34 little ways moms say i love you

plus what to buy yourself (or your mom!) for mother's day (or any other day!)

Mother’s Day can be a hard day and topic for many people, for many different reasons. This post is all about celebrating moms, so if that doesn’t sound enjoyable to read, skip this one <3

A friend of mine recently told me that when she was growing up, her mom gave her and each of her siblings a separate, special-to-them bedtime kiss. One kid got two kisses on the left cheek, another got a nose rub and kiss on the forehead, another got a peck on each cheek. She said it always made her feel so loved and special, and is still one of her core memories from childhood.

Naturally, I put that tradition into practice in my own house immediately! It also got our team thinking about all the little ways moms and maternal figures show their love. We put a prompt out to you all in the WTC chat, and have been tearing up over the responses!

As moms, we often think about how we’re in charge of curating our kids’ magical childhood memories — which can feel like a lot of pressure! But what struck us was that so many of the memories you all shared are such simple, easy things. A handhold from the front seat of the car. A cup of tea. A cozy closet. Let us all feel inspired by these little (and big!) acts of love, and relax a bit knowing that simple day-to-day moments really do make magic.

We asked What To Cookers to share things their mom or a maternal figure did growing up that made them feel special and loved. Here are a few dozen of the many, many beautiful memories shared. Moms rock!

1. Homemade Sundaes in very fancy bowls. —Rachel

2. My mom always wore silver bangles. When my cousins or I sat beside her in church she would slip them off and pass them to us to play with. That was the only time she’d take them off. —Kristi

3. My mom threw me a “women of influence party” when I turned 16. (This was waaaay before social media and “influence culture”). She invited women from my life (kindergarten teacher, friends’ moms, tennis coach, etc.) who had poured into me. It was both fun to be celebrated but also so humbling to realize that I have gotten to where I am thanks to women who have supported and loved me through all different phases of life. —Molly

4. Birthday celebrations start with being woken up by the whole fam singing hbd and eating cake in bed! —Kara

5. My mom always showed up for me and my friends. She was always there to listen to us. She'd step in to be the coach or volunteer when no one else would. She generally knew how to listen and not judge or tell us what to do. Only now as a mom myself do you realize how hard that is, to listen and let kids figure it out in their own time and own way. —Katie

6. I have the most vivid memories of my mom in the car reaching her hand back while she was looking forward driving and I’d reach forward and we would hold hands a moment and it was just this quiet outreach of pure love. I remember the first time I reached back and did it with my son and all the memories just came right back ❤️ it’s the smallest but sweetest little “I love you so much.” —Nikki

7. My grandma was always afraid when she was driving and I was in the back seat that I would fall out the window 😂 so she wouldn’t let me open the window too wide — and occasionally if I got quiet she’d stick her hand back into the back seat and say “hold hands” and give me a squeeze 💜 —Emma

8. We lived in a drafty old house, so when we were in the bath or shower in the wintertime, my mom would put the towels in the dryer so that when we got out, we had a big warm fluffy towel waiting for us. I still remember that feeling! —Caro

9. Always packed a special treat in my lunch on a field trip day. —Shawna

10. I am 49, and she still ends every phone conversation with the line “onward and upward.” —Courtney

11. I am one of eight children, so that makes my mom incredible. Not a tradition, but when she died each of us genuinely thought that we were the closest to her. So I guess she just made each of us feel like we were the most important. —Olivia

12. She created a “kids day” which primarily involved breakfast in bed. She would cut a rose from the garden and stick it in a little vase along with a beautiful breakfast in bed. This usually happened right before we went back to school in August. —Kirsten

13. Once, on a family camping trip, my mom ran to the end of a boat dock and jumped off fully clothed. She later told me she wanted to show her grandkids that adults can be silly and spontaneous and a little zanny. Sweet, sweet Linda —Kristen (the daughter of the former owner of my home, who just passed away ❤️)

14. I never had an easy time falling asleep. When I was around 6 years old, I would get a second wind and not want to sleep. My mom would let me lay on the couch with her and watch old TV shows like Gilligan’s Island and all of the old Elvis movies. I remember falling asleep on the couch with her and being carried to bed so vividly. —George (had to ask my husband, too!)

