Although it may be difficult at times to get your entire family to the table to enjoy dinner together, it is essential in creating a well bonded family. The dinner table is a great place to share highs and lows of the day, tell of accomplishments and ask for advice from the people who love you the most. Having dinner together as a family may not be possible on a nightly basis but try to share in a meal at least a few times each week.
A great idea for making dinner more fun for the children, especially those who may be a bit older and a tad resistant, is creating the meal together. Have each member of the family create a dish to share, kind of like pot luck. Even very young children (1-2 years) can help by buttering bread or emptying a can of vegetables into a bowl. When creating your meal you should start by choosing a certain type of cuisine so that each family member has an idea as to which direction to go in with their dish. The last thing you want is to sit down to is a meal of chicken parmesan with sides including nachos, green bean casserole, corn bread and apple pie for dessert! You may use majority rules in deciding or you may pull from a hat, choosing from cuisines such as Italian, Mexican, Chinese, American, etc. The next step in creating dinner together is deciding who will make each part of the meal. Again this may be done by pulling from a hat or just deciding as a group. You will probably want a main course, two to three side dishes and a dessert. Below you will find a sample family and menu.
Italian Dinner
Mom-Sauce and meatballs
Dad- Chicken parmesan & spaghetti
Child (13 years old)-Chocolate cake
Child (8 years old)-Salad & dressing
Child (2 years old) – Buttered bread
Although creating dinner together may be more work than if mom or dad did it alone, it is much more fun and creates a real sense of family when you all work together. Children will be proud of their dish and will look forward to the next time they are allowed to cook. Family pot luck can be something that is done nightly or just once a week as a special treat (I would recommend doing this once a week). This can also be an educational experience for your children as they may practice their reading skills while looking over recipes or polish up on their math while measuring ingredients. Have fun and enjoy each other!
by Nicole E. Nappi
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