What’s more motivating than good music while you’re prepping a meal? Create a compilation of songs and invite the whole family to contribute by sharing their favorite tunes. You can make this activity a bit more challenging by picking only songs that are food themed, such as Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey” and “Peaches” by The Presidents of the United States. How many more can you think of?

This idea is adapted from Anne Fishel’s forthcoming book, Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation for Healthier Families and Happier Kids,  due out in January 2015.