A family-style dinner is great tradition that can make your apartment feel like home. Even if your family isn’t close by, you can invite roommates and friends to get together and share a meal with one another. Family dinners can improve a family or roommates’ communication and relationships. Here are some tips compiled by the Hazelview Properties Team for enjoying family dinners in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Get the Kids Involved
Mealtime should include everyone – get the little ones to help out with grocery shopping, setting the tables and clean up. All participants, whether kids or friends, can help pick a theme, ingredients and any add-ons such as desserts or special drinks.
Pizza Party
Prepping is part of the fun with this family-style meal. Instead of ordering in, choose a theme dinner such as DIY pizza. Prepare the ingredients together while you’ve got the tunes cranked and have some fun. Pick up some pre-made dough from a grocery for family and guests to customize their own pie. Roll out the dough together and dress pizzas to eat individually or share. Include some locally grown fresh summer veggies such as a zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and arugula. For proteins, pick spicy cured meats, sliced chicken breast or even pulled pork. Guests should be encouraged to bring their own toppings.
Hosts can provide some easy-to-make dipping sauces such as mayo and whole grain mustard, Srirarcha, Donair and BBQ sauce. Serve pizza alongside a simple green salad, an antipasto or a crudité tray to complete the meal.
Host a lobster boil
Take advantage of living in the Maritimes by incorporating some local cuisine into the meal. Lobster is one of the province’s most famous exports. Everyone has their own take on how to best prepare a lobster. Choose between boiling, baking, sautéing, steaming or broiling. Lobster makes a crowd happy and it’s fun to eat together. While the lobsters will be the centre of your meal, you’ll also want to prepare some basic side dishes. Crusty buns, asparagus, smashed potatoes and fresh green salad can be paired with a robust white wine to round out an excellent sharable meal. Tape down newspaper to the table and break into the shells together.
Read up on hosting a lobster boil:
- Chatelaine has a fun piece that gives a great menu and tips on how to host a lobster boil, “How to host a true Canadian lobster boil”
- For a twist on the lobster boil, try Chuck Hughes’ Lobster Fettuccine
Take out Treats
An institution in Lower Sackville, the sandwiches from Kaiser’s Sub & Sandwich Shops (799 Lower Sackville Drive) have made the locals happy for over thirty years. Order in custom sandwiches for guests and serve with a side of veggies, homemade potato salad and lemonade. There are a number of easily accessible grocery stores from Hazelview Properties’ Lower Sackville apartments at Touchstone Court, Paige Plaza and Quinella Court. Nearby grocery stores include: The Atlantic Superstore (1597 Bedford Highway) and Avery’s Farm Market (287 Cobequid Rd.) Learn more about finding a new apartment in Lower Sackville by contacting Hazelview Properties.