We want everyone to be supperheroes.

If having a strong family and raising kids who know how to serve others is important – or necessary – to you, my guest today will inspire, encourage, and challenge you to reach those goals!

He prefers the word “invite” over “challenge,” so I’m curious to hear what you think! 🙂

I was beyond honored to sit down with Fr. Leo Patalinghug, “the cooking priest,” to talk about family dinners, sharing responsibilities in the home, building memories around food, and how he’s serving many communities at once with his new food truck project.

You’ll hear:

  • Why being a priest and a chef are basically the same calling
  • Fr. Leo’s strong thoughts about family dinners and a strict boundary he encourages parents to set about dinner conversation
  • The science behind the necessity of gathering together around food
  • What Fr. Leo says to adults who don’t know how to cook and the impersonal tragedy of processed/delivered food
  • A priest’s prescription for date nights to keep the marriage strong (and be a good example for the children)
  • The Plating Grace and Grub food truck and how many communities and needs it serves (plus, YUM, I’m drooling over the menu!)
  • Some pointed words about media consumption, how we digest the words we’re told, and what we really need a revival of in America
  • Fr. Leo’s family experience with food saving relationships

There’s a reason Fr. Leo is an internationally renowned speaker and a TV host—he’s so great to listen to and has a LOT to say. Take notes!

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Can’t see the video? Watch Building Strong Families here on YouTube!

No time for the video? Here are the notes!

These time stamps align to the video and not the audio podcast, although they should be close.

Building Strong Families with Father Leo

  • 0:32: Today I’m talking with Father Leo Patalinghug who is known as “the cooking priest.”
  • 1:49: Father Leo shares how he lives out his calling to serve God through serving food to others.

I find it easier to touch people’s minds and hearts if I go through the stomach. The truth will taste better if it’s wrapped up in a delicious quesadilla. -Father Leo Patalinghug

  • 3:03: Food connects us in powerful ways. Let’s talk about the necessity of gathering as a family around the table. Here are some mealtime tips for families. You can find Father Leo’s latest book Saving the Family here.
  • 5:20: You don’t need to stress out about doing this perfectly. I believe studies show benefits beginning at 2 family meals per week. Start small and work up to your goals from there. This is about connection, not guilt for not having the perfect family dinner every single day.

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  • 5:58: You don’t have to be a superhero, but if you’re instituting family mealtime then you become a supperhero.
  • 7:27: We go through some practical ideas for difficult discussions that come up at the dinner table.

The dinner table needs to be an opportunity to build peace. -Father Leo Patalinghug

  • 9:36: A huge struggle for families can be picky eating. That makes a peaceful family dinner seem impossible.
  • 11:57: It’s important for kids to learn empathy by realizing that them saying something like “that’s disgusting!” can hurt the cook’s feelings. Start to shift language. Maybe it’s just “different” instead of disgusting. Something could be “new” or “not my favorite,” without being nasty or gross. There are some great strategies you can use to make vegetables more palatable to those picky eaters. 

Talk about why you don’t like a certain food. -Father Leo

  • 13:36: Father Leo recommends being very intentional about getting your kids in the kitchen and teaching them life skills there.
  • 15:10: Father Leo shares how to share the priority of family dinners with your kids.

I can teach anyone how to cook, but it’s another thing to teach someone how to serve and lovingly provide hospitality. -Father Leo Patalinghug

  • 18:55: What if the adults don’t know how to cook? Can family dinners happen with take-out?

People put way too many expectations on the family meal. It doesn't have to be instagramable. -Father Leo Patalinghug

  • 21:25: We have a lot of parents in Kids Cook Real Food™ who are learning to cook along with their kids. It’s so great for kids to see their parents learning alongside them.

Kids don’t need plastic knives. They need real skills.

Teach safe technique, focus, and confidence in the all-time fav lesson from our kids cooking class! (ages 2-12)






Or find out more about the free knife class here.

  • 22:35: The parents having a strong relationship is the hub of the family. Father Leo has some tips for strengthening your marriage through food.

If your kids don’t see you working on your relationship, they’ll think relationships are easy. -Father Leo Patalinghug

  • 25:26: We’ve talked a lot about food as service. Father Leo shares a bit about his food truck project Plating Grace and Grub.
  • 28:54: We’ve been in a tough time for many Catholic parishes. We’ve had over a year away from mass and many habitual Catholics have fallen out of habit. Father Leo shares some of his thoughts on this past year.

Our bodies are temples and we have to fill them with good things. -Father Leo Patalinghug

  • 35:01: We leave you with a message of hope and encouragement.

Resources We Mention for Building Strong Families

Fr. Leo PatalinghugFr. Leo Patalinghug, also known as “the cooking priest,” is a priest in a community of consecrated life, Voluntas Dei (The Will of God). He is the creator and founder of an international food and faith movement called Plating Grace, and the founder and chair of the nonprofit group The Table Foundation. He is a best-selling author, acclaimed international speaker, and podcast and TV host. Plating Grace is a fun, family-focused, dynamic ministry seeking to bring about a future of stronger families, closer relationships, and a deeper understanding of Jesus as Food for our mind, body, and soul!

Building, strong connected families