Dinner was an essential part of my life growing up. Each evening around 5:30, my family gathered around the table in our yellow daffodil kitchen and enjoyed one of my mom's delicious meals. Those are some of my best memories. I knew I wanted to create that same comforting time for my own family when I grew up.
Raising children in the early 2000s was different than when I was young in the 1970s. Dinner at home every night was less common for several reasons. For one, when I was little, sports, music, and clubs took place during school hours. When my kids were young, after-school activities became the norm. It was common for some of their classmates to have two different activities after a full day of school. Many of their friends grabbed takeout every night or scarfed down something in the car between basketball and cheerleading. I am not here to judge. Instead, I want to point out that while this was and is the norm, it doesn't have to be if you choose otherwise. And we did.
We made the choice early on that, for us, family was the most important thing, and we looked forward to having dinner together around our table as many nights as possible. Many nights when the kids were very little and Steve worked late, the kids and I ate together, and I made a plate for Steve that he would heat up long after the little ones were tucked in bed. As the kids got older, we planned meals together and posted our meal plan on the chalkboard in the kitchen. It wasn't always complicated. Wednesday nights were pizza nights for many years. Grilled cheese and tomato soup was a favorite, as was tuna noodle casserole and peas with butter bread. What we ate was less important than the time we spent together eating.
My kids are older now, and my first two daughters have their own homes and schedules. But dinner continues to be a central part of their days too. A look at our family group text on any random day will attest to that. Here is an example from last night.
Our dinner...fresh cheese ravioli with salad and garlic bread...
All of those dinners look fantastic. I love that it looks like y’all use Corelle! I have the same plates that both you and Peyton have!
ReplyDeleteHello dear Billie Jo! I love how you all still "share dinner" that way. I worked hard to have some form of dinner together too. Even amongst all the sports my kiddos participated in regularly. The slow cooker was my best friend so often something hot was ready as soon as we got home. Or right before we left.
ReplyDeleteAnd I ADORE this new blog wallpaper and header!!! So perfect for your blog and so pretty. 😍
You have passed on a wonderful and important tradition to your children!!
ReplyDeleteOf all the things I remember about growing up, dinner with my parents each night is such a wonderful memory. I'm glad my mama always made us nutritious meals, even after a long day at work. These pictures look so yummy!
ReplyDeleteBillie Jo, our family made the same choice you did. Dinner together around the table was SO important to both my husband and me. For that reason, our kids weren't involved in sports or other activities that took place during the dinner hour. We received a lot of criticism for that, but we stuck to our guns and did not jump on the extra-curricular bandwagon. We have no regrets.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you, in addition to good fresh ingredients, dinner is above all a family gathering. I know it from my childhood and from my own family, now the children are grown up and have similar habits in their families.
ReplyDeleteAnd I myself love to cook with fresh ingredients and to enjoy the food together with my husband... but most of the time I love visitors and my big table filled with plates, cutlery and glasses... Common - Commonality ... and greens belong on the plate ... absolutely for me :-)))
Many greetings to you Best wishes from Viola
Family dinner was a tradition at our house growing up, and I fought like crazy to hold to it when I was raising my family! The meals you've shared look so delicious.
ReplyDeleteWe ate together as often as possible and always at either the kitchen or dining room table. We were never an "eat in the den in front of the TV" family. Dinner time was for food and conversations.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this post Billie Jo. My family also always ate all meals at the table and I continued that tradition in my own house and always will. It just makes the time together so much more special.
ReplyDeleteGood memories of years ago when we were young. No microwave back in my time being a youngster. I'm putting roast in instant pot for dinner and potatoes and vegetables 😋. Enjoy your food with family.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in the 50's and the 60's and we always had supper (dinner) together as a family as I think most everyone did.
ReplyDeleteOur kids grew up having to be home for supper too and always around the table.
We made Calzones for supper this evening.
This is a beautiful post! I love it! Thank you! God bless!
ReplyDeleteI love this! We always ate supper together too and my girls have carried on with their families. Nice to see for sure!
ReplyDeleteI grew up eating at the kitchen table. My husband did not. And... unfortunately we adopted his lifestyle after we got married. We always ate together but it was in the living room watching TV. (I wish I'd have been more bold as a young mom but I grew up the youngest and have always been somewhat timid.) And now only one of my daughters eats dinner at the table. Probably because her husband ate at the table growing up. When our kids became teenagers, I had a small 5x7 magnetic white board on the fridge where I'd post the weekly meals. It helped them know what to expect and sparked conversation in that they would tell us they wouldn't be here this or that night and could we move meals around so they'd be here for their favorites. Hmmm, the different seasons of life...
ReplyDeleteGathering around the table together to share a meal is so very important to family life. I know it thrills you to have your grown children do the same. I'm so happy mine do that as well. Such a lovely post, Billie Jo!
ReplyDeleteWe had dinner together most every night too. It's a wonderful tradition. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis post is precious. So many memories come to mind just reading it. And those meals are amazing! YUM! We actually ate dinner with our boys while watching old sitcoms or American Idol or other shows we enjoyed as a family. We would laugh and talk and learn things and it was a unique way of doing dinner, but we loved it.
ReplyDeleteWe always gathered around the kitchen table when I was growing up too. It was a special time and my Mama was the best cook ever. It's just Marc and I now but we always sit together for dinner. Tonight is hot dogs for us too:) All of the meals look yummy! Enjoy your day dear friend, HUGS!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. Spending time as a family to share a meal and talk is truly such a blessing and a gift. I feel that now days it is the norm to rush around and something special and sacred is lost within our familys. Hugs to you my friend.
ReplyDeleteYum! All those dishes looks amazing. It’s wonderful to see our grown children doing what we taught them 💕 good job momma and Nicolas’ momma too lol
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