Bright Idea: Meal of the Week

Whoops! I almost forgot about the Friday Bright Idea post. (It's already Saturday for me!)

I think I am not alone in my dinner menu boredom, and I know I am not alone in my struggle to get small mouths to accept my kitchen creations. This idea is something to boost the excitement for you and your kiddos when it comes to family dinner. Each week we have a special meal (usually dinner, sometimes breakfast or lunch depending on my husband's schedule) based on a theme drawn out of our Meal of the Week jar. My son is involved in planning the menu, shopping and preparing the food. It helps him feel adventurous about trying the new foods and provides opportunities for learning moments along the way. At the end of our special dinner we choose another paper for the following week and the anticipation starts again.
Here's our jar. Nothing fancy at all.

The themes influence the food, or the decorations, or both. Here is our current list of themes to get you started on your own:
Picnic
Safari
Pirate
Jungle
Candlelight
No utensils/silly utensils (ladles, spatulas, etc.)
Backwards (dessert first)
Taste Test
Progressive Meal (room to room)
Pioneer
Japanese
Russian
French
Mexican
Italian
Red
White
Green
Dinner and a movie
Eat out
Boys cook

You can also try using a favorite book, movie, or song as the basis for a theme. If you are familiar with another country, or know someone who is, definitely use it for a theme. Be creative and make it fun for everyone.

Bright Idea: Meal of the Week

http://laugh-learn-love.blogspot.com/2008/05/bright-idea-meal-of-week.html