Now that we’re transitioning to a lot more home time vs. school time, I’d love some snack inspiration! Things that are easy to pack/take to the pool, toss in a backpack.

Same, reader, same. I am trying to spend as much of the weeks between school and camp at the pool as possible. It keeps my small apartment tidier, keeps my kid (and me!) happier, and helps me reframe these weeks without childcare as a family staycation rather than just… stressful.

And while I don’t want to brag, taking food to the pool is kind of my thing! Here are 10 snack (and a couple lunch) ideas for making the most of the extra time at home. My criteria: Packs easily, travels well, and if cooking is required, it can be done ahead of time.

I know you said backpack, but if you are trying to get maximum time in at the pool, I highly recommend getting a cooler. (A smaller cooler bag might be enough; I often use mine when it’s just me and my daughter.) The cooler will really expand what’s possible, and once you get into the routine, it’s not especially hard. Just a little unwieldy.

All photos below are from the past month of pool trips — so believe me when I say all of these ideas WORK for my family. I hope they work for yours, too!

1. Fresh fruit: Fruit’s a no brainer in the summer, but here’s a tip: After washing and drying whatever fruit your planning on bringing, place a lunchbox ice pack at the bottom of your container, add a paper towel or thin cloth napkin, and put the fruit on top, then close the lid. That will help it stay fresh and cold at the park or pool if you’ve tossed it in a backpack or in a cooler.

2. Freezer pops: For the pool in particular, I like the long, narrow freezer pops so I can store them in an Owala bottle with some ice to keep them frozen. I got sent samples of the Goodpop organic fruit juice pops and my daughter, niece, and nephew loved them. We also like Jonnypops and the ones from Trader Joe’s.

3. Doritos/Cheetos / Annies Bunnies variety packs: I don’t send these kinds of snacks to school, but they’re great for a special pool treat. I like bringing the variety box and letting any kids we’re meeting up with choose which one they want.

4. Chomp sticks (or your jerky of choice): I have the minis stashed in nearly every tote bag, purse, and backpack I use over the summer. They’re individually wrapped, don’t overheat/spoil easily, and offer a solid protein hit.

5. Take-out/Delivery: Just get pizza delivered directly to the pool for lunch. Another tip: If you’ve got little kids, ask the pizzeria to double cut the slices. Or, get your favorite take-out en route to the pool. Over the summer, I keep a supply of paper plates, plastic utensils, and disposable napkins in a tote bag to make this option quick and easy. (Truthfully, we’re still working through the kids’ birthday plates from last year!) Pictured below: A platter from Yama Sushi Marketplace for a family birthday dinner celebration at the pool.

6. Frozen grapes: My daughter calls these “cake grapes,” because according to her, frozen grapes taste like cake.I’m not sure I tooootally agree, but I do love these as an easy snack at home or at the pool. To keep them frozen on the go, pack them in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack.

7. Sandwiches: You can assemble them ahead of time and wrap in parchment OR you can just bring the components along with you in the cooler, then have build-your-own-sandwiches for lunch when you get there. Or you can do my freezer trick to make them days ahead and let them thaw at the pool/park.

8. Aussie Bites: A cross between a muffin and an energy ball, Aussie Bites are made with oats, flax, coconut, dried fruit, and honey. My daughter LOVES them, and they are extremely shelf-stable. I usually buy them at Costco, but if you can’t find them, you can make your own with a recipe like this.

9. Frozen yogurt tubes: Take yogurt tubes like Go-Gurt and store them in the freezer. Like the freezer pops, these are narrow enough to transport to the pool in an Owala. Note that they do melt quicker than the freezer pops; but even if they’re melted, they just go back to being properly cool yogurt. Win win.

10. Pasta salad: If you’re hanging out with my family this summer, I’ll be feeding you pasta salad. My formula/recipe template is here. And if you want a pasta upgrade, my friends at Flour + Water are offering WAWH readers 15% off a one-time purchase of their organic bronze die pasta with code HILLARY15.

🗨️ Thanks for the question, ! Got more advice for this reader? Or a snack you love for the pool? Please share your wisdom in the comments!

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More intel on packing for the pool:

Today’s post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

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I am very pro baking from a box, and I especially support it when baking with kids to keep the chaos slightly more contained. Claire and I love to bake, take a portion for ourselves, and then deliver the treats to the local fire station (after we take a sample cut for ourselves of course.) And now that school’s out, we’ll be doing this even more often.

A few weeks ago we baked the new sticky carrot cake mix from Cravings by Chrissy Teigen, after the team there sent a sample box my way. I especially liked adding caramel sauce to the cake before frosting it; I’m definitely going to do that for future baking projects.

What are some of your favorite low-stress kids’ baking projects? I’m trying to keep this kid busy before camp starts in a couple weeks.

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3 Thrillers With Something to Say (no spoilers)

Here are three thrillers that would make for great beach/pool reads and have strong audiobook narrators if you, like me, like to listen while cooking (or crafting). All three play with genre-fiction tropes, are compulsively readable, and have enough point of view and critique to make them thought-provoking, too. (Shout out to this post by , which got me thinking about this mini list.)

The It Girl by Ruth Ware | Ruth Ware is the queen of fast-paced, twisty-turny thrillers. This one toggles between the present and the now-pregnant narrator’s college days, particularly the days leading up to her roommate’s, the titular “it girl’s,” murder. While I didn’t find this one overly scary, there are #MeToo themes: Narrator Hannah is retreading the details of her roommate’s murder because the man imprisoned for it — the college’s security guard who routinely harassed and then assaulted Hannah — is the subject of a posthumous podcast that has evidence of his innocence. Because it’s Ruth Ware, things do get a little bit over-the-top mystery-wise, but this is one of only a few of her novels that I find myself still thinking about (even years after I first read it). Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Libro.fm

The Compound by Aisling Rawle | For fans of Ruth Ware and/or reality television and/or dystopian fiction, The Compound is the eponymous set of a Big Brother-meets-Love Island-style reality show. The contestants love and fight to stay in the compound, not just for money and prizes but because life on the outside is pretty grim, too. The glimpses of the weird, climate-disaster “real world” beyond the set were my favorite part. This is a debut novel from a young writer; there’s something extremely Gen Z to me about the fatalism of the premise. But there’s also space for hope here too, as our narrator confronts the emptiness in her life that led her to join the show in the first place. Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Libro.fm

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke | A “tradwife” influencer wakes up in 1855, forcing her to confront the stark realities of the traditional gender roles and fundamentalist Christianity she’d been peddling on her popular social media channel. Propulsive and satirical, this book is dominating the discourse for good reason. (Sorry, haters!) Yesteryear shines a light on the sometimes overlooked elements of performativity baked into so much of contemporary womanhood: the performative elements of gender, sure (hey Judith Butler!), but also the performance baked into motherhood, both internally and exhibited publicly, whether for an audience of family members or followers. Not to say the novel was perfect — a perfect novel would have dealt with SA and coercion in a more nuanced way — but I’m not sure why this author is being held to a standard of perfection I’ve rarely seen applied to debuts. I have my guesses, though!!!! Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Libro.fm

What are you reading this summer?