this is my first time hearing this story and I love it so much

15. She would decorate our car for school pickup on our birthdays (streamers, balloons, and markers). —Tori

16. She would set up my room “special” on special days. So like the night before the first day of school, the bed was made extra tidy and sheets turned down, mood lighting on, stuffed animals arranged extra cute. Wish someone would still do this for me! —Kate

17. Growing up, anytime I was sad or hurt my mom would say, “Oh, sweetie,” in this immensely caring and empathetic tone of voice, then sit and listen or give me a hug. She still says it, and it still makes me feel so loved and cared for. —Molly

18. My mom always made time to travel with me and create special memories. We went to New York every year before Christmas to see the store windows and shop, and I will carry those memories with me always! She also did little things, like having a little tea party after school sometimes, sending me amazing care packages in college and when I was a Peace Corps volunteer. Those are things I try to recreate for my kids because they were so very special to me, especially after I lost her quite young. —Virginia

19. Sweet notes in my lunch every day and sometimes tucked in a suitcase. —Paris

20. My mom had this special heart she would draw on basically every birthday or celebration card to us. It was multi-colored (always coordinated to the season or holiday) and had a multi-layer scalloped detail. Took her about 15 seconds to draw, but was always her signature design. I catch myself drawing it for my kids. We could always count on a card at our breakfast spot for every special day and sometimes just because. For a single mom taking care of two kids and working, I am still in awe of all the things she did! —Kristen

21. Squeezing my hand 3 times for “I love you” (response = squeeze 4 times, “I love you too!”). —Allie

22. My mom was always there. Girl Scout troop leader… she did it. Booster president for the cheer team… done. Fundraising coordinator for the baseball travel team… on it. My mom worked full time but she was always willing to say yes to anything that brought her closer to her kids and their interests. —Kendra

23. There were three of us so one-on-one time was hard, but she always used to take us either out alone or away overnight on our half birthdays. It made me feel SO special. —Gabrielle

24. My mom would take a mental health day with me each year, a day I could take off of school and she’d take off of work and we’d do whatever we wanted. They were the best days ❤️ —Abby

25. My mom set up a “secret closet” in each house we lived in growing up — it was a dedicated closet space filled with blankets and pillows and glow-in-the-dark stars. It always felt special because we called it “secret” and was just for us, and my memories of it feel magical. —Kelsey

anyone else picturing Jude Law’s daughters’ fort in The Holiday?!

26. My mom would “pat” us. When we were lying in bed, she would go to each kid and pat us on the chest while she counted to 20 in Spanish, and then tickle us on 20. Every detail of this is random (we don’t speak Spanish! Why would you tickle a kid when you’re trying to make them calm? None of it makes sense!), but we lovvvvved it. In the 80s, in a family of four kids, maybe any amount of one-on-one time with mom was amazing?! But now she does it for our kids, who equally love it! —Micah

27. I can still hear my mom’s voice when I problem solve something or do a hard thing, “Yes, Maddy!!” —Maddy

28. Always encouraged my creativity — even let me paint every wall of my bedroom a different NEON color in middle school. —Stacy

29. Cookies fresh out of the oven when we walked in from the bus. Not homemade, but it’s why I still crave Pillsbury cookie dough. —Cassie

30. I’ve never been a morning person, and my mom had the most gentle, loving solution for that. When I was a teenager, she would wake me up by drawing me a hot bath (I’d wake up to the sound of water running), and there would always be something waiting on the side of the tub — a green smoothie, a hot chocolate... I could barely open my eyes and somehow I was slipping into a warm bath with something delicious to sip. —Jillian (hi, mom!)

31. Went big on every little holiday — baskets, goodies, cards, sweets, and leaned into any excuse for festivity. —Kelsey

32. If I had to stay up late to do my homework in high school, she always made me a cup of tea and stayed up with me even if we were in separate rooms. It was nice knowing I wasn’t the only one awake in the house even if I didn’t necessarily want to hang out with her because I was, well, a teenager. —Addy

33. My dad travelled a lot for work when I was young, so my mom always made an extra effort with my sisters and I when he was away. She called it Girls’ Team (I think one time she even had T-shirts made), and it was sort of like a cross between camp and just having no rules. We’d have breakfast for dinner and stay up late watching movies or doing crafts, or we’d go out for pizza or ice cream. It was so fun and we still sometimes refer to ourselves as Girls’ Team! —Emily

34. My mom would come to every single sporting event we had and encourage the heck out of us. As we got older we got more embarrassed of her verbal encouragement (why are teens this way?!), so she got these adorable wooden clogs that she would stomp loudly on the bleachers to remind us she was always cheering for us. It was always the most comforting sound knowing she was there. —Riki

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 10! Whether you’re dropping hints for your own gift (remember: your partner cannot read your mind!), shopping for your mom (or any other woman you love, for any occasion), or shopping for yourself, we’ve rounded up ideas that are both lovely and practical.

