Living Well At Home
Kitchen and Dining Room: Bringing Fun to Family Dinners
Do you remember those older TV shows like “Leave it to Beaver” or “Bewitched”? Those classic programs always seemed to showcase the values of family night: connection, understanding, and a chance to bond with everyone. Nowadays, with technology and hectic schedules, family dinners can seem more like a fictional television show rather than reality. We know that sharing a meal with loved ones does wonders for everyone’s mental health. That’s why we came up with a list of ideas on how to make the most of dinner time with tweaks to your kitchen and dining areas. From toddlers to teens, we’ve got you covered.
Dining Together = Real-Life FaceTime
The first and most important step is to step away from all devices. Set an alarm and when it goes off, the entire family must put away their phones, laptops, remote controls, or anything that could tempt them away from the dinner table and into the digital world. Even an hour away from a screen helps family members decompress and improves their well-being. Place all the devices into a basket or an area that everyone can see. You can come up with a game: the first person to pick up a phone or touch the remote must clean up the entire kitchen after dinner.
A 5-piece dining set, like the one shown above, available at Wayfair, is the perfect spot for family dinners.
Letting toddlers watch a little TV while you cook can help keep them busy, but another way to keep them occupied is to set up a play kitchen nearby so they can ‘cook’ with you. If you have one child, you can set up a toddler tower next to you. Toddler towers are a great idea for the curious little tot who wants to know everything you are doing, all of the time.
Prep Dinner Together in the Kitchen
One of the best ways to squeeze in family time naturally is to make the meal together. For example, the adults can cook the main course while the teens fix up appetizers on the kitchen cart. Having everyone in the kitchen not only gets the job done faster, it creates unity – everyone is working together for a common goal. To make a playful atmosphere, play music and ask the kids to teach you the latest dances.
Host a Buffet Night in the Dining Room
With its long flat top and sliding barn doors, the Brentley 54” Wide 1-Drawer Sideboard adds the perfect farmhouse look for displaying appetizers, entrées, and desserts. If you are looking for something intricate with glass-front cabinet doors, then the Tresanti Luna 74″ Accent Console at Costco is the ideal choice for your next buffet. It’s a piece that can work perfectly in your living room, dining room, or even the kitchen.
Create a Juice Bar in the Kitchen
Turn your kitchen cart or cabinet into a juice bar. Set out an assortment of fruit juices, flavored sparkling waters, and sliced fruits. The kids will have a blast experimenting with different combinations. Personally, we love a mix of orange juice and grapefruit sparkling water. Yum! Who knows? They might introduce you to something you’ll love as well.
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