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For my husband’s birthday in April, I gave him a shopping spree at our favorite local bookstore, Vroman’s. I took our daughter up to the kids’ section while he browsed and put various books in his basket in peace. He LOVED it. And if you’re looking for a low-lift Father’s Day gift idea, you can take this gift strategy. What’s the place for the dad in your life to have this experience? Is it his favorite local book shop, like Mike? Is it the record shop? The bike shop?

If you need more Father’s Day gift ideas, head here:

• 2026 Father’s Day gift guide

• 2025 Father’s Day gift guide

If you’re looking for a great Father’s Day recipe, consider these steak sandwiches by . Buying a steak always feels special — and sandwiches are a great way to serve steak for a daytime get together.

Some of my biggest freelance projects of 2026 are now live in the world!

For The Infatuation, I came on as Contributing Managing Editor to lead their expansion into a bunch of new markets. That meant hiring local writers, curating restaurant picks, and editing reviews. Did I mention that the Infatuation also has some of the strongest ethics guidelines I’ve seen in current food media? I got to give each writer a generous dining budget, and no restaurants could make our list without a visit. And those visits? Couldn’t be booked through PR or announced ahead of time. Some of my favorite new dining guides are Sacramento, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Tulum, and Cancún.

For Cherry Bombe, I wrote a guide to growing your restaurant business with vision. I interviewed amazing chefs and restaurateurs like Missy Robbins and Mei Lin, as well as PR legend Becca Parrish to get their insights into how to approach entrepreneurship and growth while staying true to your values and goals. The guide is free to read — and if you’re in process of growing any kind of business, I guarantee there’s something for you in here.

Also for Cherry Bombe, I came on board to help curate and launch their second annual Power List. Every woman featured in this year’s awards program is truly inspiring — go read more about them here.

And I spent a few months brainstorming with my friends and former Eater colleagues as they got their new media venture Ravenous off the ground! Ravenous is a worker-owned new media venture, where some of the best reporters in the business are covering the world of restaurants, food, culture, and labor with passion, edge, and gonzo spirit. I am loving what they’re up to now that they’re live (especially this piece on Katz’s expansion and this one about the enshittification of bagels thanks to VC money). The Ravenous founders are offering WAWH readers 20% off for the first year’s subscription with the code What Are We Having (or subscribe through this link here and the discount will be automatically applied).

20% off Ravenous

PS: If you want to work together, let’s chat!

Today’s post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

But after reading ’s new cookbook Grill Time! Why You Should Be Grilling for Better, Healthier, Easier and More Delicious Meals I’m feeling inspired.

Mark my words: This summer, I’m going to become a griller. And I’m going to take Noah’s advice and think of the grill less as a hamburger-and-hot-dog-machine and more like an extension of my kitchen.

Noah’s thesis is … right in the title. And it’s kind of mind blowing. Grilling, he argues, is simply the superior way of cooking for a family or for a crowd. It’s faster, easier, and more conducive to accommodating dietary restrictions and preferences than working at the stove with a million pans. Grills = easier cleanup, deeper flavor, and more fun.

I’ve bookmarked so many recipes in this cookbook that are exactly what I want to be eating this summer. Pickle-brined drumsticks with spicy honey. Spicy grilled chicken caesar salad with garlic bread croutons. Tofu bánh mì. But before I dive into my summer of grilling, I wanted to ask Noah some questions about HOW to become a griller. And lots of you sent in questions, too!

In the video above, Noah tackles all the questions WAWH readers submitted including:

• Best beginner grilling recipes for hosting a crowd

• How to maximize flavor with a gas grill

• Must-have grill tools

• How to grill whole fish

And I asked plenty of my own questions including:

• Grilling with shared set ups like at apartment buildings, pools, and parks

• Tips for grilling when you’re relying on a cooler

On that last question, the recipe we’re sharing from Noah’s cookbook is a great example of a shared-grill dinner. Marinating the meat ahead of time, and then bringing it with you works perfectly. Of course, if you’re making it at your home grill, you can take advantage of one of Noah’s other favorite grill strategies: turning on a rice cooker before firing up the grill.

Grill Time! is now available wherever you like buying cookbooks. Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

PS - For another grill-friendly steak recipe, check out these steak sandwiches with quick-pickled shallots and chimichurri sauce by , which I mentioned in the video above!

Win a copy of Grill Time!

Here’s how to enter the giveaway. By noon ET on Tuesday, June 9:

1. Subscribe to What Are We Having? (free or paid). Already a subscriber? Then skip step 2.

2. Tap the heart to like this post or leave a comment to enter. Do both for two total entries!

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Fine print: Must 18 or over to enter, US addresses only, no purchase necessary. This contest is not administered or sponsored by Substack. Limit one like and one comment entry per person. The winner will be randomly selected, and notified by email and Substack direct message. Ends June 9, 2026 at noon ET.

This is a recipe I’ve thoroughly enjoyed for years, since developing a menu for a charcoal-grilled rice bowl concept that never got off the ground. This was the flagship recipe—inspired by marinated arrachera from Los Angeles carnicerías, but with its flavors dragged through the Japanese grocery store.

In the end, this is California backyard cooking at its core. Citrusy, savory, lightly spicy, and super-tender marinated beef, which is great for almost all ages of eaters, and goes as well in a rice bowl as it does with a side of Perfect Grilled Potatoes (page 58), over a bowl of soba noodles, or in a flour tortilla with pico de gallo. I prefer a thicker piece of skirt steak if I can find it, as it’s easier to char well and keep cooked to medium, but any skirt steak or even flap steak will work well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds skirt or flap steak, ideally on the thicker side
2 chiles de árbol or other small dried hot chile, stemmed (or 1 teaspoon of any ground, dried red chile that you like)
5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 scallion, torn into rough pieces
1-inch knob fresh ginger, rinsed
2 teaspoons sake or dry white wine

Instructions

1. Lay your steak on a cutting board and cut it with the grain, into pieces that are roughly 6 inches long—this is just to optimize its size for grilling, to be sliced again (against the grain) after it is cooked.

