When you set the table and create ambience for any meal, it changes how you feel about life at that very moment you sit down. I always light candles and use linens. My goal is to slow down the pace of the meal and bring pleasure into the experience.
Growing up, there were seven kids in my family. Of course, we ate dinner together every night. The kids always set the table, and often we helped prepare the meal and even to grow the food. All seven of us helped in the garden, and we were each responsible for our own little section.
Despite their busy schedules, my parents made time for dinner with the kids. I remember that both my parents would change their clothes for dinner. Nothing fancy or formal, but it was customary to change your clothes and honor this next chapter of the day as new and important. The family meal is quality time, and it can be the night’s entertainment…if you let it. In Europe, they spend hours enjoying the experience.
Having grown up with this European influence has greatly shaped how my family dines, and I’ve carried this tradition to my own home. I may not be a gourmet cook, but I have always prioritized eating dinner with my children. I happen to believe that meals are about connection and conversation rather than fancy food. Even if you’re serving take-out, your children will benefit from time spent with you.
More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. CASA is encouraging parents to celebrate Family Day on September 27, 2010 by turning off the TV and eating dinner together with your children. While I celebrate the idea behind Family Day, kids need dinner the other 364 days of the year as well.
Everyone knows I am not a great cook, but I work with what I have. I am a working mother, and I don’t spend a lot of time preparing dinner. Instead, I developed some healthy make-ahead meals that are effortless to prepare and perfect for the whole family to enjoy together. I also make a lot of one-pot wonders like soups, goulash and curries. But even when I don’t have time to serve a home-cooked meal, I still set a beautiful table. I light candles, turn off the tv and no phones are allowed, home or cell.
You don’t need to save your good china for the holidays or fancy dinner parties. Kids love the privilege of using elegant glasses and pretty plates. If you make dinner feel “special,” your kids will sense that and behave accordingly.
Here are some of my favorite kid-friendly weeknight dinners:
Simple meals like soup and sandwiches are often kids’ favorites. Here we’ve transformed wrap sandwiches by plating them on our Flow Two-in-One Plate. (Pictured: Flow Dinnerware)
It’s easy to get your children to eat their veggies when you’ve cleverly concealed them in homemade pigs-in-a-blanket, made using refrigerated crescent rolls! (Pictured: Dune Lines Dinnerware)
A simple salad with fresh basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a wonderful start to your meal. (Pictured: New Wave Dinnerware)
Wrap asparagus in prosciutto for a fast yet elegant side that pleases adults as well as children. (Pictured: New Wave Dinnerware)
In less than 10 minutes, you can prepare a healthy salad. Pair with soup for a complete meal. (Pictured: Urban Nature Dinnerware)