Preparing Great Mother's Day Meals
This Year, Suprise Mom with a Good Meal and a Pretty Setting
Whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner, a special meal is a great Mother's Day gift idea.
When it comes to Mother’s Day presents, preparing a meal for Mom often tops the gift list. This is a terrific way to honor women who spends the year fixing countless dinners and packing lunches for their families while working jobs, keeping house, and entertaining kids. Here are three meal ideas—one each for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—including menu suggestions and presentation ideas. Pick the one you think your mom would like best, or give her the entire day away from the kitchen and do all three. Whichever plan you choose, don’t forget to clean up afterwards!
Breakfast in Bed
Having breakfast brought to you in bed is an ultimate pampering experience. What mom doesn’t deserve that? Get up a little early and pull together a delicious morning meal. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; basic breakfast goodies will do. Try these:
- Favorite cereal with fruit and yogurt
- Scrambled eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls
- Waffles or pancakes with all the trimmings—syrup, whipped cream, fruit, etc.
Place the food and drinks on a pretty tray to carry to mom. Add special touches like mom’s favorite coffee mug, a small glass holding a single flower stem, and a handmade card.
Picnic Lunch
For a lunchtime treat, surprise mom with picnic lunch. Go to the park, your backyard, or, if weather is messy, set up on the living room floor. Wherever you are, spread out colorful blankets, fill a cooler, and pack an awesome picnic basket. You could buy a basket that comes stocked with plates, glasses, and utensils as a gift for mom to keep. Make food simple with classic sandwich fixings, a mini salad bar with chicken, potato, and fruit salads, and brownies for dessert. If you have access to an electrical outlet, bring along a CD player for mom’s favorite tunes and don’t forget outdoor games to play after you eat.
Sit-Down Dinner
A fancy sit-down dinner is the way to go all out for Mother’s Day. Plan to fix at least an appetizer, main entree, and dessert. You may want to add other courses such as soup or salad. You can make food selections easier if you choose a theme such as Italian or Mexican. For example, an Italian meal could start with garlic bread and olive oil dip, have cheesy lasagna for the meal, and finish off with tiramisu for dessert. Of course, if you know Mom’s favorite foods, just serve those even if they don’t fit a theme.
For a pretty table, start with a white tablecloth and other linens. Set it with good china, crystal, and flatware. Let the china inspire the centerpiece. If it’s simply white with a silver band, place a few crystal vases down the center of the table and fill with short stems of mom’s favorite flower. If you have more colorful china, choose a contrasting color bloom for a bold look.