2. In a small saucepan, toast the chiles over high heat just until they are fragrant, shaking the pan frequently, about 60 seconds once the pan is hot. Transfer them to a blender and add the garlic, tamari, lemon juice, lime juice, olive oil, scallion, ginger, and sake. Blend until smooth.

3. Pour the marinade into a resealable container, add the steak pieces, and turn to make sure all of the pieces are coated in marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to about 18.

4. When you are ready to grill, preheat the grill to high heat (the hotter the better), then clean and oil the grates well.

5. Lay the steaks on the grill in a single layer and let them cook until they are nicely charred on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the steak and cook the other side until cooked to your desired internal temperature. I prefer about 135°F for a medium steak, 1 to 3 more minutes depending on the thickness of the steak and the heat of the grill.

6. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. For best results, slice against the grain and serve immediately.

From Grill Time! © 2026 by Noah Galuten. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Today’s post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

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Below the paywall:

• The best meals we had in May

• Fresh restaurant recommendations

• The links you all clicked the most in May

• Exclusive subscriber discount codes for brands like Material Kitchen, Grove Collaborative, Craft Club Co., Rachel Antonoff, Koala Eco, and more

The 10 best meals in May — no particular order

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When I started this newsletter, I went into it with a theory: Professional chefs have the cheat codes to easier, more efficient dinners at home. It’s just a matter of getting that intel from them.

Brooklyn-based chef Greg Baxtrom’s new cookbook Nothing Matters… but Delicious proves the point. While his restaurants (Olmsted, Maison Yaki, and now 5 Acres) have been known for gorgeously composed plates, his cookbook is all about real-life home cooking — and that includes the messy parts too. I’d recommend this cookbook to anyone who has dealt with addiction, definitely. But I’d also recommend it to anyone that wants a trained chef’s take on how to maximize your time in your home kitchen. It would also make a great Father’s Day or Graduation gift.

With co-author , Greg has managed to create a cookbook that feels equally personal and practical. When it comes to recipes, that means a home-friendly version of the Cauliflower Okonomiyaki from Maison Yaki, the chicken kebabs that make eating grilled chicken breast less of a chore, and a nostalgic, chef-approved take on classic Hamburger Helper.

And just like it was when he was growing up, the formula of noodles + ground beef sauce + cheese is still the right call for when things get over-scheduled and hectic. A note: The recipe calls for “Heirloom Pepper Hot Sauce,” a fermented hot sauce with Fresno peppers and Thai chilies or jalapeños from the cookbook. You can just use any vinegar hot sauce you’d like here, including Tabasco or Cholula.

Nothing Matters… but Delicious is now available wherever you like buying cookbooks. Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

PS - For another meaty pasta dinner, check out my recipe for Skillet Pasta with Sausage and Brussels Sprouts.

Win a copy of Nothing Matters… but Delicious!

Here’s how to enter the giveaway. By noon ET on Tuesday, June 2:

1. Subscribe to What Are We Having? Already a subscriber? Then skip to the next step.

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2. Tap the heart to like this post.

3. Leave a comment on this post. That’s it!

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Fine print: Must 18 or over to enter, US addresses only, no purchase necessary. This contest is not administered or sponsored by Substack. The winner will be randomly selected, and notified by email and Substack direct message. Ends June 2, 2026 at noon ET.

My family was very active while I was growing up, so quick and easy meals were the name of the game. It fell to the first one home to get dinner going. Since we all ran cross-country and my parents didn’t get home until 6 p.m., we kids were often the ones tasked with at least getting the meal started. A lot of my personal culinary practice was shaped by these recipes: pasta with tomato sauce, Salisbury steak with peas and noodles, and most of all, Hamburger Helper. By the time I was in high school and knew I wanted to be a chef, I’d make sure the dinner table was set and a candle was lit every night. (That was, I thought, part of what it meant to be a chef.) As my recipes grew from standard boxed things to slightly cheffier versions of them, I’ve never lost my taste for the satisfying part mac and cheese, part chili hybrid Hamburger Helper. The umami you grow up with is the umami you love.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons neutral oil
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
3 cups elbow macaroni
3 cups beef broth or beef stock
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Heirloom Pepper Hot Sauce
8 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the fat is rendered, about 8 minutes.

2. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is cooked through and browned and the onion is softened, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

4. Once the beef is cooked through, add the beef broth, tomato sauce, heavy cream, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and hot sauce, and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the Cheddar until fully melted and creamy. Fold in the cooked pasta and adjust seasoning.

5. To serve, scoop and eat. No garnishes. No sides.

Excerpted with permission from Nothing Matters. . . but Delicious, copyright © 2026 Greg Baxtrom. Photographs copyright © 2026 Murray Hall. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Today’s post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

In the past four weeks, we’ve had two recitals, three field trips requiring a parent, and tomorrow is Open House. Somehow it’s also time to sort the class party, the birthday party, and summer plans. Maycember might be a trendy internet word, but the overscheduled-for-no-good-reason feeling is very real. 🫠

Luckily, I’ve been keeping this recipe in my back pocket since developing it earlier this year.

A pasta for the brine lovers among us, this is my noodley ode…

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For this 14th installment (!!!), I’ve decided to experiment with the formatting and the length a bit. I’d love to hear from you: Do you prefer this column to be on the shorter side or the longer side? Let me know in the comments!

I’ve also got a craft giveaway happening today — scroll down for info on how to enter and to access my new craft night guide!

Folks, it’s officially Cool(er) Mom Summer! Our swim club is open as of last week, and my daughter and I have gone multiple times already. Now, I’m bookmarking all the recipes I want to pack to bring in our cooler in the coming months.

• This sandwich with potato chips and olives (I’ll just pack the ingredients and assemble on site)

• And these sandwiches with focaccia, turkey, and pesto (pictured above)

• A lemony caesar take on “dense bean salad” (pictured above)

• And I plan on asking Grill Time! author for ideas about using my pool’s shared barbecues in our Substack Live grill-themed AMA on May 21. Drop your own grilling questions in this subscribers’ chat thread (open to free and paid readers!) or reply to this email.

• More cooler-friendly recipes recs here

Cook from the Archives: When it comes to packing up the cooler, you can’t beat pasta salad. This one calls for one of my family’s favorite salad mixes from Trader Joe’s, but really you can use any salad mix you want. You could even skip the salad entirely for a classic deli-style pasta salad!

In Cook, Read, Shop #12, I recommended Heated Rivalry. If the show or the book piqued your interest in MM romance, I’ve got another to shout out — and this one would be a fun pool or beach read. It would also be great to cook or craft to if you get the audiobook!

