Unforgettable family dinners don’t have to be something reserved for special occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthdays. You can make the most of pretty much every evening as a family or couple, all without breaking the bank. Not convinced? This post will change that!
This post is broken up into three essential parts that help make your dinners special:
- Fun, friendly, and cheaper ways you can dine out together as a family.
- How to take home cooking to another level for massive savings and more fun.
- Making family dinner an event that will bring parents and children together.
There are also a couple of tips at the end to ensure your family meals become more than just a time to eat and transform into something special as you go from simply eating food to dining!
Dine Out at Lunch Time
Getting out for a meal early can save you a lot of money. Most restaurants charge much higher prices for dinner plates than lunchtime plates. This is usually because they need to get people through the door during the day, so they entice you with lower lunchtime rates. You may miss out on a special live lobster recipe, but who’s complaining at half price? Also, many restaurants have extended lunch times of up to around 4 pm or 5 pm, so you can also have an early dinner.
Budget Family Dinners at Happy Hour
Eating at a restaurant has become something of a luxury these days. Even fast food joints like McDonald’s and KFC will set you back a fair amount. In fact, the average American family will spend between $100 and $150 at a reasonably priced restaurant for dinner. But there are some things you can try to lower that bill, and one of them is taking advantage of Happy Hour deals.
Check restaurant review sites
There are tons of restaurant review sites, and your local news blog might even have a list of the best ones that offer Happy Hour deals for families and couples just looking to have a nice night.
Join social media groups
Social media groups are a wealth of information when it comes to family stuff, and just like you, there will be many parents on there looking for and sharing information on Happy Hour places.
Check on Google Maps
A quick Google Maps check can be all it takes to find great places at low prices within your local area. At a quick glance you can see the cost, star rating and top reviews of a restaurant.
Use Kids Eat Free Offers
Like Happy Hour and money off deals, there are usually many offers available for children. Most large restaurant chains offer these deals, such as kid eat free. Kids eating free isn’t too common though. However, there are almost always much cheaper child dishes available, or two-for -one on child meals. So, it is worth a little bit of research into local eateries to find the best ones for families. Of course, restaurants targeted at families are usually the best ones for deals.
Share Appetizers and Desserts
If people are honest, most would say they eat too much when at a restaurant. Perhaps that’s the point as you treat yourself now and then. However, it is likely that you won’t be able to eat appetizers, a main meal, and a dessert alone! Most people find this pretty challenging. So why waste the money? Only the snobbiest restaurants will frown upon sharing meals. And if they do look down on it, there goes the tip, and you don’t eat there again! You are the customer, after all!
Visit BYOB Eateries
Not every restaurant is licensed to sell alcohol and, therefore, can’t do so legally. To get around this, some will allow you to bring your own into the premises. There is actually no law against this, so long as the restaurant allows it. They might take a different stance on soft drinks, though, as they may want you to buy theirs. However, some are also fine with that too. These restaurants can save you a ton of money since most charge a premium on beverages.
Cash-In Rewards Points
Perhaps local, family-run places don’t offer much in the way of rewards, but some do. However, almost every major restaurant chain will offer a loyalty program where you earn points that can be cashed in for free stuff. Visiting the same places over and over is the best way to build these up, and popular places like Chick-fil-A offer these kinds of schemes. You may also be able to get points from third-party services too. Credit cards, for example, often offer reward programs.
Budget Family Dinners with Gourmet Home Cooking
Learning to cook is one of the best ways to save money. Pre-prepared meals, and even vegetables such as chopped carrots,can cost as much as 4 times the price. While only around 43% of American families eat together these days, family cooking can bring people together. Budget family dinners can also become something special with a little extra effort such as Nightmare Before Chrstmas charcuterie for the kids and fun-loving parents and adults alike.
Go with themed nights
Themed nights add some extra charm to a family dinner or romantic evening with a partner. From 1950s burger joint nights to suave classic French or Italian, the sky’s the only limit!
Cook as a family
Family cooking has become a thing of the past. However, when kids are involved, they feel more connected to the food, and this means it is unlikely any of it will go to waste.
Try local and seasonal ingredients
No matter where you live, you’re never too far away from quality produce. Seasonal fresh food is usually cheaper, and you can even make a day of it by picking vegetables at a local farm.
Pretend you’re at a restaurant
More wine, sir? One of the goofiest but fun ways to add something special to a family dinner is to pretend you’re at a restaurant. With practice, though, eating at home transforms into dining!
Try DIY cooking kits
There’s often a lot of extra ingredients that go into certain recipes. However, most supermarkets sell DIY food kits for baking, burritos and other recipes that can save you a ton of money.
Make Dinner a Family Affair
There could be reasons why certain family members may not be able to attend dinner, such as a child with neurodivergent issues who needs specialist care. However, ensuring all family members, such as parents, sons, daughters, and perhaps even grandparents, attend can make dinner something valuable. Dinner may be the only time the family can get together during the day, or even one evening a week, so make it a family affair with no phone or tablet rules.
Encourage Discussion and Conversation
Further to catching up with family, dinner should be something to look forward to instead of a chore. Conversation between family members helps bring everyone together where the kids can discuss their school work, hobbies and future plans. This helps make dinner more of an event than a necessity. However, it also means the money and time you spend on making it isn’t wasted. Too much food goes in the bin these days, but with rising costs, this is a money pit!
Set the Mood with Music
Setting the mood for dinner doesn’t always mean something romantic. The kids might be more likely to engage with dinner as a family if they are involved in it somehow. Allowing them to choose (appropriate) music they enjoy is an easy way to encourage the children to sit, stay, and engage. After all, family dinner is for everyone. As a result, the kids are more likely to eat their food and reduce waste. Of course, each family member can also take turns with their music.
Try Reusable Dinner Décor
There is far more to setting the mood for dinner than music. Lighting and décor play an important role, too. While the kids may not be too thrilled by fancy French dinner plates, they will engage with something more fun. Reusable dinner décors such as electric candles, vases and flowers, and dinnerware can make a massive difference in how much people engage with the setting. The family will also appreciate the extra effort you are putting into making dinner special.
Smart Cooking for Budget Family Dinners
Food is at a scandalous price these days. The average American family of four can expect to pay up to $1,500 per month on groceries. Everyone can agree that’s a huge bill! However, there are some ways you can save by shopping and cooking smarter for cheaper family meals:
- Make a plan for meals each day and use common ingredients across multiple dishes.
- Use frozen and canned food where necessary as a convenient and cheaper alternative.
- Cook meals like lasagna in large batches that can be frozen and re-used several times.
- Creatively use leftovers for lunch meals that the family can take to school or work.
- Shop smart by comparing prices, buying in bulk, and storing non-perishable foods.
Spend Time Together Afterward
Who says dinner has to be the end of it? Of course, the kids might want to shoot straight back up to their bedrooms after eating, but family time can be something special when everyone has fun together. Unless the children must do homework or some chore, you can extend dinner times into something more meaningful. Playing classic board games, games for kids, or even taking a walk is a wonderful way to make the most of the treasured time you all have as a family.
Summary
Dining out early in the day can help you find budget family dinners that don’t cost too much. Home cooking together, trying themes, and even eating seasonally will elevate dinner and save some money. However, you can make dinner special by spending time together afterward, too.
