DALTON, Ohio -- Parents know the routine: You pick up the kids from school, sports or music lessons, and the question almost always is asked, "What’s for dinner?"

Even the most organized moms and dads slip from time to time and simply don’t have a plan. But there is something that can change all that. It’s called supper swapping.

Trish Berg, a Dalton, Ohio, mother of four wrote the book, "The Great American Supper Swap."

She has been practicing it for years. She and four other ladies get together and plan a month's worth of meals in advance.

Each person has a designated night to make dinner. They are responsible for delivering it to all the families in the group. The meals are healthy and well balanced and it cuts down on fast food.

Berg also said because of the pre-planning, the families are able to buy their items on sale.

She said each family saves thousands of dollars annually because they are able to buy and cook in bulk.

It also opens up a wonderful circle of friends.

"That was the thing that surprised me the most getting into supper swapping. I thought it would simplify dinner but I didn't know how it would add friendship to my life," Berg said.

Her husband loves it, too.

"It's nice to have her not stressing about what she is making for dinner that night. It opened up a lot of flexibility as far as family activities. We can feel free to go do something," said Mike Berg.

Many of the women say the kids love trying new dishes and it’s expanded their palate.

Nann Warren said her son now eats meat, which makes it much easier for her.

"I have a very picky eater, and it’s made him want to try different things, knowing his friends are eating the same thing," said Warren.

And for families on the go, supper swapping is a huge time-saver.

"It cuts your cooking by 80 percent. So, for one to two hours of meal prep I have entire week's worth of homemade fresh dinners delivered to my door," Berg said.

And for her, mealtime is more than meat and potatoes; it’s also about being together as a family and sharing the events of their day.

For more information on Berg's book, go to www.trishberg.com.