The New Year is here, and with it, the annual struggle over resolutions. Will you make them? More importantly, if you make them, will you keep them?
The trouble with resolutions is usually one of two things: Either they’re unrealistic, or we don’t have a good way to hold ourselves accountable for making progress towards achieving them. The Family Dinner Project has a goal-setting tool that can help with both of those challenges. We provide lots of suggestions for simple, doable family dinner goals that you can choose from, or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can set your own. We also offer a calendar feature that lets you keep track of your progress, as well as a rating system where you can record how satisfied you are with your family dinners over time. With all of these resources, you not only get to set a goal that feels right for your family, but you can look back and see how far you’ve come over time!
To make our goal-setting tool a part of your New Year’s Resolutions, just sign up for a free site membership. Then you can set goals, track your progress and stay connected anytime through the “My Tools” area of our website. Whether you’re hoping to eat more meals together this year, try new foods, have better conversations or have more fun at the table, there’s a family dinner goal that we’re sure will be right for you.
Here’s to more food, fun and conversation in 2020! For more goal-setting inspiration, check out these links:
- Is an outdated definition of “family dinner” creating unnecessary stress in your home? Dr. Anne Fishel gives some helpful advice in “What is a Family Dinner, Anyway?”
- Read about the Zhang family and how keeping track of their dinnertime goals improved their health
- Explore ways to make goal-setting fun for the whole family with these Goal Sheet Games from our 4-Week Program
- Relax and remember that goals are great, but it’s okay to be imperfect — here’s what to do if dinner can’t happen
Family of the Month
Meet the Lewis family! Debi Lewis is an author who has written about her experiences navigating family dinners while caring for a child with food-related medical needs. Now we’re happy to share more about what the Lewis family’s dinners look like with busy teens.
Real Family Dinner Projects: The Lewis Family
Food
Hoping to create some new family dinner habits this year? Our friends at the Monday Campaigns know all about that! Their recipe for Sweet Potato Peanut Curry could start your New Year on the right foot.
Fun
Resolutions don’t have to be serious! Get silly with our Mad Libs-style resolutions game.
Conversation
Every goal starts with a hope or a dream. Share yours at family dinner with these conversation starters.
