Jodi Nisly Hertzler, a former Service Adventure leader in Oregon, and Carmen Wyse, daughter of mission workers in South America, recently served as food testers and editors for a new book, Whatever Happened to Dinner? Recipes and Reflections for Family Mealtime. The two are the guests on this week’s Shaping Families radio program, talking about their work on the book and their commitment to making family mealtime a priority.

Both women are members of Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Va., and both say their formative church-related experiences were important to how they approach cooking, foods, and family mealtime today.

“Cooking and sharing meals on a tight budget [while Service Adventure leaders] kindled my interest in creating healthy meals from whole foods,” Jodi says. Carmen adds that while growing up in South America, the cultural meal schedule meant her family ate three meals together, every day. “While our current lifestyle and schedule doesn’t allow for that, it has not been a stretch to make evening meals together a priority."

The Shaping Families radio program airs each weekend on 18 local stations and online at www.ShapingFamilies.com. For weekly program updates, sign up for “Shaping Families Update” at “Subscribe.” Also featured at the website is a weekly blog by host Burton Buller, a weekly recipe from Shaping Families staff and contributors, a study guide for small groups and Sunday school classes, and many additional resources. Shaping Families is produced by Third Way Media through Mennonite Mission Network.