The Creative Cooking Challenge free printable includes two versions – a bingo board and a checklist. Use whichever one gets your child excited about being creative in the kitchen! We’re planning to work through as many cooking challenges as possible this summer. I think it will be a great way for my girls to keep busy and learn some new skills. Get the free printable BINGO game here to print out and hang on your fridge! Every time you eat a vegetable, mark it off, and try to fill up the whole board. And remember that it’s totally okay to take baby steps.

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve searched the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean, and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Feb. 9)

Bingo Cookies

• Second Draw PPP (Online) — 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. — The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is holding a free webinar on the second round of the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which is providing loans to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A program schedule and link to register can be found through Eventbrite.
• On Deck with Mercury — 5-7 p.m. at Vienna Town Hall (127 Center St.) — Vienna Town Manager Payton Mercury holds his monthly community forum for residents to learn about town projects and ask questions. The February forum will focus on planned celebrations for Liberty Amendments Month, which commemorates the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
• Virtual Meet and Greet with Melanie Meren (Online) — 7-8 p.m. — Vienna’s Club Phoenix Teen Center and Thoreau Middle School are hosting a discussion with Hunter Mill District School Board Representative Melanie Meren, who will talk about her first year in office, give an update on Return to School plans, and answer questions. Registration closes at 5 p.m. Email Natalie Duncan at [email protected] for more information.
• Great Books Discussion (Online) — 7-8 p.m. — The Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s bi-monthly Great Books Discussion group will talk about the short story “Tell Me a Riddle” by Tillie Olsen. Get the Zoom link by emailing Marshall Webster at [email protected]

Thursday (Feb. 11)

• Culinaria Cooking Class (Online) — 7-8:30 p.m. — Chefs from Vienna’s Culinaria Cooking School will demonstrate how to prepare “a special Valentine’s Day meal” with dishes like chicken satay with peanut sauce and molten chocolate cake. A Zoom invite, recipes, and a shopping list will be provided prior to the class, so participants must register by Feb. 8. The $40 fee goes to support the Shepherd’s Center, a nonprofit that serves Vienna, Oakton, Reston, and Herndon.

Friday (Feb. 12)

• VBA State of the Union (Online) — 11:30-1 p.m. — The Vienna Business Association will hold its annual State of the Union meeting. The speech will be presented by VBA 2020-2021 chairman and School of Rock Vienna owner Jeff Bollettino, and Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert will officiate an installation ceremony for the organization’s 2021 board. RSVP through the VBA website to receive a Zoom link.
• Virtual Valentine Bingo and Games (Online) — 1:30-3 p.m. — The Town of Vienna and Fairfax City parks and recreation departments are offering a free afternoon of bingo, online games, prizes, and sweet treats to usher in Valentine’s Day. The event is intended for adults 55 and older. Register by calling 703-255-7801 or emailing Kathy Blevins at [email protected] The deadline to sign up is 5 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 11).
• Abbey Lincoln Tribute (Online) — 7:30 p.m. — Creative Cauldron continues its 2021 “Passport to the World” series with a concert celebrating the music of American jazz singer Abbey Lincoln. There will also be a performance on Saturday (Feb. 13) by the D.C.-based band RAYMI, which plays traditional music from the Andes. All concerts are live-streamed at 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost $15.
• Judy Collins: A Return (Online) — 8 p.m. — Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is streaming a live performance by singer Judy Collins, who will recreate her 1964 concert hall debut at New York City’s The Town Hall. The program will feature music by Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, and Billy Ed Wheeler. Tickets start at $40, and the stream will be available for rewatch for 48 hours until 8 p.m. on Feb. 14.
• Valentine’s Day Drive-In Movies — 8 p.m. at The Boro (1640 Boro Place) — The Boro is hosting three drive-in movie screenings, starting with “Crazy Rich Asians” today and concluding with “Valentine’s Day” on the eponymous holiday. While all three films are now sold out, you can join the waitlist through Eventbrite in case additional tickets become available.

Saturday (Feb. 13)

• Art for a Cause (Online) — 6-8 p.m. — The Junior League of Northern Virginia is hosting a “Monte Carlo Night” with crafts, Valentine-themed games, and two raffles. Materials for the craft activities, which involve painting a glass vase or heart-shaped cutting board, can be picked up at Best Buns Bakery (8051 Leesburg Pike) in Vienna. Tickets to the event cost $40 and can be purchased from JLNV.

Photo via Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Enjoy more seasonal produce with our free Fruits and Vegetables BINGO Game and get our top 3 easy ways to eat more vegetables.

Most of us could definitely benefit not only by eating more vegetables but also a wider variety of vegetables. With busy schedules, we all get in meal ruts and buy the same items week after week. However, there are so many delicious vegetables out there and each one has its own unique nutrition, texture, and taste offerings.

That’s why we created this produce BINGO game to help you diversify the fruits and veggies you incorporate into your meals every single week. There’s one for every season so you can eat the best of what’s naturally available.

Get the free printable BINGO game here to print out and hang on your fridge! Every time you eat a vegetable, mark it off, and try to fill up the whole board. And remember that it’s totally okay to take baby steps. Try to incorporate just one new vegetable each week and before you know it, you’ll have completed all 4 boards and added a lot more vegetables to your repertoire.

Wondering how you’ll prepare all these new veggies? We have 3 easy ideas below to help you get started:

How to Eat More Vegetables

1. Simply Substitute

If there are vegetable recipes you love already, stick with them but just substitute a different but similar vegetable in. Have a great recipe that uses spinach? Consider using kale, chard, napa cabbage, or even bok choy instead. Eat broccoli every week? Try the same recipe with cauliflower or broccolini instead. Roast carrots all the time? Throw in some parsnips, rutabagas, or radishes and see how they turn out. Love green beans? Swap them out for sugar snap peas, snow peas, or asparagus.

Bingo Cooking Delicious 2.5.0

2. Salads

Bingo Cooking Game Free

Salads are such a low maintenance way to enjoy a medley of vegetables in one single meal. There are endless combinations and no wrong combinations so long as you enjoy the flavors and textures. Plus, salads really let the natural flavors of a vegetable shine. Head to our 50 Salad Combinations Guide to get more ideas!

Bingo Cooking Delicious

3. Stir-Fries

Stir-fries are one of our favorite cooking formulas because they’re so quick and versatile. You can use any combination of proteins and vegetables and the method is pretty much the same every time. Our Guide to Stir-Frying gives you lots of ideas for vegetables you can use in a variety of stir-fries. We also include ideas for stir-fry sauces as well.

We hope these three tips and our BINGO game will help you eat and discover a whole lot more vegetables. Is there a fruit or veggie here that you just can’t wait to try? Let us know in the comments!

Bingo Cooking

As always, we’re here to help you live your best life in the kitchen and provide delicious memories for you and your family. Join our cooking community by signing up for our newsletter below, and we’ll send you great cooking tips and resources that will help you raise your kitchen IQ and cook with confidence.