Sunday lunch/dinner

[Night Elf]

When I was growing up, we went to my grandmother's house every Sunday for lunch. We had roast beef, homemade biscuits, mashed potatoes, peas and I don't remember what else. Every week. Both of my grandmothers, in different states, did this. Is this out of fashion? We stopped when I was in high school but I don't remember why. This would be our whole family, as in grandparents, children and grandchildren. I don't follow that tradition because I don't live near enough to my family and everyone is always busy on the weekends anyway. In my house, Sunday is just a regular day.

[HomeAgain]

Sunday is a rest day here.

 

We don't live near family, but my inlaws all get together on Sundays and do dinner/football.  I think the tradition still stands for many.  For us, we take the day to veg and grocery shop.  Saturday I run around taking care of all the things that let slip during the week: laundry, errands, etc. as well as community events. Sunday is slower paced.  It's usually leftovers from Saturday, we watch movies, play video games, and recharge for the coming week.

[Zinnia]

I try to make a nice meal on Sundays, but it is a difficult one for me.  Right now, we're going to a church that has us leaving at 7:30am (in a flurry, of course, cause that is EARLY for a homeschooling family!), returning around 11:30 starving.  

 

My kids are not yet of an age where they can handle having a small snack at normal lunch time while they wait for a large lunch at 2.  I mean, they can handle it, but it falls apart come 6pm when they want another full meal and not a snack for supper.  In fact, they refer to this as "cheating us out of a meal."  :)

 

But.  I still try, and I try to make sure that Sunday nights are "good" food, with everyone sitting, a set table, and candles.  We don't hurry through that meal.  It is my hope that when they are grown, they will return home frequently with their kids.  I love the idea of a big family meal weekly, and I'm going to work hard to make that happen.

[PeachyDoodle]

We are headed out the door to my mom's for Sunday dinner right now!

 

We eat together most Sundays. She doesn't always make the same meal, though. When my grandmother was alive, we gathered there. She was a former restaurateur and cooked like she was still cooking for that crowd!

 

I don't think this is as prevalent as it used to be, however. But we still enjoy it!

[Pawz4me]

We did the same thing when I was growing up, but it faded out over time. More restaurants were open, grandkids grew up or just became involved in more activities, the grandparents passed away and their kids (my parents' generation) never picked up the tradition. MIL used to have kind of an informal meal for everyone for Sunday dinner, but even that has dropped by the wayside in recent years. For us Sunday lunch is a get-whatever-you-can thing and DH gets to take us out to dinner. ;)

[SparklyUnicorn]

We didn't do that growing up.  At around age 50 my grandmother declared herself too old for that.  Which, given how hard she had to work before her kids were launched I can understand.

 

Sounds like a nice idea.

 

 

[Night Elf]

Ok, in thinking more about this, I remember roasted chicken too. And my New Orleans grandmother made a delicious gumbo but i can't remember if that was a Sunday thing.

 

DH said his family went to his grandmother's house on Sundays as well. Then his immediate family moved out of state and his mom didn't continue the tradition.

 

I too love the idea of having my kids over for a meal together. For now, the closest thing I get to a regular occurrence is to take my dd24 out to lunch once a week. We just get fast food but it's an hour we get alone to just chat about everything.

[SparklyUnicorn]

 

I too love the idea of having my kids over for a meal together. For now, the closest thing I get to a regular occurrence is to take my dd24 out to lunch once a week. We just get fast food but it's an hour we get alone to just chat about everything.

 

My mom and I did this a lot.  Our place was Friendly's.  At this point I still have a hard time going into a Friendly's because it makes me think of that and I really miss it.

[wintermom]

We have an extended-family Sunday dinner every week. There are about 25 of us, and there is a schedule for who makes the meal each week. The location is usually at mil's house, but she doesn't do the cooking at all anymore.

[The Girls' Mom]

We tried for almost a year to do this in our family.  It was an open invitation for friends and family to come eat lunch with us on Sunday afternoon.  I even did all the cooking, so no one would have to worry about bringing food.  We had a few people come for about three weeks, then everyone was just too busy.  

[wendy not in HI]

Growing up, we didn't live near family, but my mom would fix a special dinner (often a roast) on Sunday and we would use a nice table cloth and set the table with the good dishes and silverware. Sunday is our Sabbath day, and we try not to work or shop that day, which means we are at home most of the day with no other outside obligations besides church.

 

With my kids, we also try to do a nicer Sunday dinner (often a roast) and set the table instead of just eating at the bar, etc. We don't live near family, but we like to invite friends from church over for sunday dinner also, which ensures that we will clean up the house a little and have a little nicer dinner. We move a lot, and that helps me feel more a part of our community.

 

Also, my parents live about 15 minutes from where both of our older kids are going to college. They invite our kids over for Sunday dinner most weeks, and our kids often bring friends. That has been such a special thing to see! The kids LOVE it, and my parents love it, too!

