These ideas can help you turn an ordinary meal into a stress-reducing tool by making family mealtime special. Put these tips into action as soon as tonight.

There are tons of benefits of family mealtimes. Whether you’re dining alone or with loved ones, it’s important to take time to slow down and savor the food in front of you. You’ll enjoy your meal more, and you will get a nice break from your busy day. These family mealtime ideas may help you enjoy your time at the table even more.

Dress Up the Table

Break out the nice linens* and “good” dishes at least once a week (even if that only means ceramic plates instead of paper ones). Add some kind of festive centerpiece, like fresh flowers, a seasonal decoration or bowl of red apples. This can make mealtime feel more like a fancy occasion and keep everyone at the table engaged.

Give everyone a job, whether that's setting the place settings or getting out the fancy cutlery.

Serve a Special Beverage

Stir up your own Bubbly Iced Tea or enjoy a tasty Cold Brew Iced Coffee. Make a beverage bar with special syrups or flavorings that's only available at mealtimes so everyone can personalize their own.

Change the Scenery

Your meal may feel more special if you serve it in a different location, like the dining room table if you normally eat in the kitchen. If you have a backyard patio or even a patch of grass, a picnic dinner can be another fun way to change the scenery and get the whole family engaged at dinnertime!

Give Conversation a Boost

If you’re dining with other people, here are some questions that can get the words flowing: What was the best thing that happened today? What did you think of the movie we saw last week? What should we do together this weekend? What is your favorite memory from this past summer or holiday season? What holiday/vacation are you looking forward to most and why?

Change up Tired Menus

If the same-old, same-old dishes start getting boring, mix it up a bit and try something new! A new dish can make everyone at the dinner table more excited. Explore these different recipe ideas for dinner, dessert and drinks to help make family mealtimes special.

Dinner options:

Dessert options:

Beverage options:

Gather Together for Dessert

If you can’t sit down with your family for dinner every night, agree to gather at the table for coffee and dessert later in the evening. A slice of elegant Angel Lush will guarantee that everyone keeps their promise.

Now that you have some tips on how to start making family mealtime special and how to enjoy mealtimes, explore more My Food and Family dinner, lunch and breakfast resources.

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