First of all, you don’t need to use all 7 ideas all in the same week. If you did this, you might just come up with 7 more fun ideas for next week so you don’t have to go back to your regular lunchtime mission.
Second, break the rules of fun lunches!
My family typically eats food in an untrustworthy way. The children eat at the table, but the parents (yes, I will confess to my husband and I do this) in the living room< /a>, watching TV
No, you are supposed to eat at the table as a family, and talk about your day while you eat. That doesn’t work with my family, but it can be done on occasion. Maybe once a month or so. Well, that’s not my point anyways. My point is that even if you eat your dinner at the table as you’re supposed to, it’s probably a dull habit that needs a little change of pace. So, here are some ideas that can make your family dinner a little different.
1.) You don’t need to be outside to have a picnic. Even if it’s rainy/snowy Monday evening, the picnic can still happen. Place a rug on the floor, or in the kitchen or in the living room. TV is optional. You can also play while you eat!
Sample games I try: Any card game, Skull Race Fun, 20 questions/ Spy, Scribble (one person he makes a scribble, and passes to the next one who turns the scribble into a drawing, then makes another scribble.
2.) ‘Packed picnic’. Make a meal that you can pack as a lunch and you all head to the family vehicle for the drive. If you’re not allowed to eat in your car, break the rule for once!
Sample destinations: From the movie midwife to wonder, cruise to admire natural beauty visit a relative or friend i>
Change Menu
3.) Pull a Denny’s and serve breakfast for dinner! (Try to whip it up style!)
Sample served: french toast, pancakes, cinnamon, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs
4.) Make the menu. Let everyone in the family choose their own dinner order, and separate meals for everyone. To make this easier, write a list and send it to the refrigerator in the morning, telling each family member to circle their order. This gives you more time to pull everything together.
Sample Extras: Decorate in a restaurant style setting. Encourage your husband to keep you company. Allow the children to order wine if they wish (juice in a wine glass
5.) Breakfast snack. It is probably as healthy as it sounds. But once in a while, it’s okay to do this. It is a nice change from the main dish and usually consists of 2 dishes dinner.
Ideas: Any finger food works here! Bagel bites/ pizza rolls, taquitos, crack and cheese, ‘tea sandwiches’, tater tots/frech fries, ants in brick, etc.
Sandwiches
6.) You must use all this in one pan. Using cookie cutters (the bigger the better, the less bread is used) make shapes and place the bread on a plate. Add a ‘buffet’ of choices of sandwich fillings. Everyone can make their own sandwiches right there at the table, offering the same fun ‘do it yourself’ scenario as taco night. Serve with a side of soup!
Sample Fillings: Egg/chicken/tuna salad. PBJ. meats / cheeses with spices. They pulled out Joe’s chair.
note: for the best tuna fish sandwiches use fish, mayo, dijon, mustard, cubes of cheese, muria sauce and lemon or lime juice. I like it very much, and even the pickiest eaters will love this!
Social
7.) Why wait until the weekend to throw a barbecue? Invite over another family with children and eat meat and salads together for a week.
Sample Items: Steak, burgers, hot dogs, macaroni/potato salad, fruit salad
I hope these ideas are of some use to you. I also suggest that when you serve pasta, you try different sauces. The pesto and clam sauce (red or white) are delicious, and a nice change of pace from the standard tomato sauce.
