Dinner time is special because it’s one of the perfect times for families to come together, connect with one another and enjoy a delicious meal. In order to make this happen, consider the following four tips.
Prepare a Meal Together
Instead of making one person stand in the kitchen to prepare the meal, make it a family experience. Allow one person to stir the ingredients for dessert brownie. Let someone else chop up the garlic, onions and herbs for the pot roast. When everyone can have a hand in the experience, this will help them appreciate it even more. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to foster great memories and conversations.
Create Table Decor Themes
Most people only decorate the table during specific holidays. Instead, consider different decorating themes through each month. If your family is looking forward to an upcoming movie in theaters, decorate the table to reflect that movie. If your family loves a specific TV show, create placemats with the names of the characters. Include different symbols from the show in the table centerpiece.
Do a Takeout Night
It’s always nice to take a day off from cooking in the kitchen. In this case, it’s a great idea to do a takeout night. You can do it once a week or once every two weeks. For the takeout night, choose a delicious restaurant, order from their menu and enjoy at the dining table. If you and your family are pizza lovers, enjoy the benefits of a pizza delivery along with fresh, hot pizza. If you all love Indian food, pull out the menus and order all the samosas you all desire.
Learn Something New
Each day, it’s always wise to learn something new. When you’re able to learn, your knowledge base grows. If you’re not growing, you’re dying. In order to foster learning and reflection, create a learning tradition. At the end of each day, go around the table to ask each person about one new thing they learned that day. It can be about anything. Whether it’s a new math equation or a life lesson of reflection, share one new lesson and encourage the family members to do the same.
If you’ve had a terrible day, dinner can be the redemptive experience you need in order to have a good evening. When you’re able to combine the power of good food and good company, it’s a lot easier to look forward to each evening.
