American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) is the only professional association dedicated to family and consumer sciences students and professionals. You know, that stuff we used to call Home Economics. Stop laughing. “Family and consumer sciences is the comprehensive body of skills, research, and knowledge that helps people make informed decisions about their well being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life. The field represents many areas, including human development, personal and family finance, housing and interior design, food science, nutrition, and wellness, textiles and apparel, and consumer issues.” [logo and quote from http://www.aafcs.org]

AAFCS was founded by Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman to graduate from MIT. AAFCS has designated her birthday, December 3rd, as their first annual Family & Consumer Sciences Day. The premise is simple – they just ask that families prepare and eat a healthy meal together on December 3rd.

So that’s what I’m suggesting — dine in tonight. Make a homemade meal. Even if all you do is boil up some (whole wheat) pasta and heat the sauce up in the microwave, be generous with the pre-shredded parm (I do). Maybe pour a glass of wine too? I’m hoping to make gumbo with the duck stock I made over the weekend. A little turkey kielbasa, some shrimp and fish and okra from the freezer — it’s pretty easy to pull together. But yes, we’ll feel like we are Dining In.

#FCSday