I devoured A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske this winter for my book club and then I ended up reading/listening to the whole trilogy. The series is set in Edwardian England and has a compelling magic system and a richly drawn queer romance.

Book 2 didn’t quite land for me, but book 3 made up for it by being my favorite of the series, pushing further into the class and power dynamics that come from a society with both landed gentry and inherited magical ability. If you like stories with battles for good and evil, tenderhearted jocks, bookish people saving the day, and a bit of smut (complimentary), give A Marvellous Light a try. Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Libro.fm

What’s on your summer reading list? Let me know in the comments!

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Continuing on with the pool theme, here are some recommendations based on what’s been working for us so far this season.

• Owala water bottle, for filling with ice cubes and using it to stash a freezer popsicle for my daughter

• Refreezeable “ice” for the cooler

• Arch-supporting flip flops

• Waterproof rings, to wear instead of my wedding jewelry (which I leave safe at home)

• An underwire bikini top plus a rashguard on top with high waisted bottoms for me

• This pink swim skirt plus a mermaid swim shirt for my daughter

• Also her non-hair-pulling tinted goggles

I’ve been needlepointing a lot lately, and judging by the response over on Notes, a lot of you are feeling craft-curious too.

So I partnered with Craft Club Co. to gift one lucky subscriber their extremely cute Fruit Market Needlepoint Pouch Kit! And all subscribers can use the discount code HDC10 to get 10% off their first order.

Enter by noon ET on May 19 2026:

1. Subscribe to What Are We Having? (free or paid)

2. Tap the heart and leave a comment on this post

One winner will be selected at random and notified by email and Substack DM.

But even if you don’t win the kit, all paid subscribers can also access Adult Dinner: My Solo Craft Night Guide, with recommendations for beginner-friendly crafts, audiobook recommendations for crafting and cooking, cozy set-up tips, and menu ideas for the perfect night in.

I hope you love it!

Fine print: Must 18 or over to enter, US addresses only, no purchase necessary, void where prohibited. This contest is not administered or sponsored by Substack. Ends May 19, 2026 at noon ET.

Today’s post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

I do a lot of crafting with my daughter after school and on the weekends. We love it! Crafting together, whether we’re working on a shared project or just side-by-side, is a great way to bond. But I don’t find it especially… relaxing.

When I want to enter that flow state that allows me to toggle between mindfulness and mindlessness, I need to craft solo. Busy hands do help calm my brain, but not if I’m also supervising a six year old’s use of sharp needles. I also love crafting with a friend — but that fills my cup in a different way.

And so I’ve started doing Solo Crafting Nights. And it all started with Adult Dinner.

The Adult Dinner philosophy is all about making sure that parents remember to take care of themselves. You deserve to have your wants and needs met at the table. And like Adult Dinner does with food, Solo Craft Nights remind me that my hobbies matter, too.

For me, Adult Dinner often happens after kiddo bedtime. Not surprisingly, that’s often when some of my favorite crafting hobbies take place. And largely for similar reasons: I don’t always want to explain or share. I’m in it for myself. I want to listen to the audiobook I want, eat the snacks I want, and work on a project of my own choosing at my own pace.

Whether you’re looking for new hobbies or just some ways to avoid doomscrolling at night, I hope this guide gives you some inspiration!

And I’d love to hear from you in the comments: What’s your Adult Dinner hobby? Or, which of these crafts are you most excited to try?

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My typical Solo Craft Night happens in my bed. I set up my breakfast-in-bed tray, put the craft materials and snacks on top, and then nestle my lower half under the covers. Sometimes I even light a candle for maximum cozy vibes.

Coloring

A peaceful, easy-to-start craft, coloring is, for me, among the most meditative crafts I’ve tried. Sometimes when I’m feeling ambitious, I try out techniques I’ve seen on Instagram like this hifi technique and this open-door light source technique, but mostly I just take it easy.

What you need to get started:

• A coloring book you love. I have been doing Johanna Basford’s coloring books for years. I’ve particularly enjoyed Rooms of Wonder and Small Victories, and I like that her books use thicker paper.

• Brush-tip markers like these or these (I have and love both brands) and a pouch to store them in

• Colored pencils

Needlepoint

My current favorite solo craft, I especially love kits where the needlepoint canvas is already sewn into a pouch! If you get a kit, they send you everything you need to get started, so if you’ve never done any needlepointing it’s a great way to dip your toe in without having to buy extra supplies.

What you need to get started:

• A needlepoint kit like these (use code HDC10 for 10% off your first order) or these!

• Or select a needlepoint canvas you love (maybe by my cousin-in-law’s company Piper + Lou Needlepoint) + needles + thread.

• I bought these TSA-compliant mini scissors so I could stitch on my cross-country flights this spring. They’re also great for stashing in my bag if I’m taking my project with me (crafting is especially helpful for doctor weighting rooms).

What hobbies or crafts have you been getting into lately? Tell us in the comments!

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Below the paywall:

• More beginner crafts that are actually fun, and what you need to get started

• 10 audiobook recommendations for crafting (or cooking) to

• Craft night menu ideas (snacks, drinks, dinner, desserts)

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In the Trader Joe’s Recipe Files, we take Trader Joe’s products and turn them into a family meal. Today’s products: Nova Salmon Pieces and Dill-icious Cream Cheese.

Why these products are on my Trader Joe’s shopping list:

I want to get specific about which Nova Salmon I’m talking about here since, unfortunately, Trader Joe’s isn’t currently listing it on the website. It’s in the refrigerated section, and the product is named “Nova Salmon Pieces.”I tend to avoid the seasoned ones (the Pastrami-Style, the Everything But the Bagel Seasoned) because I find them overpriced. That said, either would be fantastic in this specific recipe. The plain Nova Salmon Pieces give you more bang from your buck. It’s properly salty and cut thicker than a slice from a bagel shop. I use it all the time in our family-favorite salmon bowls.

I bought the Dill-icious Cream Cheese shortly after it was released because it’s an objectively good idea. Luckily, it’s also a good product. I mostly use it for breakfast toasts with smoked trout or smoked salmon and for this dip. I recently spotted a “Limited Time” tag on the website, however, so I’ve gone ahead and included how to make this dip with plain cream cheese as well.

What’s great about this recipe:

I first developed this recipe to bring to potlucks, book clubs, and to set out for a snack when friends come over. To make it a family meal, I like to serve the dip spread onto bagels or toast, along with some sliced cucumbers for a green veg. This would be such a good brunch option, since you can make the dip a few days ahead. I’ve also happily eaten this dip with toast as a breakfast (so has my daughter). I’ve eaten it at my desk with crackers for a WFH lunch (and I’ve sent it to school in my daughter’s lunch box). The possibilities are endless.

