Issue 226

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Patio Meals

The Fantasy, the Chaos, and the Fixes

As moms, there’s a special kind of excitement that comes with warm weather, when the kids can finally eat outside. Because patio meals mean less indoor mess… right? Right?? And yet every summer, we relearn—and it’s somehow always news to us—that outdoor meals end up creating bigger messes in both locations. Between the sticky indoor‑outdoor shuffle, windblown paper goods, and ketchup‑glossed doorknobs, we usually wind up with more cleanup, not less.

So this year, instead of acting surprised by the mess (again), we’re going in with strategy. A handful of tiny, almost embarrassingly simple hacks can keep outdoor meals from spiraling into a double disaster. Here are the ones worth knowing.

Start with coffee filters for finger foods. Hot dogs, sliders, anything handheld—drop them into a coffee filter and let the filter catch the drippings before they reach the elbow, the shirt, the patio floor—and ultimately, your kitchen floor. For drinks, cupcake liners over cups with a straw poked through keep drinks from being “accidentally” dumped over a sibling’s lap because “there was a fly inside!”

Keeping the mess outdoors means bringing the trash can outdoors—or even hanging a trash bag over a chair—so you’re not running inside with every dripping piece of trash and sticky bun now glued to the bottom of your shoe. Pair that with a soapy bin for grill utensils and used cutlery, then carry it inside in one go, leaving your countertops clean‑ish and your utensils ready to rinse.

Next, streamline the in‑and‑out chaos. A cutlery holder keeps kids from running into the house every time they need a new spoon, drop their fork, or decide their sibling breathed on their cup (which makes it unusable forever, of course). Everything stays in one caddy—accessible, contained, and cleared off in one go. And a large serving tray lets you carry everything in and out in a single trip (okay, five).

And of course, the wind—the uninvited guest that shows up purely to wreck things. You think you finally have the patio under control, and suddenly your neighbor’s grass is littered with remnants of your dignity. Use bedsheet clips to keep the tablecloth from taking off, and binder clips to secure napkins to something sturdy, such as the cutlery caddy. That way you’re not shouting across property lines for someone to “pass the napkins.”

With a few simple tweaks, outdoor meals stop being a mess migration and start resembling the summer meals you imagined—noise, negotiations, and all.

Veggie Sliders

A perfect appetizer or hearty side dish, these crispy vegetable patties are bursting with flavor. While they do require some time to prepare, they're absolutely worth the effort—sure to impress your family and wholesome enough to feel good about serving!

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How to play
​You'll be presented with a logic challenge. Try to solve it using only your mind — no pen or paper needed!

Challenge: What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month?

​Look out for the answer in Monday's edition

Yesterday's challenge: pasta
Yesterday's answer: patas, tapas, ataps

Here, we ask real women the questions you wish you could ask — confessions, quirks, and secret survival hacks included. Want to be featured? Reply to this email with the words “Feature Me”.

Something I recently embraced: Learning Shemiras Halashon daily.

The thing I said I’d never do (but now do): Allow my kids to leave before having a proper breakfast.

This comes easily to me: The kitchen. I love cooking, baking and being creative in the kitchen.

I struggle with: Bedtime—getting the kids to sleep, especially in the summer. The sun goes down, but nobody else does.

A confession: My kids know that when they beg for a snack before supper, it's my weakness...

People are surprised: Are surprised by how often I have nieces' and nephews' weddings because my husband and I are both among the younger siblings in large families. It's not always easy with a young family, but we're grateful it's for simchas!

My sanity saver: My sisters.

My current survival strategy: I put a doorknob lock on my door for my toddler this week.

A shortcut I'll never apologize for: Betty Crocker for breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks. I even use it for soft-boiled eggs in a pinch. That thing has earned permanent counter space.

The chore I avoid at all costs: Sorting papers. Every time I think I'm making progress, another pile appears, so I just give up.

My easiest dinner win: Hiding chicken in a sandwich with veggies—the easiest way to get my kids to eat a balanced meal.

My most repeated weekly purchase: String cheese. Perfect for breakfast in a pinch or a healthy afternoon snack.

In my pantry, you’ll always find: Kani and broccoli.

In my pantry, you’ll never find: I wish I could keep food coloring out completely, but I do try my best.