Screenless Entertainment

Once a week have a theme night. Here are some menus from around the world that your teen can tackle on their own if they are confident and have the culinary skills. If your teen enjoys cooking but is not as confident, these menus can be done as a family activity.

A great opportunity to revisit classic or iconic movies, trilogies, and sagas! Take turns picking a movie and deciding on the snack. We put together recipes of our favourite snacks to get you started. Feel free to be creative! 

Have fun with the whole family with these delicious contests: 

1. Make recipes with ingredients you would not typically expect and have family members guess what it is? Ex. Really Wacky Chocolate Cake - cayenne pepper makes this cake have a kick
2. Select ingredients and put in a basket come up with unique recipes (think similar to what happens on Food Networks Chopped). The participants must make their recipes within a certain time period, such as 30 minutes to an hour.  Once completed, "judges" get to taste test and pick the winner. 
   
3. Who can make the best smoothie or cookie? We have provided some of our favourite recipes to provide inspiration: 
   

Vegetable and herb gardens have made a comeback! A great opportunity for your family to plan and take care of vegetables and herbs to use in meals and baking and experience the difference in homegrown flavours as opposed to store-bought. If you don’t have a garden plot, not a problem, use planter boxes instead. We have some information here to get you started! 

1. Choosing the type and size of container: The main thing is to select a container that is big enough to allow the plant to grow and has adequate drainage. Avoid dark containers because they can absorb heat and make the soil too warm or treated wood containers which can introduce unwanted chemicals into the soil or vegetables. Select large containers that are at least 10 inches across and 12 inches deep. Follow the planting guidelines on the seed or plant package. For example, a cucumber plant requires a 5-gallon container to grow whereas lettuce can grow in a smaller 1-gallon container. 
2. Soil: It is best to use organic potting soil which is available at most garden centers. Fill the pots to within 2-3 inches of the rim.  
   
3. Plant your garden pots at the same time you would plant in a garden. Space plant seeds or seedlings according to directions. Consult with garden center staff or horticulturist to determine which vegetables can grow in plant containers.  
   
4. The soil in plant containers can dry out quicker than ground planting beds, so water at least every few days. 
   
5. Watch out for weeds and insect damage and treat accordingly. 
   
6. Support plants that grow vines, such as tomato plants, with stakes or trellises so that they do not fall over and damage the vegetables. 
   

These are great creative outlets for the whole family. Search online for some fantastic instructional videos to guide you through these activities: 

• Knitting or crocheting. 
• Tie-dye shirts or sweatshirts. 
• Make a wreath for the front door. 
• Make jewelry. 
• Draw or paint. 
• Learn to sew.