How our Friday Night Pizza Night Helps Our Family Connect During Back to School

Thank you Ellio’s Pizza for sponsoring this post. Visit your local retailer to pick up your own Ellio’s Pizza for a pizza night in!

Every back-to-school season is filled with changes in the air, no matter what stage you are in life. Not only is this year no exception, but it’s a bit of a doozy! Ok, it’s a major doozy.

This is my year of two kids in the same school for the first time! Scarlet is in third grade which seems like SUCH a big grade to me. She no longer talks about pink princesses all of the time. Instead, she often has her nose in a book, or is talking about animals, running, or how much she likes school. Des started kindergarten only weeks ago and I’m still not sure how he likes it – he does look forward to going back every morning.

Sometimes they get in the car and Scarlet is bubbling over with vivid stories about her day, while Des is more silent. Occasionally, it’s the reverse. I know they’re young but I sometimes feel like that closeness is fading away. From when I held them as babies, and helped them through first steps, potty training, language, manners and now with the first month of school, I miss them when they’re gone. We all have busy lives. With school, work and house renovations, it’s easy to sometimes feel disconnected.

Let’s talk about the five W’s. First we have The Who: my family of four! The what? Pizza Night, of course. Where? At home, and not at a busy restaurant. When? Every Friday night around 6:00 pm. Why? We need to reconnect after busy weeks apart.

The Why, Part 2: Why do we choose Ellio’s Pizza? It’s because it’s unanimous! Ellio’s Pizza will forever make me think of the last day of summer and the start of school. With school starting earlier this month, I am remembering my childhood more than ever. When you’re one of five kids, pizza night is interesting at best. How many boxes of pizza did my parents have to buy? How many times did they hear us bickering about pizza? Luckily, Ellio’s frozen pizza took away the arguments.

It’s uniquely convenient. It’s also satisfying and a fun snack or meal option you can serve your kids in no time, AND feel good about it. Ellio’s Pizza uses only the freshest ingredients, with 100% real cheese and no artificial flavors. There are two different crust types – Original Crust and Sicilian Style – and eight total pizza flavors. We all have our personal favorites!

Lately I’m into Ellio’s Sicilian Style Pizza because it combines the taste of Ellio’s classic sauce and 33% more cheese with a delicious, thicker crust. It’s both crispy and crunchy on the outside, and deliciously light on the inside!

1 – It gives us something to look forward to every week, and to learn about consistency and commitment to important plans.

2 – It teaches us nutrition as we talk about the fresh ingredients, and how we pair pizza with a side salad or autumn roasted vegetables.

3 – It causes us to unplug. No screens during dinner. No TV, no video games, no phones and no books either.

4 – When you name a night together – example: Friday Pizza Night – it becomes memorable. This strengthens our bond.

5 – When we designate our night to bond and eat pizza, we focus on each other. This helps us all to open up more.

No doubt about it – family pizza night is special. I grew up in the Northeast, and so did Cassidy. We’re raising our kids here, too! Ellio’s Pizza was launched in Long Island, NY in 1963 and I love how consistent it’s been throughout our lives. Same great taste we enjoyed as kids.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Dr. Oetker USA LLC. I received compensation for this post, however all opinions stated are my own.

Thank you Ellio’s Pizza for sponsoring this post. Visit your local retailer to pick up your own Ellio’s Pizza for a pizza night in!