A taste of Italy that your family will love.

Mealtime in Italy is all about togetherness, tradition, and tasty flavours. Creating an Italian dinner in your home gives you the perfect opportunity to relax and unwind over some fun activities and satisfying food. You don’t need a lot of time to organize this theme night – just the enthusiasm to create an ambiance that’s casually “bellissimo”.

Some great ways to get the whole family excited about your Italian evening are as follows:

• Start by greeting them with a “bon giorno” in the morning and “ciao” when you see the kids off to school. Don’t forget to let them know that a colourful Italian evening will be waiting for them when they get home!
• When it’s time to start getting organized for supper, set the stage for Italian night by laying out a classic red and white checked cloth, a shaker full of parmesan cheese and a pepper grinder. Now would be a great time to pull out that Italian opera disc you’ve been singing to in the car – it’ll serve as the perfect backdrop to your Italian evening!

• As for the menu, there are plenty of meal ideas that will fit your little slice of Italy without breaking your dinner budget or your time constraints.
• A great little treat would be a Chinotto (pronounced “kee-NAWT-oh”) flavoured Italian soda. A favourite among Italians, this beverage flavour comes from a small citrus fruit that grows on the chinotto tree. For a straightforward dessert that will complement your menu, why not serve up an orange Italian gelato? Everyone will love this sweet treat, and it’s perfect on a summer day.
• To keep the Italian-inspired mood going after the table is cleared, invite family members to channel Michelangelo by breaking out the paints and brushes to create your very own masterpieces. You can also hand out construction paper, glitter, and elastic to whip up personalized masks in the style of Venice’s famous Carnaval.
• Have a more active bunch on your hands? Head outside for an Italian sporting session! Try the ever-popular soccer (or football, as it’s called in Italy) or the more calculating bocce ball. Both are top choices for working off the last of the day’s energy before bedtime.

After a good run around it’ll be time to say “ciao” for the evening and return your family back from their Italian adventure. They’ll have all sorts of fun stories to tell their friends and will be eagerly awaiting the next family theme night to come!