Please let me know if you make it! You can share your results in the Chat, tag me in a Substack Note or on Instagram at @hillarydixlercanavan. (There’s a PDF version of this recipe at the bottom that you can download or print if you prefer.)

PS - For another Trader Joe’s potluck recipe, check out my Pizza Ranch Pasta Salad!

🗨️ Do you have any other ideas for the Nova Salmon Pieces or the Dill-icious Cream Cheese? Is there another product you’d love to see transformed in the Trader Joe’s Recipe Files? Tell me in the comments!

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Below the paywall:

• The best dinners I cooked in April

• The best restaurant meals I had in April

• The links you all clicked the most in April

• Exclusive subscriber discount codes

My 5 favorite dinners this month

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Reader Nandini submitted:

I ate a delicious ghormeh sabzi recently!! I’d love a weeknight friendly recipe for that or something in that neighborhood. I often find it hard to do stews for weeknight, especially with lamb or tougher cuts of beef because it means I need to remember (and then actually do) the prep and get everything started at some point in the middle of my workday and that’s not a guarantee.

To make Nandini’s recipe dream come true, I asked food writer to hop on the phone with me to brainstorm how to make this thing work. I knew Farideh was the right woman for the job because across her work for Saveur, Munchies, and her own recipes here on Substack (subscribe to her newsletter here), YouTube, and Instagram, Farideh’s recipes have such an exhilarating combination of creativity and achievability — and she’s got tons of experience when it comes to Persian cooking. (She’s also a hot dog expert! Her new cookbook, aptly named The Hot Dog Cookbook is hitting shelves May 5 and is available for preorder. I love it for a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day present!)

Before we get into how we’re riffing on ghormeh sabzi, here’s a basic overview: Ghormeh sabzi is a classic Persian stew featuring bunches of fresh herbs, plus kidney beans, dried limes, and slow-simmered meat. To learn more about the dish, check out Farideh’s YouTube video here.

We knew we had to solve the problem that Nandini flagged in order to translate this into a weeknight-friendly dish. How could we get a faster-cooking meat involved, without losing the stew vibe that’s quintessential to ghormeh sabzi? We landed on meatballs. From there, Farideh went into recipe developing mode. And when her recipe was ready for me to cross-test, I was blown away by the finished product.

Because meatballs cook relatively quickly comnpared to stew meat, Farideh adjusted how she built the rest of the dish. There’s still enough time for the herbs to cook down, but instead of dried lime, Farideh uses fresh lime juice. And instead of fresh fenugreek leaves, we’re using dried fenugreek leaves. (If you’ve got a grocery store in your area that has a robust Middle Eastern or South Asian section, you can find it there; or order online here, here, or here.)

The final result is so delicious, and I really love it for this time of year. All these green herbs feel SO springy, but the nights are still cool enough to enjoy a cozy, stewy dinner. Plus this recipe now has my new go-to beef meatball technique!

Please let Farideh and I know if you make her ghormeh sabzi meatballs by sharing your results in the in the subscribers’ Chat, tag us in a Substack Note, or on Instagram @hillarydixlercanavan and @farideh. (There’s a PDF version of this recipe at the bottom that you can download or print if that’s more your speed.)

Thank you for the request, Nandini!

PS - Check out the last reader request recipe: Dinner Party Vol Au Vent by .Want to submit your own recipe requests? Become a paid subscriber and send your request to me by replying to this email or dropping your request into the subscribers’ Chat!

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Here we’re tackling Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Graduation, but very little in this guide is only care-role, stage-of-life, or gender specific. I think everything here is a wonderful gift idea for whatever and whoever you might be celebrating this summer (engagements, weddings, birthdays, housewarmings, etc).

If you want some personal shopping recs, join me in the comments or subscribers’ chat and let me know who you’re shopping for this summer so I can help you out!

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You can also check out the archive for more inspiration:

• 2025 Spring Gift Guide

• All previous gift guides

• All Cook, Read, Shop recommendations

No brands have paid to appear in this guide; but I’ve included affiliate links, which means if you shop from this guide, I might earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you! Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support my policy of always paying my contributors fairly for their brilliant recipes!

Another great way to support? Give someone who needs some cooking inspiration a gift subscription!

The game plan: With cooking and tableware gifts, aim for joyous and slightly over the top — it’s about encouraging fun with something she’ll actually use.

Cake Stand | Bonus points if you give this gorgeous piece already filled with something delicious.
Seashell Chopstick Rests | So chic even her takeout will feel fancy.
Placemats | Very What Are We Having? coded — and I’m adding them to my personal wish list!!
Rosy Check Salad Serving Set | For the mom who was very into Salad Month.
Matisse Ceramics | If getting a full set is out of budget, give her one perfect mug.

A few more ideas:
Sophie Edell prints | Continuing with the Matisse vibe, but a living female artist.
Heated Rivalry Embroidery Stick and Stitch Pack & Painted Mug | For the mom who’s still at the cottage.
Mommy & Me Bracelets | Always a good idea, and these feel very current.

Looking for custom initial, name, and birthstone jewelry gift ideas? I rounded up some favorites here!

Mother's Day Jewelry Gifts

The game plan: Pairing a highly specific cookbook with some key on-theme extras to bring the whole family into those special interests.

Grill Time! + Grilling Spice Collection + Sunscreen Stick | Upgrade his grill situation (that includes SPF!!!).
The King Arthur Baking Company’s Book of Pizza + Bread and Pizza Stone + Pizza Oil | For the dad who got a pizza oven in the last six months.
The Hot Dog Cookbook + Classic Red-Check Paper Trays + A Good Topping | This can be his Hot Dog Summer™️.
Family Movie Night Menus + Red-Striped Ceramic Popcorn Bowl + Criterion Collection subscription | For the film loving dad.
Lido + Cabana Stripe Portable Beach Umbrella + Italian Spritz Cocktail Kit | Unless an Italy beach trip is in the cards instead?

A few more ideas:
Precision Drip Coffee Maker | My husband is very into coffee and this is what he recommended for a splurge gift.
Brick phone-blocker | For the dad who wants to break his phone habit (another Mike endorsement).
Daddy & me line portrait | This is so sweet, especially for a new dad.

The game plan: Give them the building blocks of a cooking routine — that includes shopping, dealing with leftovers, and cleaning.