[Rebel Yell]

Growing up, not really for me. My mom was the only sibling still near her parents, and my dad didn't see his family. I do remember going to my grandparents, but maybe more monthly rather than every week.

 

DH had a larger extended family nearby, and usually gathered at his Aunt's house. Not weekly, and not mandatory. He is the youngest cousin so it sort of faded after the hostess' kids moved out of state.

 

For the past four years SweetChild had been in a performance group that rehearsed on Sundays, so it was church, home for quick lunch and change of clothes, get to rehearsal, rush home, shower-change-quick dinner for her and then off to youth group. She no longer participates in that group, but now Diamond works on Sundays.

 

So now, Sunday dinner varies. We often have the boyfriends here, both go to youth group (6pm) with the younger girls. Dinner varies widely... pizza, Chinese take out, deli sandwiches, nice cooked meal. We eat at 5, Diamond eats when she gets home. If there is no youth group we wait for her. Tonight it will be chicken bake in a garlic Parmesan sauce, rice, and steamed veggies, or a raw veggie tray/salad. Sunday lunch also varies, depending on whether we go to early or late service, usually we have a few of us going to each. One of the BFs will eat lunch here, the other usually comes after lunch with his family.

Edited January 22, 2017 by Rebel Yell

[Annie G]

I grew up in the south and Sunday dinner was a big deal then.  Most families I knew got home from church around 12:30 and the mom finished making the meal she started before lunch.  It wasn't uncommon for the grandma to host and all her kids and grandkids came every week.  This was back in the 60's and 70's, and I remember it mostly because it wasn't something we did but I always wished we had- we moved south when I was 7 and we had no family around.   I think fried chicken was a popular meat to serve...homemade of course. 

 

 

[madteaparty]

I do make major food on Sundays but that's only because I want to front-load my week and not cook Monday.

I also realized there's some deserts my people like that I make only when people come over (molten mini chocolate cakes, for eg) which I've added to my rotation now because I want every meal to be special somehow plus I'm bored bored bored with my own cooking.

Everything except brunch once a week is home cooked here though so it's that much harder to make one special meal...

Edited January 22, 2017 by madteaparty

[regentrude]

Sundays we are off work, which means we use the day to hike. A  huge special dinner would be an inconvenience.

We also do not have any extended family in the country.

 

If it rains and we are not going anywhere, I may use the extra time to prepare a more elaborate meal that is too time consuming for a weekday. Like today. 

 

ETA: Growing up, my grandmother lived with us. The Sunday meal was special, because it was the only day of the week we did not have school (yes, school on Saturdays until noon). We usually had a nicer cut of meat, like a roast. Grandma went to the butchers at 7am on Thursdays to stand in line for that.

Edited January 22, 2017 by regentrude

[Debbi in Texas]

I remember eating Sunday lunch at my maternal grandparents' house. Fried chicken stands out as the meat of choice. She passed away when I was 11, and the tradition stopped there. My dad worked shift work, so our meals at home centered around what he worked. We were fed, of course, but we would have easy meals if he wasn't home.

 

For years, I fixed eggs, bacon/sausage for Sunday lunch because it kept me from having to come up with something more involved. It was quick, easy, and worked. Now, dh is only here every other weekend, ds is away at college. My lunch today was a big salad.

[Noreen Claire]

We met at my maternal Grandmother's house every single Friday night for as long as I can remember for pizza. Everyone came: aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, everyone. My mother was one of eight, so this was a lot of people! It stopped about a decade ago, when she moved into elderly housing. We still have pizza every Friday night at out house but now it is just the 7 of us.

 

My Grandmother is failing in health and won't be around much longer. This really makes me want to get all of my family together and start this weekly ritual again, while she can still be part of it.

[Tenaj]

We always had a big dinner on Sunday after church and quite often it was a family gathering.  I worked hard for years to make Sunday dinner the big meal of the week but about 10 years ago realized how ridiculous it was that I was trying to cook the biggest meal of the week on the one day I wasn't home for the hours before the meal was served.  We've switched out to either tacos, or something simple to throw into the crock pot - for instance, today it was shredded chicken sandwiches.  I'd much rather have a stress-free Sunday morning as we get ready for church than to have a bunch of meal-prep.

 

My married son and his family often come over after church on Sunday's but they are good with a more casual meal.   

[Anne in CA]

My grandmother didn't do this every week, but several times a year. She made fried chicken sometimes, but at her restaurant she made fried chicken all the time, so she was probably tired of it. Usually it was pot roast and rolls. In the fall chili. Her house was not really set up for winter entertaining but in the summer it was quite fun. She had a super nice patio and a great lawn.