The Aura frame ($229) my sister and I got for my parents years ago brings all of us such joy. I love dropping absolutely chaotic pics of my boys onto their frame and seeing how long it takes for them to call me and ask why my children were wearing all of their clothes into the river, holding a box full of lizards, all four sleeping in my bed, etc. Hot tip: After you gift someone an Aura frame, set reminders on your phone every few weeks or once a month to remember to drop a bunch of new photos on there! PS from Molly from What To Cook: I recently got an Aura frame (the Aspen in black!) and LOVE it. Every time I walk into my bedroom now I’m greeted by a different pic, and it makes me so happy. Worth noting: It automatically matches the light in the room (AKA it goes dark when you turn the lights off!). Use code CARO now through May 13 to get $35 off an Aspen frame.¹

Setting future-me up for success with a subscription is one of my favorite efficiency hacks, and from a cooking perspective, ButcherBox is such a genius idea. When a box of fresh proteins arrives, you can stash all but what you plan to eat immediately in the freezer and always have very high quality hormone-free, humanely raised meat one overnight thaw in the fridge away. When you think you have nothing to cook, open your freezer, see what meat you have left from your box, and use our index to find a recipe to cook with it! New subscribers who sign up before April 30 will receive their choice between free chicken breasts for a year, free top sirloin for a year, or free ground beef for life (!!!). A practical and delicious gift for any mom who loves to cook! Choose up to six different protein options for $179, delivered however often you’d like. Use code WTC to get $60 off ($20 off your first 3 boxes)!²

An heirloom-quality Dutch oven in a color that complements your (or her!) kitchen is the gift that keeps on giving. This 4-quart Staub is the perfect size for one-pot recipes, casseroles, and soups, and makes such a pretty serving dish — just plop the food on the table and let people serve themselves! It’s currently 60% off (through May 11), on sale for $150 from $380. PS, keep reading for an amazing flash giveaway from Staub!³

A really great tee shirt is the ultimate high-ROI purchase. AYR’s “dime knit” Practice Tee ($88) is a perennial favorite — effortlessly chic with zero clinginess thanks to the thicker knit material (fits true to size). PS, I also love the ”spa knit” version, which is a light, soft cotton. And I have been wearing these jeans in the “underground hustle” wash nonstop lately, with a tucked-in knit tee and belt.

The perfect spring/summer pair of elastic-waist pants that look chic, not like you’re wearing glorified sweatpants (though, we do love a pair of sweats!). I have loved the LeSet Kyoto Carpenter pants ($280) for many years, and recently snagged a pair of the Banana Republic lookalikes ($100) in black and they’re fab. I also just ordered a Gap Factory pull-on pair ($42) that I read about in this diatribe on pull-on pants by Fashion Soup, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

For the romance-reading sports moms among us, we have found the perfect trope hat ($35)!

This goop overnight peel ($125 for a 12-pack) is the type of skincare where you IMMEDIATELY reap the rewards. My skin genuinely feels so soft and smooth afterwards, like layers of dull skin have been stripped away! It’s not a mask — I am always too lazy to use masks. It’s a pad soaked in a solution that you just rub all over your face and neck. So easy.

I’ve worn a pair of Dana Rebecca knot huggies for years so was beyond thrilled when she asked if I wanted to work with her to design a custom charm! Together we created this limited-edition 14-karat gold and diamond knot charm ($795) inspired by the beautiful chaos of family. It symbolizes how moms are so often the knot that ties the family together ❤️ 100% of my partnership proceeds from this charm will go to Black Mamas Matter Alliance!

