With the start of summer, many families experience a new pace to life. While camps and childcare challenges can make these months almost as hectic as ever, the absence of a school-year schedule also provides opportunities to slow down and spend more time with friends and family. Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a picnic in the park, or s’mores around the fire pit, summer can be prime time for gatherings.
We’ve been hearing so much chatter about the desire for connection these days that we thought this summer was the perfect opportunity to dust off an old resource and give it new life. In our 15th anniversary year, as you can imagine, we’ve been taking a lot of trips down memory lane and discovering old treasures from the earliest days of The Family Dinner Project. When we unearthed a guide to having more frequent neighborhood gatherings, we realized it was high time to give it a glow-up and put it back in the spotlight.
In 2025, people are seeking authenticity, relationships, and face-to-face connections even more than they did 15 years ago. But as we’ve been pulled apart and disconnected from our communities – by overly busy schedules, constant online presence, and any number of other factors that keep us from building relationships with each other in real life – it may feel increasingly awkward to extend invitations to others. Still, since sharing meals can help us break down barriers, improve our mental health, make us feel a greater sense of teamwork and belonging, and even make us happier overall, we think overcoming your hesitations and inviting people to dinner is a worthwhile effort.
So, we’ve built on the Community Dinner model we use with partners across the country to help bring groups together for food, fun, and conversation – and we’ve scaled it down so you can do it at home. In our new Community Dinners at Home toolkit, we’re sharing easy, practical ideas you can try out with friends, neighbors, and anyone in your community you’d like to get to know better. The kit includes:
- Simple menu suggestions and ways to organize the meal, so you can share the workload and help everyone take part;
- A collection of “getting-to-know-you” games to keep things fun and relaxed, whether you’ve known each other for years or are building new relationships;
- Lots of conversation starters on topics ranging from music and storytelling to improving your community;
- And some additional resources to help keep the inspiration flowing!
We hope you’ll enjoy this free guide to gathering for the summer (and all year long!). Here’s to a new season of food, fun, and conversation!
Get the Guide Here!
A Special Offer From Our Friends at Familius
Our wonderful publisher, Familius, is offering a special discount on our book Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook this summer. From June 1 and while supplies last, you can get a copy of the book at 50% off list price! Use code FDP15 at checkout to apply the discount.
Food
This budget-friendly recipe from Revere Food Pantry, one of our community partnerships, is great for using up all the summer produce coming our way!
Fun
June marks the start of the Civic Season. Make one of your upcoming gatherings a Civic Season Family Picnic!
Conversation
If you’re celebrating a father or father figure this month, these conversation starters, printable placemats and fill-in-the-blank card templates can help add something special to the occasion!