New Kids in Town
December 29, 2008
My son, daughter-in-law, and brilliant, gorgeous toddler grandchild have moved to a new city. They're meeting people through work, neighborhood, day care, religious ties. But how to transform acquaintances into friends?
One way is to invite people over for supper.
"We're cooking anyway," Eli says. "It's not hard to cook twice as much stuff. It's certainly cheaper than going out to eat. We say, don't expect anything great, just come on over and bring the kids." He notes that meals are more personal when they're served at home.
"When you eat in a restaurant, the conversation tends to be pretty superficial. Have you ever noticed how much of your time you spend talking about where you've eaten other meals? When people come to your house, they learn more about who you are. For example, they see my bikes, they see Jana's books.
"There's just something very fundamental about inviting people into your home to eat something that you've prepared," Eli says.
So the new family in town is making friends. One dinner at a time.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today.