Make it fun

Meals together create memories. Those are bound to be happy memories because it is family quality time. However, by making meal time fun, those memories will be even happier.

Making Meal Time Fun

Now and then, you can turn meal time into something special and fun. Fun meal time may entice a picky eater to try the food but don’t be tempted to turn every meal into a fun event. The point being that it will stop being special if it happens at every meal.

Most ideas suggested require some creativity and extra effort on your side, so you want to keep it for special days. A few suggestions could be turn into something to do an every day.

Ideas for Every Day Meals

  • Create a menu with the kids, for the following week or two. Let them suggest what you will have for dinner every day.
  • Have meals with a family with a rule of no arguing or talking about anything negative. Have a rule for each day.
  • Start a questions basket for meal time so you have a topic of conversation. Write questions in paper and have the kids grab, one without looking. Some examples:
    • What would your three wishes be?
    • What is your favorite color and why?
    • What is your favorite outfit?
    • What is your favorite book?

Special Meal Ideas

  • Have the kids choose a new recipe each week to try from a healthy cookbook, try to make the meal look like the picture.
  • Plan out a weekly menu and let the kids choose what you will have for dinner each day from that menu.
  • Have the kids cook their favorite meal with you.
  • Get out your cookie cutters and cut everything possible into cute shapes:  Sandwiches, cheese, deli meats, bread.  
  • Theme nights, cook a theme meal, dress up, and talk about that theme during dinner (countries, non birthday party, holiday, etc)
  • Have indoor picnics with disposable plates, utensils, a blanket on the floor, and healthier picnic type foods, of course.
  • Make an entire meal with only finger foods.  NO utensils allowed.
  • Have a good manners day, and eat formally, even dress for dinner.
  • Have the kids decorate the table for the meal, make placemats, place cards, signs, menus, etc.
  • Have breakfast for dinner and eat in your pajamas.