If you have a family, you know how incredibly tough it can be to gather the family around the dinner table. When I was growing up it was the unusual when we did not eat together as a family. My mother was very strict abut meals in our house and with 6 kids, it is no wonder! We were to be at the table, hands washed and quiet, promptly at 6:00 and if you were not on time, you did not eat. Mom cooked virtually everything from scratch, so if you did not like what she made, you could go hungry. There was no shouting menu demands from the living room or pushing away your plate because you decide today is the day you do not like sauce on your pasta. No wonder that for several years after starting my own family I would get a tummy ache when it came close to dinner time. I think I half expected my mother to pop her head into the dining room while she did her head count! For me, I want meal time to be relaxed and enjoyable and a time to connect as a family. There are times when it is like pulling teeth to get the kids to the table, so I wanted to find some clever suggestions on how to make meals fun. Here are a few ideas I really liked:
- Involve The Family: If you have kids who repeatedly tell you they do not like what you are serving, get them to help plan the menu. This is not an open invitation to have the kids request ice cream and cupcakes but they will gain a sense of ownership. If the kids both want pasta but one wants meat sauce and one a white sauce, I can handle that!
- Switch It Up: Make things interesting to get the kids excited about coming to the table. Why not have breakfast for dinner or make a small buffet. When you serve the same things over and over is when people dread coming to the table.
- Make A Game Of It: Once in a while, do something small but fun to get the kids running to the table. Tape a prize or a treat to the bottom of their plate. Tell them if they clean their plate, they can turn over the plate and receive the prize attached. My kids LOVE this and you can make it as simple as an extra 15 minutes of TV or skipping one chore the next day.
- Add Some Color: Two things the experts have found is if you serve food that lacks color and lump them together, the kids are not going to be thrilled with it. Try serving mashed potatoes, cauliflower and creamed chicken. Pretty bland tasting and looking. Serve your meals with some color like fresh fruits and vegetables and sauces for dipping. Kids love to dip! Also, serve dinner on colorful dinnerware and use colored glasses for drinking. One company I am particularly fond of for their brightly colored dinner, glass and serving pieces is Q Squared  NYC.
How To Make Meals Fun
I absolutely love to set a beautifully coordinated table when I am entertaining. Why do I not think to do this when it is just me and the family having a meal together? If I am looking for ways how to make meals fun, this would be a good start! When I set a nice table for a meal, it just makes the meal more enjoyable for everyone. I honestly had a tough time choosing which pieces I wanted to receive from Q Squared NYC and had to defer to Eva Valerio, my contact, for help. Eva chose the bright and colorful Montecito Collection. The vibrant reds, yellows, blues and white just make the table pop with festivity. The moment the package arrived, the kids were already washing the new dishes so they could have a snack on them. Caitlin was hilarious drinking from the wine glass. We also received the 11″ plate, 5.5″ plate, 16″ platter, 10″ bowl, wine glass, highball and DOF glass.
Let me tell you a huge reason you will fall in love with the products from Q Squared NYC. Every piece is made of the finest quality melamine and the colors are beyond description. The glasses are surprisingly sturdy and in my house, that is a huge plus! I love that you can mix and match so many pieces, colors and shapes within the collection. There are almost 40 pieces just within this one collection that would work perfectly with one another. You can choose a more refined solid white of the Diamond White or the gorgeous Q Luxe Ruffle. Q Squared NYC literally has something for every taste and every budget and these are pieces you know you will keep for years to come. I am actually going to purchase some pieces for my oldest daughter as a Christmas gift because I want her to share in the joy we have had using these pieces! You can purchase the Q Squared NYC products from their website and the prices range from $5 – $45 for dinner, glass and serving pieces. You can also purchase sets for kids, and several other products.
FOr Makobi Scribe fans, enter MAKOBISCRIBE at checkout and receive 15% off you order.
One USA reader will win one Venezia 3-piece Bowl Set,valued at $48.00
The Rectangular Tray with Handles in Madison Bloom Brushed Floral looks very nice!
Madison bloom!
I like the Ruffle collection the best.
Thanks for the giveaway…Montecito Blue
the Madison Bloom Collection.
I like the MADISON BLOOM collection!
I like the Madison Bloom Collection.
I like the Madison Bloom collection best.
My favorite is the Madison Bloom collection!
I love anything with solid red…like the Q-red plates, bowls.
I like the madison bloom
I love the Madison Bloom
I like the Q Hot collection. Thanks!
– AaronandKasi Erwin facebook/rafflecopter
I like the Montecito pattern. It’s very lively.
I like the ruffle collection.
I like the Ruffle collection.