Grocery List Notepad | Grocery runs start with a list.
Plant-Based Cutting Boards | Unlike wood blocks, these require no special care. (Discount code below)
Stainless Steel Cookware Set | A generous gift that will set up a first apartment kitchen.
Glass Food Storage Containers | Glass is dishwasher safe, and see-through containers mean those leftovers might actually get eaten.
Complete Kitchen Cleaning Collection | It can be daunting to start from scratch when it comes to cleaning supplies after life at home and/or in a dorm. (Discount code below)

A few more ideas:
I’ll Bring The Apps | So they aren’t showing up to potlucks empty handed.
Serving Platter | They can also use this as a catch-all tray on a dresser or tabletop.
Oyster Pot Holder | An excellent under-$20 kitchen gift. (Discount code below)

Discount Codes (and more gift ideas) for What Are We Having? Readers

Rachel Antonoff: 15% off with code* HILLARY15 | ‘Marie the Baguettes’ Slicker
Material Kitchen: 20% off with code HILLARY20 | The Clean Cook Set

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I love cooking shrimp at home. Shrimp cook quickly, are delicious, and are an objectively fun food to eat. Those are facts.

For chef Ham El-Waylly — you might know him from his popular recipes, the YouTube channel he shares with his wife , or from his hit Brooklyn restaurant Strange Delight — shrimp is even better when it’s fried. And when you’re following Ham’s clear directions, you don’t need to be intimated by the process.

Ham’s ginger-garlic-scallion shrimp cook q…

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Is kid food real and if yes, is that… bad?

That’s the question I set out to answer with fellow food-writer parents and a few weeks ago as a guest on their on their still-new but already essential podcast Food Parents. (They record via Substack Live — subscribe to Noah’s fantastic newsletter and you’ll automatically get the episodes in your inbox as well as his Extremely Good family-oriented recipes.)

Together, we covered some of my core feeding and parenting philosophies. I got into how I established a family food culture that cultivates a healthy body image, what some of our basic ground rules are (no short order cooking; most dinners get made in the kitchen; shortcuts and storebought are a-okay), and how I navigate my chief critic being a five year old when food is literally what I do for a living.

One of my biggest surprises from the recording was how easily I answered the rapid fire question asking for a piece of unsolicited parenting advice. Turns out, there was something I felt strongly about:

It’s your job to say no and to teach your child how to hear and live with no.

Experiencing (and having) boundaries, holding disappointment, having to compromise — those are all things I want my child learning how to do while she’s safe and loved at home.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it!

Books, articles, and recipes mentioned:

• Helen Zoe Veit’s New York Times Opinion piece: “There’s a Reason American Kids are Such Picky Eaters” (gift link)

• Michael Moss’s Salt Sugar Fat

• ’s Thai-Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup (gift link)

• My lunch box freezer trick (unlocked from the archives!)

🗨️ I’d love to throw you some of the same questions Noah and Lesley threw my way. Let me know in the comments:

• Is your kid a “good eater”?

• How do you deal with kids’ rejection/criticism of the food you make?

• Is ‘kid food’ actually a thing? Does it exist? Is it just marketing?

• What’s your take on the idea that picky eating is a modern invention?

• What’s one piece of unsolicited parenting advice you’d give?

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My friends at Eater have generously sponsored today’s newsletter, so today’s post is free for everyone — and I’m also sharing more of my restaurant recommendations on their brand new app, which you can download here. My former colleagues have redesigned the app from top to bottom to make it easier for diners to get trusted restaurant recommendations, bookmark and make lists, and, helpfully, book tables right from the app. Fellow restaurant lovers, the Eater app — and today’s newsletter — is very much for you. Let’s get into it! 🍽️

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Coffee

Everyman Espresso | Still my favorite coffee shop in all of New York City. Getting to start each morning here was so good for my soul. Fun fact: My husband and I had Everyman Espresso serving coffee at our wedding!

Think Coffee | As it was even back in my day, Think Coffee is a great place to get some reading or writing done in the afternoon. To complete the Hillary-in-2012 of it all, the soundtrack was literally Temper Trap and Two Door Cinema Club when I was in around 3:30.

Breakfast

Brooklyn Bagel | An extremely solid New York-y bagel shop. I didn’t have a chance to make it to my former bagel haunts — Terrace Bagel, Bagel Bobs, and of course, Russ & Daughters — but I was thrilled that I still got a great, classic-style NY bagel in on this trip.

Unregular Bakery | This was the bagel shop that was next door to our hotel. There was an impressive, stunt-adjacent spread of vegan pastries (I didn’t try those) along with well executed sourdough bagels. I liked mine! But as a visitor, I think I just prefer sticking with the classic NY style instead.

Bien Cuit | Technically I ate my pain au raisins as an afternoon snack, but it was great to see that bakery I spent so many Saturday mornings at when I lived in Brooklyn is still excellent.

Lunch

Sailor | And technically, this was a weekend brunch, but who cares! Sailor is everything April Bloomfield does best, so when I tell you that my meal of Caesar salad, french fries, and bacon was note perfect I know you’ll believe me.

FieldTrip | We popped in here after a full day at MoMa, in need of a quick bite to tide us over until our post-theater dinner. It was absolutely the right call. Service was fast and efficient, the chickpea curry was flavorful, and the hidden greens were an absolutely essential refuel. If I worked in Midtown East I’d be at FieldTrip at least once a week.

More of my NYC lunch recs here

Drinks

Park Hyatt Union Square Lobby Bar | Having a drink at your own hotel’s bar is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Bar Snack | Met up with friends here to celebrate my birthday and being in New York City. The cocktails were superb (I got the salad negroni and the tom tom paloma), the room was lively, and the red light was suitably glowy for a big night out (even though it was only 6:30pm).

Dinner

Union Square Cafe | Ever since leaving New York City back in 2015, I’ve always made sure that each return visit involves either Union Square Cafe or Balthazar. I’m glad I chose USC this time: For a first full meal after a cross-country flight, the warm service and distinctly adult dining room was just right. If they’re still on the menu when you go, I highly recommend the meyer lemon ricotta agnolotti. So incredibly silky!

Stars | Stars is a perfect wine bar: It’s chic, it’s small, you feel in-the-know just by getting in. And then the wines (and the n/a options) are great. And then the food is exactly what you want, too, from warm marinated olives to fancy carrot salad triangles to expertly curated cheeses and crusty bread. I really struggled with whether to categorize this one as drinks or dinner, but since I left full, dinner it is!

Japonica | This restaurant is pure nostalgia. It’s been open since before I was born, serving extremely solid Japanese food on University Place. It ended up being the perfect place to duck into on a blustery night post-theater for chirashi and veggie rolls. (The show, Dirty Books, is still running on 14th Street. It’s an immersive installation of a play that explores censorship, desire, and the world of smutty book publishing of the 50s/60s. I loved it, and it’s still running! Go see it!)

