LOVE. LIFE. TIP #1.
Davina
in G & G, LOVE. LIFE. TIPS., Personal
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15 Comments
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1 Reference
Dinner. At Home.
For the past couple of years, as embarrassed as I am to admit it, we've been a fast food family. We always were so busy running around or late getting home for work that it just seemed much easier to grab something at a restaurant and rush to the next thing on the agenda. I knew it wasn't healthy and so occassionally I would put together a menu and run to the grocery store. (I was taught very well by my incredible super woman mom how to plan with a menu, make a list,and go shopping. I know how to cook and used to love to bake. My dad called me Betty Crocker when I was 10 years old.) The problem was making the dinners once we got the food home. I knew I wanted to be having dinner every night together but...there were too many things going on.
I decided that I needed someone that would make me be responsible. My kids. If you tell your kids something, especially if you tell them they are going to get to be a part of something fun, they'll never let you forget it. That can totally be helpful to you.
Instead of making my own menu and slaving over a list and what to have each night I made a list of all of the things our family likes to eat along with some easy to make dinners. Each night is one person's night for dinner. They get to pick what we're going to eat and they get to help make it. They get Mom and/or Dad's time and they get to have their say about what we eat. Occassionally, they also get to go shopping, too.
So these pictures are from the Emma's night (Tuesdays). She picked lasagne, salad, and corn. Mike is the expert lasagne maker so he was the helper that night. Once they got the lasagne in the oven they got to read together at the table until the timer beeped. It's become a lot more fun...and we eat at home every night. We don't even have any of the kids asking to eat out somewhere. They want to get home and make the dinner they've been looking forward to. The big benefit is the time we get to spend together and that we're eating a lot healthier.
Adapt this for you:
*If you're single: see if you have a few friends that would like to trade off nights of cooking, make dinner plans for the week and then meet at each other's houses at a set dinner time every night (or just a few nights a week).
*If you're married with no kids: trade nights with another couple without kids and have dinner together a few nights a week or just take turns between the two of you choosing dinner and making it together.
So much of life is about creating a meaningful life and existence. How can you make dinner time a way to be a meaningful time of the day and one that you look forward to instead of dread?
healthier. LIFE.
References (1)
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Response: weddingsweddings side effect.
Reader Comments (15)
What a cool family. :)
we love that book here. and we really need to start doing this... but somehow asking my 2 year old to help out with dinner scares me.
I love your idea for married couples! Cj and I are always fighting over what we should have for Dinner! your idea is going to make things a little nicer! thanks D!
What a great idea! Your daughter looks so much like you!
I love this. I'm so doing this. :)
Davina - I watch your blog often because I highly admire your photography and I am an aspiring photographer so I love to see what you do. But...now I will keep tabs on your blog for more reasons than just great pictures...for words of wisdom as well. Thank you for sharing these thoughts!
i totally agree with this! i got serious about it (again) just last week and i am amazed as to how much happier I am by doing this. instead of feeling like one more thing that i need to do (and don't necessarily want to) i find that i have LOVED having my family enjoy dinner every night together, at home. good stuff...for body and soul. thanks for writing this.
Davina, that looks like so much fun! Want to adopt me? :) (I'm an excellent baker...)
Such a great idea - with five kids I hate meal planning only to have them all complain about dinner - so I am totally implementing this - are you sure you haven't missed your calling in life as a life coach? :) So grateful you are sharing these ideas on your blog - I have been running like crazy with my business life and I am looking forward to learning more from you - you are an inspiration! :)
Davina,
I am Taija Maxfield's aunt (whom you have on your website) and was wondering if you are free on the 28th of November. My brother is getting married and needs bridal/groom photos at noon for 1-2 hours and 5pm-5:30pm family pictures after the temple in Bountiful. I don't know where his fiance Karen wants to take the bridal/groom pictures. Are you free? Let me know.
Julie Wittwer
Great idea! What do you do if all they want to eat is Ramen Noodles? You have such a cute little family!
Tim-thanks! we try. :)
Alissa-I know it's scary to have a 2 year old in the kitchen but it's the relationship you're building not just the dinner you're making. A 2 year old by your side can help put cheese in a bowl or measuring cups on the counter or wash the potatoes in the sink (you might have a huge water mess but it can be fun). Look for small ways they can help and then you'll be in the habit of making dinner time a fun time, too, by the time they can really be helpful. I won't deny that it does take patience. I have a ten year old, six year old twins, and a three year old. They are all at very different levels of helpfulness.
Shalise, you're welcome. It really can be fun to cook as a couple, especially when you're enjoying the time together.
Heather, thanks for the compliment! I'm pretty biased but I think my daughter is beautiful all the way to her middle.
Shannon, let me know how it goes!
Annie-thanks so much for following my blog. I really appreciate. I hope you find some things that will help you out.
Crystalynn-I know!! It makes such a huge difference. One hour or 90 minutes of an evening devoted to the people you love can change the whole dynamic of a family and home.
Sinead--Oooo...baking...that's tempting. :) ummm...wait...I'm supposed to be LOSING weight! lol.
Kayla-Thanks so much for loving this idea. Five kids is definitely a handful. We've been doing everyone has one night of the week and then we have one night that is date night (more on that later...) for you though, you could use up every night of the week. I really appreciate your awesome encouragement. Thank you!
Julie-Let's see what we can work out!
Angela-what a good question! I do have a daughter that's pretty much a vegetarian of her own choice. She doesn't like meat...at all. So I started out by making the list of things that every one likes. Ramen noodles, etc are only for lunch time. I think coming up with a list of things that every one helps to create makes it much easier to have dinners that kids will eat. I've actually been surprised at some of their choices. We've had chili dogs, french bread pizzas, and stroganoff... all of them the kids favorites. I think when they feel like they have some owner ship in what's for dinner and making dinner they start to be open to other food, too. We've had carrot soup and we're having pumpkin soup tomorrow. Hmm...maybe I should post our dinner list that we came up with....
you have the *cutest* family! I can't wait to see what you have in store for upcoming posts...I'm all ears!
This is one of what I need the most now---balance the biz and family. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and all the efforts.
Hey there kiddo's! I just wanted to give a shout out to your cute kids, please tell them I said hello! I love that you give each of them a turn in the kitchen... not only fun for them but preparing them for when they have families of their own one day... so genius!