Family Dinner

The Brundidge motto is, "Happiness is a choice," and it is a choice they try to make every day. Shawn loves cooking up childhood staples and New Orleans classics that help the family make new memories around the dinner table.

The Biegels have been growing cranberries on their marsh in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, for five generations. Caring for cranberries keeps them busy year-round, but they always make time for family meals on Sundays.

New Jersey sisters Sarah and Kaitlin Leung missed their childhood meals when their parents moved to Beijing in 2013. Together, they started a food blog featuring traditional Chinese recipes to keep the family connected.

Helen and Al Arends of Willmar, MN, love feeding people and with eight kids, they have a crowd before anyone else shows up. When work on their family farm ends on Friday, everyone makes a point to be home for favorites like Helen's Russian pelmeni.

The Cataldos have run their family pork store for generations in Massapequa, New York. Now that Emily and Sam's children are living nearby, the whole gang comes home on Monday nights to catch up and enjoy a traditional family meal.

The Steffans are a Midwestern family who realizes the importance of food when it comes to keeping their blended family close in good times and bad. Recipes are named after family members, and even the serving bowls hold cherished memories.

The Leons are Miami restaurateurs who work together at their Cuban eatery. They love to unwind with family dinners several times a week and always have enough delectable food for their friends in the neighborhood.

The Terrys are members of the Ho-Chunk Nation -- a Native American tribe that, according to oral history, has lived in Wisconsin prior to two ice ages. They believe that food nourishes the body and reconnects them with their land and their ancestors.

There is a feeling of nostalgia behind every African dish the Adeniyi-Taiwo family cooks and eats together. Every Sunday means family dinner at Melody and Hakim's house, and to them, sharing their food and culture is sharing love.

The Zuber family has roots dating back to the founding of Amana Colonies in Iowa by German immigrants. Everyone is family in Amana and Andrew quickly learns that though many residents leave, they always find their way home.

For the DiBernardo family in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, dinner together is an institution as three generations carry on traditions established in their Sicilian grandparents' home. Their legendary dishes include Grandma's pork red sauce and handmade pasta.

Family meals are a source of strength and pride for Laura Rodriguez, a mom who sacrificed everything to make a better life for her family in the United States. Every dish they make, including birria and handmade tortillas, is a nod to their Mexican roots.

For the Beevas family of Minneapolis, food is healing in every way, and they're known for serving and sharing food with the people in their community. Every meal Tomme Beevas makes shows his Caribbean influence and is a nod to his Jamaican roots.

When family isn't nearby, quality time with friends becomes extra important. Minneapolis couple Jon and Laurel have friends who work in the food industry, so their shared meals are top-notch and big enough for all who drop by.

The Palmer family shares their love for all things maple at their family sugar shack in Shelburne, Vermont, much like Grandma Palmer did in the 1940s. From hot dogs to desserts, every recipe includes a little maple syrup.

Jerome Smallwood and his wife, Brianna, share a passion for cooking soul food at their home in Cedar Rapids, IA. Jerome learned the majority of the recipes he makes from his mom, Vivian, who taught her kids the importance of cooking for themselves.

The Petrillo family landed in Florida after a family vacation from New York and never left. The passionate family has an appreciation for southern Italian cooking, love sharing old and new recipes and entertaining their friends in the Miami heat.

The Pinheiros are a large Portuguese and Brazilian family who gather most weekends to cook traditional dishes like picanha and octopus. Then, they enjoy a "loud" dinner in the basement, the only place they all can fit, and end the day with a dance party.