Bar Kabawa | This is where to have a proper weekend night out. We dropped in around 9pm on a Friday night as a group of 4, took over the standing table in the center of the room and had a party of a meal that spanned a couple hours. I’ve been a huge fan of Paul Carmichael’s cooking since we worked together a million years ago, and I’m just so happy (and a bit jealous) that New York City gets to enjoy his food again. Get the patties, get the coco bread, get the daiquiris, get better luck than I had with the dice on the table.

What kind of restaurant recommendations can I help you with? Let me know in the comments!

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Coffee

Elixir | My go-to coffee spot in Philly for over 10 years!

Lunch

Emilia | The new Greg Vernick spot, got to go with a bunch of fellow writers in a visit organized by the Chef Assembly. Lovely room, solid pasta — if I lived in this neighborhood I’d be there often.

Dinner

Sergeantsville Inn Pop-Up | Continuing with my month-long theme of reconnecting with former coworkers from my NYC restaurant days, I checked out Sean Gray’s pop-up at Pizzeria Beddia. The former Ko chef now runs the Seargantsville Inn, and he brought some amazing dishes to Philly. His iconic cold fried chicken? Incredible. The shrimp casino? Decadent. The mustard pie pizza? Crushable.

Pizzeria Beddia | Yeah so I did go to Pizzeria Beddia twice on this trip, but I didn’t actually order from the Beddia menu that first visit and I’m glad I made time to go back. The pizza never fails to impress here. Do also get the tomato pie app (focaccia topped with tomato sauce). Our order this time: The standard #1, with anchovies, and the special #5 with mushrooms and onion. Both pies were standouts.

Her Place Supper Club | Five years in and Amanda Shulman’s pop-up-turned-mainstay is better than ever. I’d rave about my rabbit pie and whitefish caponata, but the fact is, they rotate the menu every three weeks, so you probably won’t have anything I had. But definitely go.

More of my Philly dinner recs here

Dinner

Sqirl | Sqirl soft launched dinner service in February, and I felt lucky to get a table early in March. Showing up with a reservation and just being taken to a table feels positively luxurious compared to the many cumulative hours I’ve spent waiting in line for brunch there over the years. Dinner had no misses, but from my order, my strongest recommendations are the blood orange cosmo, the beet agnolotti (two standout agnolotti dishes in one month!), and the french fries. Next time, I’m getting the chicken — everyone’s raving about it.

Hippo | I have a bit of a tradition of having a restaurant dinner with my husband, daughter, and mom on my actual birthday. This year, we went to Hippo which, if you book on the early side, is one of the most kid-friendly restaurants that’s not explicitly family-oriented. (Excellent butter noodles, per Claire.) In a classic “do as I say, not as I do,” I strongly recommended my husband and mom to focus on the grill section of the menu — while Hippo is known for pasta I think the grill section really shines. That said, I almost always order pasta for myself (that visit, conchiglie with fennel sausage and broccoli rabe).

More of my LA date nights recs here

Today's post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

In this series, we cook to please ourselves — not the kids. Check out the Adult Dinner manifesto and read on for the latest recipe: an under-30-minute salmon dinner, complete with a craveable side salad, by recipe developer and cookbook author . Let’s get into it!

Alexis deBoschnek gets it. Her latest cookbook is split between weeknight and weekend cooking — and she doesn’t mess around with her commitment to keeping weeknight cooking actually achievable for busy people. (I love her cookbook, Nights & Weekends — I’ve raved about it here, here, and here, and shared a fantastic sheet-pan recipe from the book here!)

When I told Alexis that I was dreaming of a hot honey and miso salmon, she immediately started riffing. Her result is one of the best salmon dinners I’ve made in ages. I tested this with the classic Mike’s Hot Honey, Alexis used Zab’s; so feel free to use your favorite (or head to the Swaps section for instructions on how to make your own spicy honey).

“Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or date night, I love any meal that comes together in under 30 minutes,” says Alexis. “I’ve intentionally called for mixing the salad first, before baking the salmon, so that it has ample time to soak up glaze. While the salmon is in the oven, set the table, have a glass of wine, or just put your feet up for a well deserved few-minute break.”

Taking a break while the meal cooks is so thoroughly in the spirit of Adult Dinner. You don’t need to be productive every waking moment, fellow caregivers!

While this recipe is 100% special enough to dedicate some time and energy for making post-kid-bedtime, it’s also quick enough that you can easily double it for a weeknight family dinner. I hope you’ll love it as much as Alexis and I both do!

Please let us know if you make this recipe by sharing your results in the subscribers’ Chat, tag us in a Substack Note, or on Instagram @hillarydixlercanavan and @alexisdeboschnek. (There’s a PDF version of this recipe at the bottom that you can download or print if that’s more your speed.)

PS - For another Adult Dinner recipe, check out: Calabrian Shrimp Pasta.

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Ranking the best meals of my 30s is on its face absurd, but I love a challenge. And a bit about my use of the word “best” here. More than an assessment of technical excellence or culinary innovation, I’m using the word to mean apex, pinnacle, defining.

In my 30s I: lived in San Francisco; got engaged; got married; then moved to Los Angeles; scouted restaurants across the country as Eater’s restaurant editor; had a baby; wrote a cookbook; left my job after ~11 years; started freelancing; launched this newsletter. Through the highs and lows of growing into my adult self in my 30s — an ongoing process!! — there was always good food.

Together, these meals — the experiences, the memories, and the photos — are a scrapbook of the past 10 years. To see them together makes me feel awe and wonder over my tremendous good fortune to live this life — and how much my life changed in my 30s.

My birthday wish is that my 40s are just as fulfilling and delicious!

All photos by me unless otherwise noted.

30. Z & Y Restaurant with Cecilia Chiang, San Francisco, 2016

Cecilia Chiang was a remarkable woman and I will always cherish the time I got to spend with her both at this dinner (at one of her favorite Chinese restaurants in SF) and at her home. To learn more about Cecilia’s story of resilience and ambition, check out this feature I worked on, with Cecilia in conversation with her dear friend, the pastry chef Belinda Leong) from 2018.

29. Verti Mart, New Orleans, 2019

We ate fried shrimp and oyster po’boys and drank beers right on a stoop at 2 am, as New Orleans intended.

28. Willie Mae’s, New Orleans, 2019

To date, one of the only lines I’ve ever happily waited on. Truly perfect fried chicken. It was hard picking only two meals from this trip!!