And if you’re looking for a fun lower-price piece of jewelry to jazz up a basic outfit, I have about a million beaded Erin McDermott necklaces like this one ($19) because I love them so much.

Our team’s love for the Alex Mill tote runs deep. It’s a perfect canvas bag, and makes a mom’s schlepping look very chic. Molly has, loves, and uses the weekday ($175) tote daily. I have, love, and use the bigger weekend ($195) tote for trips. And look how cute the mini ($98) is!

There’s nothing sweeter than fresh flowers from Trader Joe’s (or wherever you like to stock up!) delivered in a pretty pitcher ($46).

One final idea: an annual subscription to this newsletter ($50)! You can order it here and schedule it to land in her (or your) inbox on a specific date. Or, if you’ve been thinking about becoming a WTC Insider ($100), you could upgrade now and use one of the TWO free annual gift subscriptions included as a Mother’s Day gift. We have many mother-daughter pairs in this community, and they’ve reported getting a lot of joy out of cooking the same recipes each week!

I’m currently in NYC for work — if you watch the TODAY show, look out for me tomorrow morning, I’ll be on during the 8 a.m. segment to talk all things Kentucky Derby cooking!

From here I’m headed to Louisville for the weekend to actually attend the Derby and am SO excited. Don’t forget that you have access to my full entertaining menu for a Kentucky Derby watch party! Use it as a reason to invite some friends over and hang! Or, if you’re not in a hosting mood, just cook some Kentucky hot brown sliders and salt & pepper deviled eggs to snack on while you watch the race.

Every week, we dig into the What To Cook archives to see what we were cooking this time in years past — the recipes worth bringing back into your rotation. Here’s this week’s lineup.

1. curry roasted chicken and cauliflower salad, 2025

Curry powder does double duty here — roasted onto chicken and cauliflower until golden and fragrant, then whisked into a creamy, tangy lime dressing that will change the way you think about salad. The dates and pistachios are non-negotiable! Make the dressing on Sunday and you’ll be drizzling it on everything all week.

2. asparagus (or not!) grandma pizza + prosciutto salad, 2024

Picture this: a crispy-edged thin-crust pizza topped with shaved asparagus, dollops of mascarpone, and nutty Gruyère. Serve it with a very easy, very elegant prosciutto and arugula salad for the most beautiful springy pizza night possible!

3. bee-sting pizza insalata, 2023

It’s pizza week, apparently! This one is a cast-iron riff on Roberta’s iconic bee sting, with soppressata, fresh Serrano slices, and a honey drizzle that hits every note at once: salty, spicy, rich, sweet. A lemony arugula salad goes right on top, cutting through all that richness with something bright and fresh.

4. crispy artichoke and chicken salad, 2022

WTCer Juno JUST cooked this one and shared in the chat: "I needed a new lunch salad so searched ‘good all week’ in the index and found this great one which no one should be sleeping on! A delight!” The move here is to use artichoke brine to marinate the chicken — it’s the kind of technique that makes you feel like an absolute pro while exerting basically zero extra effort. Make a big batch on Sunday and eat like a queen all week.

5. chipotle black bean flautas, 2021

Smoky, cheesy black bean filling rolled into crispy baked flautas and buried under cold shredded iceberg, fresh mango, creamy avocado, and chipotle crema. It’s vegetarian, comes together in about 30 minutes, and, in our experience, is a kid fave. Shelagh’s comment sums it up: “Delicious!! My boyfriend who is Latin had never had mangos on flautas. Once he tried it, he said he couldn’t stop eating it! But the ultimate compliment came from my 3 year old, who has become incredibly picky. Not only did he eat an entire one, and I used big tortillas, he said it was yummy!! My mouth hurts from my jaw hitting the table. Great flavors and super simple.”

We’re partnering with Staub to give away FIVE of their beautiful 4-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens! Keep it for yourself or gift it to your mom, MIL, grandma, or a friend you adore. To enter to win, comment with a memory you have of your mom/stepmom/grandma/any parental figure making you feel special. Five winners will be randomly chosen TOMORROW at 12 p.m. ET, so comment before then to enter!⁴

1. Gift guide partner

2. Gift guide partner

3. Gift guide partner

4. Winners must be a paid WTC subscriber, at least 18, and live in the U.S. They will receive their choice of Dutch oven color, subject to availability.