine how we gather around the table and use mealtime conversations to better connect with the people we love. Bri DeRosa from The Family Dinner Project joins us to discuss how we can have better table talk and shares simple starters that will engage everyone - no matter their age - at your next meal. Show Notes: The Family Dinner Project - The Family Dinner Project Conversation: Question Generator from The Family Dinner Project Fun - Games and Activites from The Family Dinner Project Food - Rec...
2021-09-1730 min
"Doctor Mom" Podcast | Practical Tips to Be a Proactive ParentMaking Family Meals Fun with The Family Dinner ProjectStephanie chats with Brianne DeRosa from The Family Dinner Project about practical strategies for overcoming common barriers to family meals. They help you work through challenges with picky eaters, having a limited time and budget, different schedules, and wiggly toddlers. They also discuss considerations for military families and single parents, along with real life tips to navigate technology and screens at meals. You'll walk away from this episode feeling heard and with simple tools to put into action right away. Interested in trying Vital Farms new pasture-raised squeezable ghee? Look for Vital Farms ghee in a squeeze...
2020-01-1447 min
Make It a Great One with Dr. Dan: #1 Podcast for Inspiring Conversations to Live and Lead On PurposeEat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook with Brianne DeRosa
Just in time for holiday meals, Dr. Dan enthusiastically welcomes author and food writer Brianne DeRosa to discuss family dinners, family meals and the recently released book Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook.
Today’s episode will help parents and families hungry for meaningful meals come together at the table. Brianne explains how the new book proves the enduring importance of family meals and redefines the concept of family dinner for modern families so that we can all look forward to dinner (or breakfast or lunch). Dr. Dan and Bri discuss dining-related topics including what the research says about the b...
2019-11-2138 min
Sound Bites A Nutrition PodcastEat, Laugh, Talk – Bri DeRosaOver 20 years of research has shown what parents have known for a long time: regular family meals lead to long-term benefits, including higher resilience, self-esteem, and grade-point-averages, and lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, eating disorders, and depression. Guest Brianne DeRosa, MFA, is the Content Manager for The Family Dinner Project and co-author of their new book, "Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook." As a freelance writer and consultant to nonprofit organizations, she has spent over a decade working in communications, program development and creative initiatives. FDP's new book helps kickstart a habit of...
2019-11-2051 min
Feed Your Family Tonight PodcastEat, Laugh, Talk! The Family Dinner Playbook with Bri DeRosa of The Family Dinner ProjectThis episode is a fun interview with Bri DeRosa of The Family Dinner Project. This book is so much more than a cookbook. It is filled with a year’s worth of recipes, conversation starters and games to use at family dinner. Each section tackles a common obstacle to family dinner and offers creative ways to navigate family dinner. It meets the reader where they are and helps them create a dinner experience that works in our busy lives. The recipes are approachable for the home cook and are fami...
2019-10-0437 min