How to Make Family Dinners Take Place All Year Long

The holidays are a great time to reconnect with family over dinner, but there’s no reason why family dinners should only happen around the holidays.

Family dinners can be extremely relaxing and give you a sense of perspective that you can’t get from your friends and coworkers, so this year, make your family dinners take place all year long! Here are some tips to help you plan your family’s get-togethers in the new year.

Eating with the Seasons

If you’re planning several family dinners throughout the year, change the menu with the seasons to keep your gatherings interesting for everyone. Choose healthy dishes that use fresh, local fruits, produce and meats to give your family something to look forward to every time you get together.

In-season foods are tasty, healthy and easy to find as well. Stop by your local farmer’s market or even plant your own garden for the freshest foods available for your family dinners.

Traveling to New Places

A change of scenery can make a big difference when you’re hosting family dinners throughout the year. If your family members live in different cities, take turns hosting to reduce the stress usually associated with preparing food and having overnight guests.

Sharing hosting duties is also a great way to get the whole family involved. The host can put his/her own spin on the traditional family dinner with festive decorations and fun after-dinner activities.

Coordinating with Family

After deciding on various menus and locations, you should talk to your family about how many family dinners they want to have this year and what dates work best. Coordinating large groups of people can be daunting, but the internet makes it simple!

To keep everybody on the same page, consider making an invitation-only social media group just for your family. Make your family dinners private events on social media, email fun digital invitations, share menus and add directions to dinner locations. After your dinners, share pictures and videos to your private group so that everyone has access to them.

With a little planning, family dinners don’t have to be stressful, and having several dinners throughout the year will take some of the pressure off the holidays. Make having more family dinners throughout the year one of your New Year’s resolutions!