Family Dinner GoalsNo matter what time of year (beginning or otherwise), I am always looking for a way to make our family dinners easier, more interesting, healthier and more frequent. Aren’t we all? I’m going to start a new Family Dinner series on the blog. Wish me luck sticking to it – ha! Seriously, though, I’m so passionate about our family sitting down together 3-4 nights a week. The ritual of sitting down to a family dinner is my favorite part of the day. I know that lots of kids and busy schedules can get in the way, but we are in charge of our homes and our families. The time we spend across the table from one another, talking about our days is so key for keeping a strong family connection. So, I’m going to come up with some great ideas for making Family Dinners easier, give ideas on fun kid friendly table settings and recipes. Last Fall, I wrote a lengthy post about our commitment to Family Dinners, here>
For family dinners to actually happen at our house, having lots of easy dinner ideas is key. Sometimes our meals are labor intensive (if I’m in the mood to spend time in the kitchen), and sometimes they are out of the freezer (maybe soup or meatloaf). There are so many ideas on my Dinner Planning Tablet that are easy to prepare in 30 minutes or less – Beef Stroganoff, Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Parmesan, Grilled Lemon Chicken, Vegetable Soup, etc.
All of my recipes are included on my Dinner Tablet. I sit down at the beginning of the week and schedule all of our meals from this list. it helps remind me of things we haven’t had for a while and helps me plan for some balance throughout the week (meat, fish, chicken, pasta, etc.).
If cooking isn’t your thing but you still want your family to experience family-style dinners, focus on the table instead. The food really isn’t all that important, anyway. Set a pretty table with a simple glass of fresh flowers or lit candles, with folded napkins and placemats. It is the sitting around a table all together for conversion that is what is important – with a frozen pizza in the middle. Totally fine!! A pretty setting always helps put everyone in the mood to relax and enjoy.
Here are some of the essentials that I depend on for Family Dinners in our home.
Check Napkins & Placemats > Classic Hemstitch Cotton Linens >
Is there anything easier than lighting some candles? Instant ambiance and instead “relax” setting. We get out a new set of seasonally colored tapers every couple of weeks.