After hectic schedules, another major reason why many people like to skip family dinners is that they can get routine and tedious. Since family dinners can be so beneficial because they’re an opportunity to connect, communicate, and bond with your family, which has been shown to improve mental health as well as overall well-being, it’s a good idea to try to jazz it up a little so people attend.
How can you make sitting around a table with the same people every day more exciting? Here are some tips.
Change up the Menu
Who doesn’t love delicious new food! If you want your family to come to the dinner table, changing up your menu is a good place to start. Trying out new recipes or different cuisines altogether will add variety to your meals and make them feel more special. For example, you can explore Mexican, Indian, Thai, or Japanese cuisine, try different cooking techniques like braising, poaching, or sous vide, and experiment with different sauces and condiments for unique flavors.
When looking up recipes and cuisines, don’t limit yourself to just one website or cookbook. Explore a variety of sources to find recipes that appeal to your family’s tastes. Even after you find a recipe you like, read reviews from other cooks who have tried it for insights into potential modifications.
Add Entertainment
What’s better than dinner? Dinner and entertainment! To keep everyone engaged during dinner, consider adding some entertaining elements.
Here are some ideas:
- Play some music and have everyone take turns choosing to keep everyone entertained
- Consider a trivia game (name all the States, how many types of timber are there) as a fun way to stimulate conversation and get everyone involved
- Make things casual by setting up a movie with dinner as a way for everyone to wind down
Dine Outside
While family dinners are typically indoors as it’s convenient, a change of scenery can do wonders for making things more interesting. A fresh and exciting atmosphere can inspire and give everyone something to talk about.
You can:
- Set up a picnic blanket in your backyard or a nearby park and bring along a basket of food and drinks and maybe some bug repellant
- Create an outdoor dining area with a table, chairs, and even a string of lights or lanterns if you have a deck or patio for a cozy atmosphere
- Fire up a grill and cook up some burgers, hot dogs, or veggies with a delicious smoky flavor in a fun way the whole family can get involved in
- Set up a pizza station and let everyone make their own pizzas. Try to get a portable pizza oven for an authentic pizza experience
- Create a taco bar with all the great fixings, like grilled meats, veggies, salsa, and guacamole so that everyone can make personalized tacos together
Remember, the goal is to make family dinners enjoyable and memorable for everyone. Incorporating some of these entertaining elements is a great way to make such meals more engaging and fun for everyone involved for better family bonding experiences.
