Martina McBride Wants Families to ‘Share the Table’

Striking a healthy balance between motherhood and music keeps Martina McBride on her toes. And one of the most important things for the mother of three is making sure she spends dinnertime with her family. Now Martina wants to help families all across America do the same. Joining forces with famed chef Mario Batali, and pasta company Barilla, Martina has added her powerful voice to "Share The Table: The Barilla Family Dinner Project."

The initiative, created in response to a study done by Barilla that revealed that most Americans craved more meaningful dinnertime experiences as a family, asks Americans to set aside time to eat together as a family, without distractions, and then to share their experiences at ShareTheTable.com.

"With my busy schedule, I have to be creative about making time for the family to dine together," says Martina. "Now I can share the steps my family takes to make the most of our time together, like keeping a few staples on hand in the pantry and fridge so we can create a quick dinner together even after a late day of work and school. And I'm promising to help my daughters develop a healthy relationship with food that will stick with them forever."

And even when they're not at home, Martina takes the family dinner-table experience on the road with her. "I even have a kitchen in my trailer, so we can cook when I'm on tour," she says.

If your time to prepare meals is often limited, Martina can relate, and she has some advice to offer: "Don't feel guilty if dinner sometimes consists of leftovers, as long as you're eating together!"

Mario, whose culinary creations have earned him the prestigious James Beard award, shares some of his recipes on the Share the Table website, and has pledged to donate $1 to Meals on Wheels for every person who promises to 'share the table.' Meals on Wheels delivers more than one million meals a day to people in need.