[marbel]

When I was a kid, we would go to my grandmother's house most Sundays for a big meal right after church.   She was an immigrant from Poland so we had a lot of meat and cabbage as I recall.  Sometimes we would go to my other grandma's but she didn't cook for us as I recall.   My own mom made pizza for dinner on Sunday night, pretty much every week till her nest was empty.    We never had guests or other family, though, for that. 

 

I love the idea of a big Sunday lunch with guests.  Realistically, it doesn't work for us most of the time.  I do it once a month with people from church who participate in a ministry activity on Sunday afternoons.  I love it, but it can be a lot of work.  

 

Today is not one of those Sundays.  I posted a list of food available for my family to eat.  There are various leftovers, and stuff for making sandwiches.  I listed it so no one asks me what there is to eat.    Then, I went for a long-ish walk.   This is a nice way to spend Sunday too!  Ideally, I would have guests twice a month and have a day like today twice a month.  

 

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2017 by marbel

[bolt.]

I try to take Sunday's easy (a little like a day of rest, but extremely flexible and customized) so I "limit" my Sunday cooking to soup, salad, eggs, leftovers, and frenchfries. (And a variety of not-cooking options.)

 

This lends itself well to both hospitality and ease. I can see my future involving my grown kids and their families returning here for a Sunday meal.

Edited January 22, 2017 by bolt.

[FaithManor]

Sundays here, of necessity, represent down time and no significant kitchen clean up or work. Simple meals put in the crock pot when I get up, soups premade and removed from the freezer to warm up, large salads with a sandwich, etc.

 

Every grandma I know who did the big Sunday meal thing never had down time from significant food prep and clean up. I think the cooks of the family deserve a break.

Edited January 23, 2017 by FaithManor

[JustEm]

I go to lunch at my parents' house every Sunday they are in town. My siblings who live locally, 3 of them, and their families come too. Sometimes a few of my cousins or my mom's siblings will come too but that is rare.

 

We also go to my mil's ever Sunday for dinner. Dh's sisters and their families go as well.

 

We thoroughly enjoy being surrounded by family all Sunday

[Excelsior! Academy]

Growing up with divorced parents meant Sunday was commute day for me.  I was picked up on Friday night and returned Sunday afternoon.  I'm not sure what the families did when I wasn't there.  My travel time was 2 1/2 hours each way.  I know one side of my family had a fend-for-yourself night on Sundays.  

 

Dh's family did the get-togethers at Grandmas complete with loads of cousins, weekly roast beef, and family games.  We tried to carry on the tradition here, with just our immediate family as most live too far away.  I spent years either putting a frozen roast in the crockpot late Saturday night or would have dh put on a brisket.  Last summer we started grabbing fried chicken from the grocery deli and heading to a park for a picnic.  I love the idea of a weekly large sit down meal with family and friends, but refuse to put in the enormous work involved.  If it can't go into the crockpot or onto the table quickly, it's not happening.  Sunday can only be a day of rest, IF it is a day of rest for everyone.  

[Storygirl]

My mother prepared a Sunday dinner after church when we were growing up, but it was just for our immediate family. And she spent a LOT of time complaining that no one helped her and no one appreciated it. As an adult, I have always lived hours away from my parents, so it didn't continue as a tradition after I was grown.

 

My husband's family met for Sunday dinner almost weekly, so when we got married, we participated often. His siblings, grandmothers (while they were living), and little niece and nephew were there most weeks. This tapered off when the young generation became busier with activities that met on Sundays -- ballet, youth group, birthday parties, etc. Then DH's parents decided to spend three or four months a year in Florida. And then we moved more than two hours away from the rest of the family. We get together a few times a year to celebrate birthdays and holidays, but the weekly dinners are a thing of the past.

 

I have mixed feelings about the tradition. I enjoyed spending time with them, but I didn't like feeling obligated to be there. As an introvert, sometimes I just wanted a quiet day at home. And DH's family tended to put on the football game or golf or whatever sport was on tv and would sit around watching it after dinner, which was not my idea of fun or a good social experience. It was harder to wrangle my kids at their house when I had little ones, as well. Once a month would have been a good schedule for me.

 

I would love for my children to live close enough to dine together often when they are grown. Probably not once a week, and it wouldn't have to be on a Sunday.

[KungFuPanda]

We did this growing up, but that was in a time and place when there was literally NOTHING else to do.  Without competing work or activity schedules, and when people weren't tired of running around with so many choices for activities, it was MUCH easier to pull off.  We spent enough time in the sticks that you looked forward to getting out and spending time with people.  Now I look forward to days at home . . . and I rather extroverted, but in the age of the internet, and living in the suburbs, I am overstimulated with options and obligations.  Dh also used to do the drive from Jersey to Brooklyn EVERY Sunday, so I don't think it was just a rural thing.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't choose to spend time with my grandmother.  She's still around and she's awesome.  It's just that meeting every other week or once a month would be more realistic.