Theme Nights
While many of us enjoy and desire a family dinner hour; the average American family only has dinner together once per week. Finding the hour for dinner is one thing, finding the time to plan and prepare is another. Theme Nights are a simple solution to reduce planning, simplify shopping and spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the table.
As a family, choose a theme for each night of the week. Be creative! Here are some Rush Hour Theme Night favorites.
Finger Foods
This could be appetizer trays of fruit, vegetables, cheese and crackers, mini-sandwiches, hot dogs on sticks-anything that can be tackled by hand… literally!
Breakfast for Dinner
If your family is at all like mine, a leisurely breakfast of omelets, pancakes, and sausage is more often seen in the movies than at your busy breakfast table. Try these as a dinner dish when family has time to enjoy them.
Pasta Presto
You pick the type and the night for Pasta Presto. Perhaps it’s spaghetti, fettuccini, macaroni, lasagna-just pick a sauce and pasta and check a weeknight off your list.
Meat and Potatoes
The good ol’ American standby makes for a great meal. While these once took intense oven preparation, today’s technology offers other options.
Some Assembly Required
Whether its pizza, tacos or baked potatoes; this night features a main course that each family member can customize to their liking.
Kid’s Cook
(Or spouse cooks, or mailman cooks)-You get the picture-someone other than Mom gets to man the kitchen (and the dishes) for this night.
Soup & Sandwich
There is a reason almost every restaurant offers a soup and sandwich special-it’s a hearty, healthy and wholesome combo!
Make It and Bake It
When in a rush there is nothing like the beloved casserole. Choose your favorite, throw it together, and toss it in the oven for a 30-minute-bake. Don’t forget to double your recipe and reserve one for freezing.
May 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
My husband and I eat dinner together 6 out of 7 nights each week which means being a creative cook since I work full-time and he is retired. (Don’t even mention that he COULD cook). I use my crockpot at least twice a week. This is really a boon to having a great meal easily. Also, making menus before going to the store saves money because I only get what I need for that week’s meals and lunches.
Thanks, Brooke, for the easy meals on your website. Some of these have become my stand-bys because they are hearty, filling and good.
Maggie
May 16th, 2008 at 4:49 am
These are great ideas! Our family eats together 4-5 times per week because my husband and I decided that it was a priority for our family. It is sad to read the statistic that average family only eats together 1 night per week! Yikes!
Another theme that we often use is related to cleaning out all the leftovers in the fridge. We call it “Mixed Up Monday”, “Wacky Wednesday” or “Silly Supper Sunday” depending on which day it happens to fall. Everyone eats something different that night, we make it fun, and we don’t waste food!
Thanks for your inspiration!
May 29th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Great ideas. We will go out to breakfast and go for a game of pool.Our teenagers like that . So time with them is enjoyable.
What to do when they decide not to be there the last minute for the family meal; or they decide the don’t want to eat that now - ugh.