If you are planning for a big future family night, then you will need to know what kind of food to prepare. Most likely, you will want something where you can all use your hands to construct a sharing platter, or a big hearty meal that you all tuck into. Or perhaps you just want a potluck style night. Something where you are a group sharing and you can really feel the communal vibes is always good for the family.
As it happens, there are some meals and dishes which are particularly well suited to this way of eating, and therefore to those family nights in. So let us take a look at some examples of the kinds of meals you might want to try out here.
Nachos
Who does not love nachos? This Mexican classic is something that most people of all ages will enjoy, so it makes it a particularly good option for a family night in. Plus, it is the kind of meal where everyone can simply dip into a plate at the center of the table, which helps with that feeling of sharing you might be hoping for. You can make one huge nachos serving platter, or you can do separate ones. If you opt for the latter, you might be able to easily make less spicy versions for the kids, or non-cheese options for vegans, and so on. In any case, they are well worth thinking about, and most people will be very happy to have a regular nachos night.
Tacos
Tacos are something else to consider on a similar theme. This is something that everyone can construct themselves once you have cooked all the various parts, which of course you can do together too. You might want to think about making some homemade birria tacos, for instance, which can be really delicious and are bound to get everyone’s taste buds nice and active. Or you can make sure that you are simply giving everyone the chance to make their own. In any case, it is going to be the kind of meal the whole family looks forward to, which is a great thing to have. And again, you might soon find that your family is calling for a weekly tacos night before too long.
Pizza
If you want something where your kids can get involved in both the cooking and the eating, pizzas are the perfect way to go. Homemade pizza is really simple and straightforward to make, as it is just a case of throwing together a simple dough and then letting it rise, to be stretched out later. Then it is just a case of spreading the toppings over, which is where you can get everyone involved and it can be very hands-on. This is an opportunity for your kids to be creative in the kitchen, which is a great thing to encourage them, and they might discover new flavor pairings that they were not aware of before. It is a great way to share a meal together.
Lasagna
Staying close to the Italian theme, lasagna is another one that works very well for sharing nights, mostly because you can just make one huge one and then everyone can serve themselves however much they like. That is something that can make the whole experience of eating together so much better, so it is certainly worth thinking about at the very least. A good lasagne recipe can be something that everyone appreciates, so that is well worth thinking about here. And you might find that you are going to have the chance to try new flavors too — how about a chicken lasagne, for instance, or a Spanish version?
Potluck
Finally, you might want to think about hosting a potluck night. That can be good when you have older kids who know how to make a few meals, and it is a good way of encouraging them to make the most of those cooking skills in a fun and family-oriented way. For a potluck, you can literally cook whatever you like and then people just try whatever they want, so it can be a great thing to do if you are not sure what to cook — or just because you have lots of leftover ingredients that need using up. In any case, this can be a good semi-regular night to have with the family, and it can be a lot of fun.
Those are just some of the best examples of meals you can have on a family night in.
