Guest Picks: 20 Fun Finds for Family Dinners

Getting everyone seated around the table to share a meal at the same time can be challenging at the best of times. To make things a bit easier — and a lot more fun — it helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve. These 20 finds are my current favorites for making family dinners something to look forward to. Now if I only had a magic wand that made all children love eating their veggies! — Laura from Lolalina

Sauria Cake Stand, Triceratops - $130While a birthday cake is the natural choice for topping this triceratops-shaped cake stand, it would also make just about any food, from muffins to mini pizzas, more special.


Rainbow Cocktail Napkins, Set of 8 - $20Yes, officially these are called cocktail napkins, but they also happen to be the perfect size for small hands. And allowing kids to pick their favorite color is a great way to encourage napkin use at the dinner table.


Tripp Trapp High Chair - $250It’s not cheap, but the Tripp Trapp high chair has many devoted fans (myself included), thanks to its sleek good looks and amazing ability to adjust from baby to big-kid seat with ease.


Air Fork One - $12What little kid wouldn’t love a fork with wings? For picky eaters, sometimes a novel delivery system is exactly what you need to get them to try something new. Just consider yourself warned that this implement can inspire some major sound effects.


Chopstick Kids - $8.50These chopstick kids are here to help your wee one master the art of chopsticks. Don’t wait to have Chinese or sushi for dinner to try them out, either — I know my son loves using chopsticks for everything!


Cylinder Glass Beverage Dispenser With Infuser Insert - $29.99Trying to break a major juice habit? Enter “fancy water,” or water with fresh and flavorful additions, like sliced lemons or oranges, sprigs of mint or chunks of watermelon. Get your children involved by letting them come up with new flavor combinations.Buy


Dinner: The Playbook: A 30-Day Plan for Mastering the Art of the Family Meal - $13.03Jenny Rosenstrach’s first book has earned a permanent place on my kitchen counter — it has the stains and worn-out spine to prove it. I can’t wait to get my hands on her new book, as it promises loads of tips for dealing with picky eaters.


Step-Up Stool - $22This lightweight, sturdy stool folds up flat for easy storage and has a handle for carrying from room to room. It’s perfect for getting small helpers involved with cooking and setting table.


Ring Lazy Susan - $35Make passing the salt way more fun with this eye-catching op-art beauty on the dining table. This lazy Susan also makes a convenient spot for stashing spices on the kitchen counter.


Galvanized Metal Small Cook’s Caddy - $29.50Kids love toting a caddy around the table and putting a “dinner roll” (utensils rolled inside a napkin) at each place. This is also great for carrying condiments outdoors for dinner in the backyard.


Buffalo China Dinner Plates, Set of 4 - $39.99I love the classic creamy white color, thickness and sturdiness of Buffalo China’s plates, the original diner china. My husband and I have had a set since our wedding day, and we haven’t broken a piece!


8-Compartment Cafeteria Tray, Olive Green - $38If you have a picky eater in the house, it may be time to get creative with the dinnerware. Why not try this chic version of a cafeteria dinner tray? All of the little compartments are perfect for offering a variety of foods while avoiding any dreaded food-touching mishaps.


Kidz Placemat, Alphabet Animals, Red/Black - $18Perfect for occupying little hands while waiting for food, this placemat can be colored on and wiped off repeatedly.Buy


Outdoor Party Caddy - $99Load up this puppy with all the essentials — silverware, napkins, plates and extras — to make table setting a breeze.


Decorative Wood Grain Charger - $20You want to host a dinner party like you used to, but when you (and your guests) have kids, fancy china may not be the wisest choice. What to do? I say forget the china and try a set of these cool wooden chargers beneath your everyday white dishes to gussy up the table.


Personalized Family Napkin Rings by Lorelei Vella, Set of 5 - $35Cloth napkins are more environmentally friendly than paper ones, and they make the table feel more special to boot. Use this set of personalized napkin rings, and you’ll be able get a few more uses out of those napkins between washes.


Pure Beeswax Tea Light Candles by The Green Candle Co., Set of 24 - $24Here’s a fun (and easy!) project for older kids to do. Simply gather a few apples, mini pumpkins or squash, and have them use a tea light to trace a circle on each one. You take over for the sharp-knife part, cutting a hole the size and depth of the candle. Plunk the tea light inside, and you’re done! Cluster a few of your creations on a tray in the center of your dining table for a candlelit dinner. Just be sure to choose fruit or veggies that stand upright on their own, and supervise children around lit candles at all times.


Lidded Glass Set - $22These lidded jars work for juice, milk or adult beverages, and also do double duty as small food storage containers — perfect for saving little bits of this and that for later. Bonus: They are microwave and freezer safe.


Constructible Drinking Straw - $14How fun does this look? Kids will love building their own unique straw creations with this kit. I would buy a few extras to keep on hand as fun, last-minute gifts.


Picnic Basket, Green and White Lining - $125Getting tired of the same old dinner routine? Shake things up by packing a picnic and heading out to a nearby park or your own backyard for dinner al fresco. I love the handcrafted picnic baskets from A Sunny Afternoon — they are heirlooms in the making.

Next: 10 Ways to Create a Warm and Welcoming Dining Room

URL: Guest Picks: 20 Fun Finds for Family Dinners http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24651.html