Family Dinner Time Series with B-Inspired Mama

I am starting a new series : Family Dinner Time. I will have guest posters for this feature and each writer will share how dinner time is at their house with a family favorite recipe. 
 Today's guest poster is Krissy of B-Inspired Mama. Krissy is a former art teacher and I love her posts artful posts. Be sure to check out her posts about  Art History. 
Dinner time always seems to be the first thing to get pushed aside when things get hectic.  When I’m busy or tired or stressed, I tend to jump all too quickly to take out and casual eating (shhhh…) in front of the TV.  In fact, that’s part of my plan to “be the best mom” that I can be in 2013.  No, not eating in front of the TV; But instead to put more intention into our family dinner time.  Here’s what has worked for us in the past that I plan to focus on this year…

A Stress-Free Family Dinner Time in 4 Simple Steps

1. Menu Planning – It’s a fact.  When I plan out my menu for the week, we have more family dinner time at the table and less last-minute take out.  I hope to make a menu planning board (like this Menu Planner from Once Upon a Chocolate Chip Pancake) to help keep me on track.
2. Keep It Simple – This mama is NOT afraid of shortcuts.  Can I make a delicious four course meal from scratch?  Sure!  Is that practical with my busy family of 5?  No way!  So I keep it simple.  I stick to our tried and true favorite recipes.  And I’m not afraid to throw in some simple frozen vegetables, boxed mac and cheese, or crock pot recipes (like this one for our kid-made Crock Pot Roast) to make it easier on myself. 
3. Get the Kids Involved – The kids are so much more patient and cooperative while I’m getting dinner ready if I get them involved in the process.  It’s not always easy to let them help cook, but they have fun doing the simple things like setting the table, too. 
4. Talk, Talk, Talk! – We use our family dinner time for fun and creative conversation.  My kids love going around the table and telling about our favorite parts of our day.  And sometimes we play simple conversational games to make family meal time more meaningful. 

So I might not be the supermama that can have a home-cooked family dinner on the table seven days a week, but I can try my best to make the most out of the family dinner time that we do have together.  What is dinner time like at your house?
Krissy is a former art teacher turned full time mama of 3. Blogging at B-Inspired Mama allows her to connect other moms with simple ideas for kid-friendly crafts, easy recipes, learning fun, and creative parenting tips
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