Family Fun Dinner Ideas: Foods that Start with Letter B

Need to put some fun, learning and inspiration into your family dinners? Between work, school, extra curricular activities and sports, sitting down to eat dinner as a family can be challenging. As parents we have an innate sense that eating dinners as a family is important. Most of us easily realize that we are eating healthier and enjoying more time to communicate with our kids but there are so many benefits of eating together as a family.

First of all, B is for Benefits of family dinners.

WebMD offers 10 (and even more) clear reasons why eating dinner as a family is important.

1. Everyone eats healthier meals.

2. Kids are less likely to become overweight or obese.

3. Kids more likely to stay away from cigarettes.

4. They're less likely to drink alcohol.

5. They won't likely try marijuana.

6. They're less likely to use illicit drugs.

7. School grades will be better.

8. You'll be more likely to hear about a serious problem.

9. Kids will feel like you're proud of them.

10. There will be less stress and tension at home.

There's a reason why theme teaching is successful and theme parties are fun. Parents can incorporate both of these ideas into creating theme dinners around letters of the alphabet. You can focus on foods that begin with letter B for a night or a whole week. Everything on the table doesn't have to start with the letter B. Just include a couple of B letter foods at a time.

Foods that begin with the letter B:

Bananas

Blackberries

Blueberries

Blood oranges

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Beets

Beans

Black olives

Butternut squash

Bratwurst

Beef

Bologna

Burritos

Burgers

Brie

Blue cheese

Kid-friendly Recipes for Foods that Begin with the Letter B:

Kids are much more likely to try foods that they have helped to prepare.

The most obvious kid-friendly recipe is a fruit salad with several fruits that start with the letter B.

B-licious Fruit Salad Recipe

Let kids wash, cut and toss slices of any combination of bananas, blood oranges, blackberries and blueberries. They can even mix in a berry-flavored yogurt if they'd like. Kids really should know that Blackberries are a fruit and not just a phone, don't you think?

Beets Cooked in Orange Juice Recipe

As a nanny, I was often in charge of cooking and given family recipes to prepare. I had never cared for beets myself but this one won me over and has been a hit with my own children. Whether you use canned sliced beets or slice whole beets, this recipe is a hit.

For canned beets, simply drain beets and add 2 cups of orange juice. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. For fresh beets, slice thin and boil until tender in water. Drain, add orange juice, bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

To add the letter B dinner theme, you could add slices of blood oranges if available.

Letter B is definitely for bonus with this kid-friendly recipe. As the purple juices from the beets simmer with the orange juice, there will be a "cotton candy swirl" of color as the purples and oranges mix. It is a B-eautiful sight to behold and between the pretty colors and the sweet scent of the orange juice, young eaters may just be enticed to try this beet recipe.

After dinner, B is for "bring over your dishes" but then go outside and enjoy "blowing bubbles" for dessert.

Sources:

Personal teaching and cooking experience

http://children.webmd.com/guide/family-dinners-are-important