This post is sponsored by Red Baron Pizza, all content and opinions my own.
We’re all about keeping those kiddos in routine this school year, but who says that means you can’t have fun? Sometimes in the middle of the week when everyone is dragging a bit, can be the best time to liven up the everyday family meal.
It doesn’t take much time to turn an everyday dinner into something festive & whimsical. I will show you how! Here are 8 easy ideas for making weeknight dinners more fun.
Mix up the mundane and make any night of the week feel like a celebration.
1. Balloons on the chairs, balloons everywhere!
If you’ve been friends with us for a while, then you know that we’re all about balloons, all the time. They certainly aren’t just saved for special occasions around here. We’re firm believers that balloons easily bring revelry to the everyday.
Adding a handful of balloons to dinnertime for a super fun surprise. Drop one on each chair at the table for a way to get kids excited about gathering together for dinner. Toss them up in the air for a playful and festive addition to a dinner at home.
2. Confetti on the table
A little decoration goes a long way and a sprinkle of confetti will add instant fun to any tablescape. No matter what you’re serving for dinner, every dish looks delicious with a side of confetti. ;)
Pick out your kids’ favorite colors or shapes and customize the confetti party for the family. Or, pick a new color each week and keep them on their toes. Let them help “set” the table by being in charge of confetti sprinkling…you can only hope they think dish duty is just as fun.
3. Fizzy drinks for kids
Mom and Dad shouldn’t be the only ones who get to imbibe. Whip up some mocktails for the kids by simply serving a carbonated drink with fun straws.
Grab some sparkling water and plunk in a couple berries for a pretty look, or add a splash of lemonade for a sweet twist. They’ll be so excited to have a special fizzy drink, and thereby way more likely to eat those not so fuzzy vegetables (we hope!).
4. Silly question starters
Instead of asking “so, how was your day?” make dinnertime conversation more fun by asking silly questions. Some of our favorites are: “what was the funniest thing you saw today?” or “who made you smile today?”
We also love using quotes as a starting point, for example, “live loud!” and then having the kids answer how they lived out loud that day. Flip any of your favorite quotes into a questions for a fun new way to converse at the dinner table. We stuck a week’s worth of favorites on index cards to make it easy to grab and ask a different one every night.
5. Weeknight food tradition
We’ve got a weeknight food tradition where we always share the same dinner as a family on one night of the week. It’s something we all look forward to, adults and kids alike.
Yours could be taco Tuesday, or in our house, it’s Friday Pizza Night! We’ve got Red Baron to thank for our fun and delicious Friday night pizza tradition. It’s a great way to spend time together as our crazy school week has come to a close and to get excited for the weekend ahead. And the best part is, our yummy dinner is ready in a flash!
We always keep our freezer stocked with Red Baron pizzas for our Friday night tradition. Pizza that is easy to make and a movie are exactly what we all need at the end of the week.
6. Paper placemats
Rather than use (and dirty) your typical placemats, make your own for a creative dinnertime activity. For a fun placemat DIY, just use regular paper (white or colored) and put a sheet at everyone’s place at the table. Lay out some crayons or markers so they can be decorated while you are serving up the meal. Then, have everyone share their creations while you eat! This is a great way to keep the kids busy when dinner is taking a little longer than normal.
7. Light up candles
Like balloons, candles aren’t just for parties. They’re a festive way to lighten up any old weeknight dinner. So, grab some matches and let’s get lit!
Colorful candles pack a bright punch, while tall shapes add an elegance to an otherwise standard supper. Let your kids in on the fun and pick out their favorite kinds next time at the store. And if there’s some leftover for that relaxing bath you’ve been looking forward to all week, well that’s just a bonus!
8. Switch spots for the night
How about parents take the night off of cooking and let the kids handle the kitchen duties? Sounds like a dream, right?! If your kids are anything like mine, they can’t wait to get into the kitchen to help cook. And since they’re actually pretty good at it, we definitely don’t mind taking a night off and letting them play head chef. If you’d rather them not do an involved recipe, or want to avoid a mass cleanup, Red Baron makes it super easy. With just a couple pushes of a button, and a quick trip to the oven, the kids can get dinner that everyone will enjoy on the table in minutes.
I’d like to introduce you to The Baroness. A mom who may not always do things by the book, but she does get the job done to ensure her family is well taken care of. She’s a mom in the real world, and is proud to be perfectly imperfect – just like us!
Which one of these weeknight pick me ups are your favorite? We love our traditions, and grabbing a Red Baron Pizza from the freezer section at our local Smith’s, makes it easy for this busy momma to keep up with it all. Anyway you can do it, making weeknight dinners both easy + more fun will make this transition into the busy fall a better one.
(Photography ©A Subtle Revelry by Ashlyn Savannah Photo).
