Ahh, yes, family dinner. As we transition into the holiday season and continue to juggle a busy schedule of after-school activities, homework and sports and add in extra festive events, dinner routines can become difficult to maintain. Unfortunately, busy schedules, wiggly kiddos, picky palates and more can all contribute to dinnertime chaos. Despite the challenges of family dinner, meals together have been proven time and time again to be important for family connection, communication and overall well-being. How can parents approach family meals with fresh energy during this hectic season? Read on for some tips for managing family mealtime during the busy evenings ahead.
Try, try again
One of the biggest stressors parents deal with during family mealtimes is food avoidance by picky eaters. We have all been that parent wondering how someone possibly could dislike delicacies such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables or that cheese on top of the pizza. And yet, it happens. Some kids and some foods just don’t get along, but it’s probably not forever. Don’t be afraid to put non-preferred foods on a child’s plate meal after meal. Even if they remain untouched for a while, the possibility always remains that your kiddo will pick up a less-preferred food if you keep offering it. Worth a try!
“Safe” foods
While you are busy offering new foods, don’t forget to incorporate “safe” foods into your dinner routine. Safe foods are proven winners you know your child will eat, even if they are hesitant to try the new thing. The presence of safe foods may also eliminate your picky eater’s worries about whether there will be anything for them to eat.
Let kids help
Listen, I know that “cooking with your kids” is often touted as a fun solution to mealtime woes, but at the end of a (long, busy) work or school day, maybe we aren’t in the best mood and just want to get dinner on the table quickly. That’s OK. With some pre-planning, we can still find ways to get our kids involved. Allow kids to comb through cookbooks and suggest recipe ideas, bring them along on your grocery trip and let them choose a new veggie, or ask them to set the table “fancy” for the family meal. Even though it’s tempting for parents to quickly do everything on their own, involving our kids at mealtime can create family cohesion and overall buy-in on the meal.
Work as a team
Don’t just have your kids pitch in with mealtime chores, consider involving other members of your family and community. Whether it’s your parenting partner, a nearby relative or a neighbor, invite people in to help out and approach mealtime as a team.
Try a low-key vibe
You know what’s not relaxing? The television blasting cartoons in the background. Our cellphones pinging with notifications throughout the meal. Your dog begging for scraps at the foot of the toddler’s highchair. Consider what stressors most affect your mealtime vibes and rework the routine to be more lowkey. Think about playing chill music, silence your phone notifications and feed the dog ahead of the family. Try dimmer lighting (candlelight, even?) and keep the pace slow and easy.
Make it a theme night
Try centering dinner around a theme. An easy theme idea is Taco Tuesday (or, even better, Takeout Tuesday?) but feel free to be creative with any idea that works for your family. Theme night dinners could involve your kid’s favorite book, favorite shape, favorite color, a favorite cuisine or even a type of food (like pizzas).
Write out the menu
For some, the worst part of dinner is deciding what to serve. And of course, the worst time to decide what to serve for dinner is at 6 p.m. when everyone is hungry. Early in the day, grab a whiteboard, a Post-it note, or even just a piece of paper and announce what’s for dinner so everyone knows the plan. Not only does this reduce last-minute decision fatigue for the person preparing the meal, it also gives kids an idea of what to expect day-to-day. Putting a little more structure around the dinner hour can be helpful for adults and kids alike.
Lower the pressure
Sometimes dinners are going to tank. Sometimes kids aren’t going to eat much. Sometimes those same kids are going to ask for a snack right after they’ve brushed their teeth for the night. It’s annoying, but try as best as you can to hold it all lightly. If you have recurring issues that need to be dealt with, certainly address them, but if you occasionally just have a crummy night, it’s OK to let it go and try again tomorrow.
Pamela Savage is a freelance writer living in Springfield. Dinner time is hard for her.
This article appears in Parent Winter 2026.
