Sarah Spigelman Richter

“What did you make for dinner?” “Whole-wheat spaghetti with chicken meatballs and Parm.” “Did he eat?” “Yeah, three bites of frozen waffle and one strawberry. How about yours?” “Gagged her way through one yogurt pouch then threw the homemade mac and cheese on the floor.” The above is a typical text conversation between any number of friends and me. We all try our best to get our toddlers to eat.

I have issues with food. And to a degree, I think it’s impossible to avoid some issues with food, whether that means not stopping when full, feeling guilty about overindulging, or emotionally eating or restricting. What I hope is possible is not passing down my personal issues to my kids. Feeding kids is already tricky enough. Add to that the idea that you could maybe hurt them psychologically and it’s enough to make a mom like me lose sight of logic all together.

Choosing the perfect meal to line up with your perfect night of television isn’t just another thing to do, it’s a delight. Is there anything better than a juicy patty melt while watching Bob’s Burgers, or the garlickiest bowl of aglio e oli0 while enjoying Goodfellas? It’s the best. However, there are some television shows which defy the laws of nature. They are simply un-pairable with any food or wine — the artichokes of the entertainment world.

My mom marvels at how amazing social media is. She says how wonderful it is that I can connect with parents who have kids the same age as mine, that I can ask questions and get answers in real time, and that I’ve even gotten jobs all based off social networking sites that weren’t even imagined in Back to the Future. She doesn’t know the full story. The seemingly perfect “mom bods” 7.5 seconds after giving birth. The humongous homes with 14 bathrooms.

Dinnertime is usually an elegant, relaxing affair at my home. Candlelight, real china dishes, several courses of fine French fare, and stimulating, joyous conversation from the whole family. Oh wait, no — that was a scene from a Merchant Ivory film. Dinner at my toddler-run household can involve anything from sweet potato gnocchi and frozen chicken nuggets to pointing out different objects and naming them to tears and crying and The Little Mermaid on TV.

When I was in my mid-20s, I was sure 10 years down the road that I’d be firmly ensconced in my chosen career as an actress, probably living in some magnificent estate in Connecticut, and starting to think about settling down. Fast forward to my life as a journalist, living in an apartment in Manhattan — life isn’t always the way you think it will be. I gained Central Park and gave up the idea of a backyard. I lost my independence and gained my little son.

After speaking with parents of kids with severe allergies, I realize there are steps I can take to be a better ally and friend.

My little boy isn’t what you might call a dainty eater. He smears spaghetti sauce in his hair. He grabs hunks of sausage and mashes them on his face until his eyebrows are painted with grease and flecks of fennel. He’s never met a spoon he likes as well as his fingers, and he’s never met a fork at all — something about the way he wields a breadstick makes me sure he would see the fork as an ideal weapon.

Kids ruin everything. Really (not really, but you see where this is going). You can’t enjoy a great night out without worrying about a hangover the next day. Every trip you plan, you think out worst-case scenarios, pack a great quantity of medicine, and invariably freak out when the airline messes up your seats and places you far away from your toddler. They especially ruin lazy holidays.

Instagram is home to many a food sensation. There’s #putaneggonit, and #eeeeeats, and of course #meatsweats, among other popular hashtags that let food lovers rejoice in photographs and videos of mouth-watering dishes. One of my favorite hashtags, #cheesepull, has over 11,000 images. Get on the dairy appreciation train and take a look at some of the most stretchy, gooey, melty displays of cheese on the ‘gram that we could find. Chicago Pizza is a hotly debated food.

The potluck is a time-honored tradition that makes most of us pull out our slow cookers, dust off our festive-themed holiday serving dishes, and indulge in way (way) too many cookies. However, it’s also a time when the best of intentions go awry. From raw chicken to accidental babysitters, here are some of the most cringeworthy potluck experiences ever. Rose B.

There are very few things parents can agree on. Everything from when to feed solid foods to what kind of preschool is best for developing minds is up for debate, questioning, and, yes, judgement. However, there is one ritual that is sacred and that no parent dares shame another for: that morning cup of coffee.

Have you tried this?

Because Pop-Tarts don't always cut it.

It's a little taste of Greece.

Want to get better at grocery shopping? Learn from the pros.

Have you tried this?

Five of our favorite staples to have on hand so you shop like a pauper but eat like a prince.

It's been saved over 138,000 times on the platform this year alone.

If you’re somebody who loves Disney movies, enjoys a good braised meat dish, or maybe just needs a little whimsy in her everyday life, then the latest collaboration between Disney and Le Creuset might just rock your world. On September 15, a thousand limited-edition Beauty and the Beast soup pots will be released on Le Creuset and Disney websites and in Le Creuset Signature stores. The enameled cast iron pot is a sunny yellow color suitably named Soleil.

My evening checklist for my toddler son goes something like the following: 1. Did you say any new words today? 2. Did you injure yourself or others today? 3. Did anybody try to screw with you on the playground today? Because if they did, Mama’s not afraid to give them a piece of her mind (mostly kidding). 4. Did you poop today? 5. What did you eat today? That last thought is an important one.

Have you tried this?

Do you remember when it was like $10 tops to see a movie? I’m talking ticket, popcorn, and parking meter included. Okay, we didn’t have to pay the meter in the sleepy southern California suburb where my mom and dad let me go to movies with friends alone from the tender age of 11, but you know what I mean. It cost a lot of money to drive downtown to go see a Broadway touring company perform a matinee, but seeing a 10 a.m. showing of the latest Disney cartoon? That was cheap.

By now it’s probably obvious that we’re pretty obsessed with meal prepping at Kitchn. Sure, it might not be as sexy as whipping something up on the fly, but meal prepping provides a host of benefits, including saving you money, helping you eat more healthfully, and ensuring that those hanger pains stay at bay.

Have you tried this?

Being a teacher isn’t all “Best Teacher Ever” mugs and sharing funny stories about the kids’ antics during class breaks, you know. In fact, it seems like it’s hardly ever that stuff. From where I sit, teaching seems like a ton of work.

It's so easy that there's no actual recipe to follow.

Pass that appletini over this way.

Bring on the fire!

The days seem long (to parents, anyway!), but the months of summer are short. Before you know it, school will be back in session and caregivers everywhere will be racking their brains over how to get kids to eat healthy snacks instead of just trading them for fidget spinners. But the kids aren’t the only ones who need a little pick-me-up during snack time — teachers need to keep up their energy, and the same ol’ apple day after day gets a little boring.

The best part about being pregnant is the fantasies you have before the baby comes. Nothing x-rated here — it’s all about brunching with your snoozing baby, the beauty and ease of naturally breastfeeding, finally fitting back into your pre-pregnancy clothes, and having that unicorn baby who magically figures out how to sleep through the night at six weeks old.

Break out the pita chips!

Have you tried this?

Bacon never gets old.

You’re never too old to be obsessed with Disney princesses. Maybe you’re a little old to wear a full-blown costume to the bank to ask for a mortgage, but you’re always allowed to curl up on your couch with a cup of hot chocolate, throw on your favorite nostalgic movie, and belt out the power ballads. If you really want to take it to the next level, infuse your cooking with that Disney magic and match your dinner to your princess.

When I was in elementary school, my mom sewed a lot of my clothes. She was especially into food-themed dresses, as was I. There was a picnic table dress with sandwich buttons, and a watermelon-printed dress with tiny watermelon wedge appliques, among others. I really thought I was all that and a bag of (sour cream and onion) chips.