We are in the midst of a blog series where we ask our family members about food, specifically around the holidays. It’s my turn and we get to hear from my dad, Bob! He’s a man of few words so you’ll see I added some color commentary to his answers.

First, a little bit about Bob. He is retired. He has two daughters and three grandsons. He was born and raised in Iowa City and lives there today with my mom, Betsy. My mom handles most of the cooking at their house, but he is excellent at the grill. Here is what he had to share with us!

Q: What is your favorite holiday food memory?

A: Carving the turkey. He does this every year and is very good at it! A taste or two along the way for quality control is just part of the job.

Q: What is a holiday food that always makes you smile?

A: Casserole of leftovers. My mom layers Thanksgiving leftovers in a casserole dish to heat up later. It’s usually mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey and gravy layered together and then frozen. The amount of each depends on how much we have left. It makes for a tasty sequel to Thanksgiving dinner a few days or even weeks later.

Q: When you feel rushed during the holidays what is a food you would have at your house?

A: I’m not in charge of the food inventory. Probably frozen soup. My mom makes a variety of tasty soups and always has one or two in the freezer for busy nights.

Q: What is one tip that you would like to share for eating healthy on a budget?

A: Cook and eat at home. This may not be the most exciting tip, but it’s a good one. When we cook and prepare most of our meals at home, it is almost always less expensive than a restaurant. Additionally, you can choose foods that are consistent with your own health needs and goals.

Q: What is your favorite Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipe?

A: Sloppy Joes. I agree these are delicious! The sauce is a little bit less sweet than the type you can buy in a jar. It’s also a great recipe to double so you have a batch in the freezer for a busy night.

A big thank you to my dad for playing along with our questions. Next week we will have our final blog in this series from Katy and her family.