Long ago, when I was writing a magazine article about what parents could do to promote family happiness, I remember being surprised at the additional point my editor suggested adding. It’s good to keep the refrigerator stocked with good food, she said.

I’d been interviewing experts about family self-esteem and other heady topics, forgetting that all the good feelings in the world aren’t much help unless there’s a healthy body to receive them. 

Our refrigerator serves only two people now, so there’s a limit to how stocked it can be. But a couple of recent holidays plus entertaining out-of-town family last weekend means it’s been fuller than it usually is. And yes, that is happy-making … but only because it means I won’t have to cook this week. 

(No open-fridge photos this morning, but here’s one of a salad that came out of it.)