Ruffle collection
i like Madison Bloom
MONTECITO
I like the Q hot and the urban block
Pretty bowls! I would love a set of the blue wine glasses. Thanks for having this contest.
I think Victorian would have to be my favorite out of them all 🙂
I like the Ruffle Collection.
My favorite is MADISON BLOOM
Madison Bloom Dinner Plate
I like the Qhot collection
I like the Diamond Red pattern
my favorite collection is the Montecito Yellow 5.5″ Plate
Diamond Red is my favorite collection.
madison bloom.
I like the Q Hot collection
Diamond white
I like the Diamond Red but the Madison Bloom is #2.
I like the Diamond Red
The Ruffle collection is gorgeous.
I like Ruffle Collection.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
I like the Diamond Red collection.
I absolutely love the DIAMOND WHITE collection!
Love madison bloom!
I really love Madison Bloom even though they are all beautiful
My favorite collection is the Ruffle Collection!
The Victorian collection is my favorite.
I like the Victorian collection
My favorite collection is Q Hot .
Madison bloom is gorgeous!
i loke the madison bloom best, but white ruffle is a close second
I like the madison bloom
I like the elegance of the white Ruffle.
I like the Madison Bloom. saltpepper1_2000@yahoo.com
I love the Q Hot Collection.
My favorite collection is the Madison Bloom!
My favorite collection is the Diamond White 🙂
shebebes@yahoo.com
I really really love the Urban Block collection
I like the ruffle collection
I like the Q kids collection
I love the Diamond Red
so colorful
Q Hot is pretty, I especially love the blue
I like the Diamond Red collection.
Love the ruffle collection. Too cute!
Victorian Collection
The Madison i so elegant.
I love the MADISON BLOOM
I love the madison bloom
Victorian collection i like
I love the Victorian
Madison Bloom 8.5″ Floral Plate.
Madison Bloom is absolutely beautiful.
Victorian collection… but the hug set and rock paper scissors is the cutest sets ever!
I like the Urban Block collection.
I really think the Montecito collection is tops!
Q HOT
MADISON BLOOM
I like the Victorian
Victorian!
I like the Montecito collection =]
I like the Ruffle Collection.
I love the Montecito Red.
Victorian collection
VICTORIAN GREEN TAPAS
I like the Diamond Red!
I also love the diamond red dipping bowls
thanks!
Victorian Leaves
My favorite collection is the Madison Bloom.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I love Ruffle!
The Ruffle collection is my favorite.
I love their victorian leaves
My favorite collection from Q Squared Home is Diamond Red.
The .Montecito Red design is my favorite
I like the ruffle collection
I like the Diamond White collection
The Victorian collection
I like the Diamond Red Collection.
I like the Madison bloom and the ruffe collection.
I love diamond red!
Montecito Red
Madison Bloom is my favorite!
I like the Diamond White but I also like the Victorian too. Hard choice.
boylaneely at hotmail dot com
monticeito
Montecito!
The Victorian collection is my fave!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I like the Victorian Collection
I like Urban block.
I like the diamond red collection
I like the Ruffle set.
I like the Montecito Red.
Urban Block is my favorite
My favorite is the madison bloom collect. Elegant and fun!
Victorian Emblem
I love the victorian collection.
ilike the white red diamond one
My favorite collection is the Madison Bloom, it is gorgeous!
Q Hot is my favorite collection. I love the colors.
The ruffle set is gorgeous.
the diamond red
My favorite is the Montecito Collection: http://www.qsquarednyc.com/montecito-yellow-small-plate-1.html
Madison Bloom
Madison Bloom
I like the Madison bloom, the red is so pretty
I like the ruffle set
I agree with Paula — Montecito Blue is lovely!
Madison Bloom plus my husband loves Red
The Q Luxe Ruffle is my fave…They are all really nice though 🙂 Thanks!
I like the Montecito Blue. It’s gorgeous!
Ruffle
I like the Montecito Blue. I love blue and white. It would match my dining room.
I love the Q KIDS collection
Diamond red
Victorian leaves collection
I love the Ruffle Collection!
my favorite is the monticello yellow collection, thank you
I like the Madison Bloom collection
Oh I love the Victorian! Love those colors! Would match my kitchen!
I love the DIAMOND RED LONG PLATTER and the DIAMOND RED SERVING BOWL. love it!
I like the Madison Bloom Collection the best.
I like the MADISON BLOOM collection
When it comes to flatware, I like simple. The Diamond White collection is perfect for company!
Loving the diamond red collection!!
i love the ruffle collection
I want the Breakfast in Bed set… and then I want my husband to use it!
Madison Bloom, definitely!
I like the Monticello Yellow collection.
I love the diamond white collection!
