AD – This is a pre-written sponsored guest post.
Friday night. The end of the working week for many, and the start to a relaxing or crazy weekend. It’s a day of the week that contains multitudes! And it all starts with the food you cook for yourself.
A good Friday night dinner carries you through. It’s tasty, sometimes a little indulgent, and ultimately it’s something you’ve looked forward to all week. So why not make it a really special occasion?
You don’t even need to be celebrating anything. It just needs to be Friday, when the sun is going down and you don’t have to check your email again until Monday. And no matter what meal you’re planning this Friday evening, you can make sure it’s really one to round off the week by using the tips down below.
Set the Table
Setting the table is part of the dinner ritual. However, so many of us forgo this step and simply slap a plate down on a bare surface with a fork in hand. So this is the first step to making your Friday night dinner plans more special. If you’ve got a proper placement, folded napkin, and a drink waiting for you, you’ll get a little taste of dining in a high-end restaurant straight from your own sofa or table.
Play Some Mood Music
Mood music, such as classical music, whale sounds, or simple low wave or ‘low-fi’ music, is great to have on in the background while you cook or eat. It’ll fill the silence, complement the relaxing atmosphere you’re going for, and make sure you’re not left alone with any annoying or frustrating thoughts after a hard day at work! If this kind of ‘calm’ music doesn’t work for you, just put anything on at a low volume and let it help you breathe.
Mix a Cocktail
Cocktails are on the edge of glitz and glamour while still being fun and affordable. This versatility means they’re perfect for a Friday night dinner of any kind. You can try this gin fizz cocktail or serve up a big pitcher of Long Island iced tea alongside the dinner you’ve been waiting for all week.
Don’t let yourself be intimidated by the world of mixing cocktails – you don’t have to be an expert to come up with something amazing. You don’t even need to use a recipe. You can just throw in certain alcohols (or not, if you prefer a mocktail) and mixers that you think would work well together. Do this in small quantities at first so you don’t waste anything, but as soon as you find a combo that works, make a big glass to sip from.
Have a Facetime Meal
A lot of people will tell you to switch your phone off and put it out of sight when eating. However, we know it can be very hard to relax when you’re not sure if someone could be texting or calling and needing your attention urgently! Of course, you should take time away from your phone, especially after a busy week, but you can also use it to make your Friday night dinner a bit more special by video calling a loved one while you eat.
Cook Together
If you’re living with someone you love, and you are both at home on a Friday evening, why not cook together? Sharing the kitchen with someone you love is always a bit special, even if there are one too many cooks in the kitchen! At the very least, you’ll make memories and be able to have a bit of fun after a stressful day. It’s seriously understated just how much tension a good cooking session can release.
Save the Washing Up!
Now you’ve made your meal, leave the washing up for another day. Or if you’ve got a dishwasher, leave it to be loaded in the morning. You deserve to have a rest right now and enjoy a good bit of Netflix or gaming before bed, and housework will just get in the way of that. You know the dishes will be done, you just don’t have to do them right now. Let them soak and just relax!
Your Friday night dinner is a treat to be made just for you. Throw the healthy eating plan out of the window and indulge a little. Have something tasty, share it with a loved one if you want to, and save the washing up for the day after. That’s what weekends are for, anyway!