27. Vespertine x Destroyer X Dialogue triple-header, Los Angeles, 2017

Because my friend Helen and I booked our trip to LA specifically to dine at Vespertine and Dialogue on consecutive nights, the experience is forever linked in my head as one 48 hour meal. Highlights: The cardamom buns at Destroyer, the modernist soup course at Dialogue, our Vespertine outfits, and being IRL at a restaurant I had gone full flood-the-zone blogger on from the first “it is from a time that is yet to be, and a place that does not exist” backstory reveal.

26. Summit Diner, New Jersey, 2019

I went back to New Jersey for a milestone high school reunion — no one in my nuclear family lives there anymore, so this felt like a sacred goodbye-for-now diner tour, complete with Mike’s very first Taylor ham and cheese. We also went to my true home diner: The Ritz Diner in Livingston.

25. Zoefoodparty Women Supporting Women Eating Breakfast, Pasadena, 2025

This event just proved how fun food can be, and how an expert host like Zoë Komarin can bring together a group of people who don’t know each other well and have them leave as friends. With the ingredients Zoë assembled, with a pizza-dough assist from Ines Glaser, we devised an incredible menu together. I still think about the chicken fried sole and the charred scallion and cherry butter often, and luckily Zoë shared the recipes here.

24. The Jerk Shack, San Antonio, 2019

This was one of my first BNR picks when I became Eater’s restaurant editor, and it’s been a pleasure to see this restaurant’s growth and success in the years since. And just look at that fried chicken. (Also noticing a lot of fried chicken on this list. I am who I am!)

23. Quinnies, Hudson, 2024

This was our (Mike and my) first meal in Hudson on our FIRST overnight as a couple away from our daughter, who by this point was 4 and staying at her grandparents house about an hour away. My friend Halle encouraged us to meet her at Quinnies, and we just had the best lunch sitting outside at the picnic tables digging into top-notch sandwiches and salads. I try to go back to Quinnie’s every summer, now — the Hudson overnight has become a tradition for us.

22. Han Oak, Portland, 2016

Still one of my favorite restaurants in Portland, OR, I first went a few months after they opened. Chef Peter Cho and I worked together a million years ago at the Breslin (him as executive chef me as… cocktail waitress and barista and room service order taker). I am so inspired by what he and his wife Sun Park have built together and the way they have woven their family and well-being into the very fabric of their business. The gorgeous dumpling soup deserves a shout out too.

21. Dole Whip, Disneyland, 2025

My first trip to Disneyland was also my daughter’s first trip to Disneyland and when I tell you I was genuinely surprised by how much the experience lived up to the hype, from the character meetings to the mega-famous Dole Whip. I will never go full Disney Adult, but I will very happily have another Dole Whip.

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Cook: Maybe because it’s still citrus season in California, but lately I’ve been craving all things lemon. ’s lemon chicken. Christian Reynoso’s creamy meyer lemon pasta (NYT gift link). I’ve never made avgolemono at home but almost always order it if I see it on a menu. Does anyone have a favorite avgolemono recipe? This one from (NYT gift link) looks good as does this one from The Mediterranean Dish.

Read: Platonic Love’s wrote a great list of takeaways from a year committed to cooking one new recipe a week and it got me thinking: How often do I cook new recipes? Then I realized, since I now keep a dinner log, I can check! I average at least one new recipe a week, month over month — but that doesn’t always mean full-blown newness. Sometimes it means taking something we know we like (say the MVP congee) and topping it with something I haven’t served my family before (like these soy-glazed mushrooms).

How often do you try new recipes? Any you’ve especially liked lately? Let me know in the comments!

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Shop: I took the food-pro parent advice from the lunch box month survey and got a stainless steel Planet Box bento. But instead of getting the large one, I got my daughter this smaller size which fits nicely in her insulated lunch bag. I also got this stainless steel snack container — I’m slowly phasing out our snap-top plastic containers. (After 3 years of daily use, the lids that are starting to warp past the point of effectiveness and I’m beyond sick of handwashing them anyway). A couple weeks in, I’m thrilled with durability and dishwasherability™ of both products.

Cook: For a parents-only school potluck a few weeks ago, I made the charcuterie cream cheese dip from ’s new cookbook, I’ll Bring the Apps. You basically chop up salami, throw in some chopped roasted red pepper, olives, and chives and mix it all with whipped cream cheese. It was salty, decadent, and perfect with pita chips. I also made this bean salad, this feta-jalapeño dip, and a few mains. Tell me: What’s your go-to dish when you’re bringing something to a potluck?

Win a Copy of I’ll Bring the Apps!

Here’s how to enter the giveaway. By noon ET on Tuesday, March 17:

1. Subscribe to What Are We Having? Already a subscriber? Then skip to the next step.

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2. Tap the heart to like this post.

3. Leave a comment on this post. That’s it!

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Fine print: Must 18 or over to enter, US addresses only, no purchase necessary. This contest is not administered or sponsored by Substack. The winner will be randomly selected, and notified by email and Substack direct message. Ends March 17, 2026 at noon ET.

Read: Puff: All About Air, Drop: An Adventure through the Water Cycle, and Ray: How Light Works, all by Emily Kate Moon. These books came into my family’s life thanks to my friend . They follow the story of how air, water, and light work with cute characters representing each element and we’ve read them approximately one million times. My daughter has been so inspired about what she’s learned that in her Kindergarten classroom, next to her photo on the display board it says: “A hope I have for Kindergarten is… to see what air molecules look like!”

Shop: Thanks to the magic of auto-scheduled newsletter sends, this email is hitting inboxes as I’m on a plane to New York City to join my best friend in celebrating our upcoming 40th birthdays. As someone who used to fly every few weeks for work, here are some of my nonnegotiables — all of which I’m probably using in some capacity right now. Wheeled carry-on. Over-ear bluetooth headphones. E-reader. Sanitizing wipes and admittedly fancy hand sanitizer (an AMAZING gift from my husband). Rich hand cream. A good lip balm. Crunchy snacks. Protein-y snacks. And, when I’m traveling solo and therefore treating my alone time on the airplane like a vacation in and of itself: Face mist, face cream, and under eye mask. Mostly, my plan for this cross-country travel day is to listen to an audiobook (maybe I’ll start The Tainted Cup) , do my crafts, and get myself in the vacation zone!

Cook from the Archives: For another lemon-y recipe idea, this one-pan cod in lemon butter broth by chef Karen Akunowicz is extremely beginner friendly. You got this!

Today’s post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something — at no extra cost to you. Shopping from What Are We Having? is a great way to support this publication and its contributors! Check out all previous recommendations here.

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Below the paywall:

• The best dinners I cooked in February

• The best restaurant meals I had in February

• The links you all clicked the most in February

My 5 favorite dinners this month

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