Hobo Dinner-OR Living Room Picnics

Considering the fact that my babies are over 4 years apart, and that one is a boy and one is a girl, you can probably imagine how completely effing IMPOSSIBLE it can be to find something they both want to do/watch/eat/play/etc. etc. etc. I feel like Don King sometimes, reffing their fights, sending them off to their corners and rocking weird hair styles.

One thing that me and both my kids all unanimously agree on is Hobo Dinner. If the term Hobo Dinner offends you, you are also welcome to call it Living Room Picnics. But I called it hobo dinner when I was growing up, my kids call it that, and much like the disgusting soup called "Hobo Stew" it doesn't offend me at all. So loosen up and follow along.

Hobo Dinner is a night during the week where for several different reasons, we don't feel like cooking. Summer seems to come with more of these days than any other season. It's fucking hot! The kitchen is small, it heats up like the seventh level of hell when you turn the oven on, and seriously, when you just came in from 100 degree heat, who the HELL wants to ingest a big heavy hot dinner? Ummm no one, that just sounds disgusting. Rather than eating out, we head to the store and get a bunch of our absolute favorite finger foods. The things that always make our list is the following:

Smart Puffs White Cheddar Cheese Puffs. Healthy, no trans fat, sugar or high fructose corn syrup. And delicious!

Caprese is an absolute favorite in this family. It's ridiculously easy and to die for delicious.

Naked Green Machine Smoothies. Full of super foods to boost the immune system and in the eternal words of Tiny "It's cool that it looks so weird but tastes so good!" We call it Dragon Juice in our house :)

Mezzetta Napa Valley Bistro Garlic Stuffed olives. Garlic is an awesome source of immune boosters and helps lower your cholesterol. And yes, my kids eat these. They love them.

Laughing Cow Cheese is dangerously delicious and super fun. The little individually wrapped wedges of cheese mean that no one has to share or wait for someone else to pass them anything. I hand out everyone's wedges, and they open and enjoy them at their leisure. Spread it on crackers, bread, apples or just eat 'em. They're awesome.

This is probably the weirdest one. Our grocery store sells these awesome little packs of fresh California rolls in all different varieties, and they're even really cheap! My kids surprisingly enough love sushi, and this is the most convenient way to get it to them. I'm sorry, I am just NOT taking a seven year old and a three year old into RA Sushi in Scottsdale, and hoping for the best!

This is our hobo dinner, the way we like it. Sometimes we add hard salami or french bread if we're in the mood. Pita and hummus have made appearances too, but these are our go to's whenever a cold, easy, delicious finger food filled living room floor hobo dinner calls our name. It's a fun, cheap and easy way to spend time with my kids in a moment where we all get what we want AND get along. After hobo dinner, we turn a movie on, and lay around on the floor feeling very stuffed and very happy. You can't buy memories like that, or moments like these.

Have a hobo dinner tonight :)