Is Sunday dinner a lost tradition? Most people might say yes. You’d certainly think so from a New York Times article, “Sunday Dinner, Old and New,” which lamented the death of the Sunday dinner. But here’s the kicker: The article was published in 1929. The piece opines, “The pace of modern life is to blame, and two of its major problems are specifically responsible.” The two major problems? Uppity servant girls wanting a day off and put-upon housewives unwilling to pick up the slack. If only women did what they were told!

Class and gender issues aside, making time for a relaxing family meal will probably always be a challenge. Still, sitting down to enjoy a homemade meal with all the fixings is not a lost cause in our book. And preparing a Sunday dinner, especially a main course like our Sunday-Best Garlic Roast Beef, Cider-Baked Ham, or One-Pan Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables might just give you a leg up on weeknight meals. We say that’s a tradition worth preserving.