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Strega Nona’s Harvest dinner menu

A fall family dinner menu inspired by the children’s book Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola.

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Our Family Dinner Book Club theme for the year is Celebrations! This month we’re celebrating Fall Harvest with Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola. To accompany this themed dinner menu, Growing Book by Book has a reading list of additional books. Sunny Day Family shares a selection of crafts to help celebrate.

Strega Nona’s Harvest is part of a series of books about Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola. These books are favorites in this house and are read time and time again. I am always more than happy to create a dinner menu inspired by this Italian granny. 

In Strega Nona’s Harvest, Big Anthony is being sneaky as usual and getting himself into a bit of trouble. He wants to make his own garden to rival Strega Nona’s, but things quickly get out of hand. This is such a great book for the Fall season and it features so much produce to get kids interested in various fruits and vegetables. 

Our family dinner book club menu for this month features lots of colorful and seasonal produce along with a fun sparkling drink and a sweet treat to finish the meal.

Strega Nona’s Harvest
Family Dinner Book Club
Menu

Pasta Fagioli (soup)
-with parmesan cheese, parsley, bread and butter
Roasted Butternut Squash
Roasted Cauliflower
Honeydew Melon
Streghe Bevono (witches brew)
Poached Pears with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

What can I make ahead of time for this Strega Nona’s Harvest dinner menu? 

Pasta Fagioli – all of the vegetables can be washed, peeled, and chopped 1-2 days before cooking. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container until ready to use. You can also fully cook the soup, leaving the pasta out, then store the completed soup in the fridge in an air-tight container until ready to serve. When ready, reheat the soup in a pot on the stove, add the pasta and cook until al dente. 

Roasted Vegetables – the cauliflower and butternut squash can each be washed and chopped 1-2 days before cooking. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container until ready to use. 

Honeydew Melon – this can be chopped and stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. 

How can I get the kids involved in cooking this Strega Nona’s Harvest dinner menu?

  • Young kids can help measure ingredients and add chopped ingredients to the soup pot. 
  • Take the kids to the grocery or farmer’s market to choose the fruits and vegetables you will be serving as side dishes. 
  • Older kids can help wash, peel, and chop vegetables for the soup. 
  • Let the kids measure and mix the ingredients for the witches brew, and allow them to taste the drink and decide if it needs more juice, more ice, or sweetener. 

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