It’s no secret that kids love playing with their food. Why not host a fun and messy family dinner? The giggles won’t stop when mom or dad prepares a meal that kids and parents eat straight off the table with their hands. No plates or silverware are allowed! Show kids that mom and dad can let their hair down and relax the rules of the house once in a while, all in the name of fun by throwing a messy family dinner party.
This dinner is guaranteed to be the talk of the town! Kids won’t soon forget this silly dinner and will treasure this wacky evening with mom and dad and brothers and sisters! Having fun and messy family dinner is a great way to bond with the kids and teach youngsters that there is always room for fun in life.
Planning the Menu
A no silverware, no plates dinner isn’t the time to play it “safe.” Finger foods are an absolute no, no! Eating foods that the family would normally eat with silverware is what makes this dinner fun.
Sample Messy Food Menu:
- Appetizers: Chicken wings
- Salad: Antipasto
- Main dish: Spaghetti with meatballs or ribs with mashed potatoes
- Dessert ideas: Ice cream in a bowl, powdered donuts, or chocolate cake (not cut into slices – dig in)
- Other great foods for a fun and messy family dinner include casseroles, rice, stuffing, spinach, pudding, and pie.
- The messier the cuisine, the better!
Preparing the Dinner Table
To minimize the mess and prevent damage to furniture or flooring, line the family dinner table with a thick paper or plastic tablecloth. If younger children are present, it may be wise to cover the chairs and floor underneath the table with plastic or just simply host this silly dinner outside using the patio furniture. To make dinner time even more fun, provide crayons and markers, and let family members doodle on the tablecloth while they wait for the food to be served.
Serving the Messy Meal
Serve the food in courses: appetizers, salad, main dish and sides, and dessert. All of the food should be placed directly on the table in front of each person. It is consumed using only the hands, not utensils, of course. Clean up is a mother’s dream. Just wrap all the mess up in the paper tablecloth and throw it out.
Of course, cleaning up the kids may take a bit more effort. It might be best to draw an after-dinner bath or, if it’s a hot day, hose the family down!
Capture Fun Moments During The Messy Family Dinner
Taking some pictures or video of this fun and messy family dinner is a must. Family members will get a kick out of reliving the memories. In fact, this family activity will probably be so popular that it might be fun to host a messy family dinner once a month or on special occasions like birthdays. Why not make the next family dinner even more of a treat by including extended family members and friends?
Life can get hectic in these modern times and we forget how important it is to eat together as a family. Making time to play as a family is important to strengthen family ties and build closer bonds between parents and children. Will you be hosting a fun and messy family dinner?
I love messy spaghetti dinners with the grand kids, they love it and it get all over them.
A messy family dinner will be fun to have with cousins