I like the Madison Bloom Collection
I Like the
Madison Bloom
My favorite is the Ruffle collection. It’s modern without being too serious. Thanks for the chance!
I like the Diamond Red collection
I like the Diamond Red collection. It’s very pretty
My favorite is the Madison Bloom.
I love the Ruffle collection!
cjnedrow at gmail dot com
q-hot collection
I love the Diamond Red.So pretty for Christmas.Thank you 🙂
I like the Madison Bloom.
My favorite is Urban Block
MADISON BLOOM.
I like the Victorian Leaves design!
I like the Madison Bloom Collection
I really like the Urban Block collection from this site.
Like the Pearl Grey collection
BREAKFAST IN BED SET
I like the Victorian collection.
I love the Montecito Blue collection.
My favorite collection is the Diamond White
Montecito is my favorite collection.
I like the MADISON BLOOM collection.
my favorite is the madison bloom, thank you
Montecito blue. It’s beautiful.
I really like the DIAMOND WHITE collection, right now I have a black collection and this makes me realize I need a new set!
My favorite collection is diamond white
The Montecito collection is fantastic!
MADISON BLOOM so cute
I like the Madison Bloom Collection
VICTORIAN KELLY GREEN collection
Madison Bloom
Thanks for the contest.
the Madison Bloom collection.
I like the Victorian collection.
Q Red 8.5″ Plate
I like the Urban Block Platinum collection!
I like the Ruffle collection.
My favorite is the Montecito Red collection!
I like the red hombre glass set
I like the breakfast in bed set. Or maybe I like the idea of breakfast in bed. Hmm.
Q squared NYC Bowl set
Diamond White
I really like the Victorian Collection
Diamond Red collection is my favorite.
Madison Bloom is my favorite collection.
I like the ‘diamond red’ collection!
My favorite collection is Urban Block.
Urban Block Collection!
I like the Diamond Red Collection
I like the Montecito Bloom collection.
I like the Diamond Red set the best. This just reminds me how awfully bad I need new serve ware. Mine is all chipped!
I like the Madison Bloom Collection!
I like the Urban Block – thank you.
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I love the Madison Bloom Collection
I like the Madison Bloom collection.
I like the Ruffle collection
I love the bright pop of color in the Victorian collection.
I like the Montecito Bloom collection
favorite collection is the madison bloom
THE VICTORIAN
Q Red
Madison Bloom anything in this category!!!!
Love the Madison Bloom collection
Madison blue
I think the more pattern on a plate, the harder it is to make your food look appetizing.
I’d opt for the ruffle pattern, kind of flirty like me.
montecito yellow
I like the madison bloom collection.
I like the Urban Collection
I like the ruffle collection best
I like the Montecito Red or the Colorado Blue.
MadisonBloom!!!
White Diamond collection
madison bloom
Victorian
The Montecito Blue Collection.
I love the MONTECITO Yellow and the Madison Bloom. Totally different but both are so pretty.
My favorite collection is the diamond red.
My kitchen is a red color & they would go great with that.
Ruffle.
I love the Montecito Red collection.
The Madison Bloom collection is my favorite.
I love the Victorian
I like the Madison Bloom.
Ruffle
I love the Ruffle collection.
Victorian Kelly Green 11″ Plate
The MONTECITO blue collection.
I like their VENEZIA 7PC SALAD SET!
I like Colorado Blue.
DIAMOND WHITE SM RECT PLATTER would go with our existing collection perfectly!
Diamond Red
my wife would love the victorian
i like the MADISON BLOOM collection
Victorian — love it!
I like the Madison Bloom! It looks like lovely watercolors!
My favorite collection is the Urban Hot.
I like the Victorian Collection
I like the Victorian green tapas dish.
Colorado blue twisted triple bowl!
Montecito Yellow Large Tray
I like the Urban Block collection.
Victorian collection is nice!
I like Victorian collection
Q Luxe Ruffled
I like the Victorian collection
I like the Q Luxe Ruffled it is very pretty
I like the Colorado Blue Twisted Triple Bowl
diamond white is my favorite
I like Diamond Red
i like the Montecito
I really like Madison Bloom. So cheerful!
I like Urban Block.
COLORADO BLUE 10″ BOWL
I love the ruffles the best
My favorite is Madison Bloom.
My favorite collection is the VICTORIAN
I would love to mix and match all of the solids.
Montecito Yellow is nice
I like the Diamond Red collection.
Thanks so much.
I like the Montecito.
Madison bloom
love the montecito
urban block is my fave
Their Victorian collection would be perfect for our dining room. Thanks!
I like the Ruffle.
I like the Ruffle
My favorite collection is Urban Block.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
I like the Montecito and the Urban Block. Interesting mix and match options!
I really like the Montecito.