Why Sunday Dinner Still Matters (Even in a Busy World)
Sunday dinner was a big thing when I was a kid. I can still remember that on Sundays after church, we always went to my grandparents’ place for a meal. It wasn’t uncommon for a few of our family friends to come over, too. Nothing felt rushed; it was a laid-back afternoon of all of us kids playing and the grown-ups talking. Many times, Grandmother would put a stool in front of the stove so the kids could help stir whatever she had cooking. I can still see her, wearing an apron over her church clothes, setting the table and getting everything ready. Sunday dinner meant fantastic food and wonderful conversation. Lots of laughs and lingering…that’s the best kind of meal.
It Was Never Just About the Food
Yes, the table was covered with comforting food, but it wasn’t perfect. It was never curated or meant to be photographed…just enjoyed. It was casual, but it was expected. No phone calls were made to invite people; it was just understood that a meal would be on the table after church. That meal would change from week to week. One Sunday, it might be a roast, and the next, tacos. There was always a delicious dessert and a pickle or relish tray (you gotta have the pickle tray!). No matter what was on the table…it was delicious.
Sunday Dinner Slowed Us Down
It was an era when phones were not on the table. The phone at my grandparents’ house was bolted to the wall. No one was scrolling or turning the TV down. The noise was the laughter from the table. It was the dishes getting put in the sink or the screen door slamming as the kids ran in and out. No one was staring at their watch or an iPhone. It was a time to slow down, repeat stories everyone had heard before but didn’t mind hearing again, and catch up on any family news we had missed. People lingered at the table long enough to have seconds. Sunday dinner made us slow down and appreciate our day over a wonderful meal. Oftentimes, the ladies would end up in the kitchen cleaning up and talking while the men headed to the TV room and the kids headed outside. I can remember countless hours of tree climbing, playing kickball, and rocking on the front porch.
The Table was a Classroom
Looking back on those Sunday dinners, I learned a lot. I learned how to set a table, how to pass food, how to ask questions and more importantly…how to listen. I also learned a lot about cooking. Standing on a chair, helping my grandmother turn the meatballs, or waiting for the water to boil for her wonderful macaroni and cheese… all that time spent was a wonderful lesson. It was a great time to learn about family, too. Who moved where. Who feel in love. Who survived what. Those conversations were woven with family history.
Why Sunday Dinner Still Matters
Gosh, life is so different now. It’s fast-paced, it rarely feels like it slows down. We walk around with phones in our hands no longer are they on the wall. Groceries are delivered, and we no longer catch up with our neighbors in the aisle of the grocery store. I remember being at a work function once, and my boss said, “We get together for dinner nowadays, and no one has anything to talk about because we’ve all read it on social media.” That was very eye-opening. I think that means we need Sunday dinners now more than ever. You can’t REALLY connect over social media. We need to make eye contact when we pass the potatoes. We need to hear people talk about their past or their future. We need community.
It doesn’t have to look like it did when we were young. Sunday dinners don’t have to feed 20 people anymore. It certainly doesn’t have to be elaborate. But we can take the time to connect over a simple home-cooked meal. The point is not perfection. The point is…..it still matters. Those moments still matter.
Stay a While on the Porch
If Sunday dinners feel familiar to you, you might enjoy a few more stories that linger a little longer.
Sometimes the meal is just the beginning.
How To Bring Back Sunday Dinner This Week
If you want to bring Sunday dinners back into your home…again, start simple. I really recommend making it easy; when we make things hard, we’re likely to give up. When thinking of a menu, prepare dishes you’re already comfortable making. Utilize your crockpot (it makes life simple!) and dishes that are dishwasher-friendly. No need to put out the hand-painted China plates, which almost always guarantees spending hours washing dishes after the dinner is over.
Also, you plan what time of day you have your dinner. When I was a kid, our Sunday dinner was around 1:30. We gathered after church. You might want to set yours for 4:00 or even later. Again, plan it when you want. When creating traditions with your loved ones, start with what works for your family.
Maybe you want to start with an easy casserole. This easy no-peek chicken and rice dish is a one-pot meal. The cleanup is simple, and it’s always a favorite.
These green beans are the perfect side. They also cook on the same temp so you can make them at the same time. They are also made in one bowl…so again…very little clean up!
We can’t forget dessert, and that doesn’t have to be complicated either. You can use a cake mix and make this ooey gooey cake. It’s always a huge hit. Looking to make a classic dessert from scratch? You can never go wrong with an old-fashioned pound cake.
Maybe Sunday dinner doesn’t look like it used to for you. Family members have moved away. Some are no longer with us. Maybe you’re an empty nester. Maybe there are empty chairs at the table.
That’s ok.
Sitting at a table, passing plates of food, and depending on conversation to carry us is important. There is something sacred about gathering around a table of food and lingering for longer than 15 minutes. It’s in those moments of filling tea glasses and going back for seconds that family stories get told, and memories get made. I encourage you to weave those moments into your life. Sunday dinner is a great place to start.
If you love the stories behind the food, not just the recipes, but the meaning and memory woven through them — that’s exactly what we share inside Front Porch Life magazine.
Because if The Southern Lady Cooks is the table, Front Porch Life magazine is the conversation that happens afterwards on the porch. We’d love for you to pull up a chair.
What did Sunday dinner look like in your home growing up? I’d love to hear what was always on your table. If this brought back a memory, share it with someone who used to sit at your Sunday table.
