{note: I love all the questions asked below... thanks for your interest. keep them coming if you'd like! Look for the first q&a post soon. For now, here's something I've been thinking about for a bit.}
I have been in a dinner funk for, oh say, the last 2 years! I have been relying heavily on trader joe's frozen meals and eating out. Some of this is because of babies and busy-ness, but a lot of it plain laziness!
I am attempting to turn over a new leaf: good family dinners together, whenever possible.
I have read the reports. Children in families who eat dinner together have lower chances of trying drugs and alcohol, have less stress, eat better, get better grades. See a great article in the NY Times about this.
The last two weeks have gone quite well. I menu plan on sunday night, shop on monday. I try to plan at least one crock pot meal (for the very busy day), and one night for leftovers. Tuesday nights are usually quick and easy (think breakfast for dinner) because morgan has late meetings. I'm also attempting a new recipe once a week-- I am getting sick of the same old same old!
My menus for the last two weeks:
Mon: Peanut Chicken, Coconut Rice and Asian Salad
Tues: Puffed pancake with raspberry syrup
Wed: Crockpot texas pulled pork
Thurs: Dinner with neighbors (brought leftovers)
Fri: Order in Pizza
Sat: Leftovers
Sun: Everything but the kitchen sink quesadillas (**a hit with the kids)
Mon: Out to eat (Wahoo's)
Tues: Pancakes & fruit
Wed: Meatball sandwiches
Thurs: Salmon & Warm spinach salad (**kids loved it)
Fri: Date night, kids: Dino bites
Sat: Leftovers
Sun: Dad's dinner: eggs, hash browns, bacon
Three of these dinners were recipes off a great dinner blog, This Week for Dinner. Check out the side bar, "Main Dishes". The texas pulled pork was sweet and delicious. The kids gobbled up the quesadillas and the salmon. Try these recipes off the TWFD blog-- you will not be sorry!
Dinners together create teaching opportunities. We are working on staying at the table until you're excused, saying please and thank you, using a napkin, and not talking with your mouth full of food! It's sloooooow progress.
Dinners together create conversation. The kids are used to the "What was your best and worst today?" question, so I want to mix it up. I've typed up a bunch of questions (you can download them here if you'd like Download family_conversation_starters.doc) that I am planning on cutting up and putting in a glass jar. Each night at dinner, we'll choose one and hopefully it will spark some new and interesting conversation.
Once those questions run out, these Table Topics
look great!
Dinners together create routine and family work. One of my favorite parts of dinner time is working together afterwards! The kids have their assigned tasks, we turn on some music and try to have fun cleaning up together. I am not always so dilligent about getting my kids to work (let's face it, it's faster and easier to do it myself most of the time), so it helps in that department.
What dinner tips, tricks or recipes do you have and love?
What works in your house?
