Connecting through holiday meals and celebration

Breaking Bread, Nourishing Connections is a unique book focusing on mealtime as a way to connect all types of people, those with disabilities and without, friends, family, and even strangers, all who come together with the same goal in mind: to prepare and enjoy a delicious meal. 

Mealtimes, however, are about much more than the physical act of eating — they’re also about enjoying the company of others, nourishing human connections, and participating in a meaningful social ritual. Unfortunately, people with disabilities often miss out on these essential aspects of dining. Parents, friends, and human services professionals can learn how to change or improve the lives of people with disabilities with Breaking Bread, Nourishing Connections.

This book is a warm and engaging guide to fostering pleasurable, fully inclusive mealtimes for people with disabilities. It discusses what “mealtime” involves, table manners, safe food preparation, social interactions, various rituals of mealtime, holiday meals, and also includes over 40 easy-to-follow recipes.

Some of the most memorable meals we share with family and friends involve the holidays. All holidays celebrated both in the United States and around the world are unique and special to different people for different reasons.  They consist of wonderful food and distinctive traditions based on religious and social rituals ranging from Christmas and Hanukah, to non-religious celebrations of Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. The common thread of every holiday is simple: all are occasions of merriment when we’re made to feel special by those we love. This is the reason I am contacting you again about this wonderful book: people with disabilities should have the opportunity to experience these pleasures to their fullest, and mealtime can be an ideal place to break down barriers.

Independence Day is just around the corner… You can make any 4^th of July cookout more inclusive with some of the easy-to-follow, tasty recipes found in Breaking Bread, Nourishing Connections. The recipes in the book are as easy as pie…and speaking of pie…be sure to try “Jim’s Apple Pie” recipe (p. 236) for an all-American dessert your guests will love.  Jim’s is just one of many recipes from Breaking Bread that will make a nice addition to your meal…and don’t forget the “Chickpea Salad” (p. 210), the “Mustard Slaw” (p. 242), and “Lalita’s Friendship Brownies” (p. 242).   This should almost cover the whole menu for your Independence Day celebration!