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On Newsstands Now!
Check out the May 2012 issue: raw stories, shocking confessions, candid advice about motherhood—and more!
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Summer City Commuting is No Picnic: Our Family’s Tasty Solution
June 4th, 2010
Olivia would have a much fuller belly, if she'd stop sharing dinner with passing strangers.
It begins when we leave work, pick up toddler from daycare, pile into car, and try to rationalize with said toddler during the burdensome drive home in bumper-to-bumper traffic. This is followed by our failing attempts to squeeze valuable family time in-between dinner’s prep, dishes, bath, clean-up and an 8:30pm bedtime. Seems impossible, no? But we make do. Or at least we did.
Once the busy city of Toronto began it’s May marathon of sun, we decided that our schedule wasn’t good enough. Wasting precious hours of sunshine in our little VW Rabbit was clearly out of the question, so we devised a proactive plan of picnicking our weekday dinners.
As daunting a task as it sounds, it’s surprisingly easy and entirely rewarding. Our exhausted post-office brains relax and enjoy a fully prepared meal, while our 21-month-old daughter, Olivia, runs freely around the picnic blanket.
And the dinner prep? Delving into Canadian Family‘s recipe archives has proven itself invaluable. Next up on the menu? We’re whipping up some Wicked-Good Pizza Muffins and the über-clever Inside-Out Sandwich Wands.
If you’re looking for us after 5 p.m., we’ll be the cheery family-of-three frolicking in one of Toronto’s countless parks. (Trinity Bellwoods Park remains the family favourite.)
—Jenn Dunstan, CF’s senior designer
Copyright © 2012 St. Joseph Media. All Rights Reserved.