I always think dads get the short end of the stick. Mother's Day? Flowers, brunch, handwritten cards. Father's Day? Socks. Maybe a tie. Dads deserve better. They deserve a little fanfare too.

That’s why I love planning an outdoor BBQ to celebrate. It's not fancy. It's not fussy. It's just good food, fresh air, and lots of laughs. There's something about a BBQ that makes it easier for everyone to relax. No one’s worried about perfect table settings or spotless kitchens. You just toss a blanket on the grass, fire up the grill, and pass around a plate of something delicious.

A backyard BBQ feels like the best kind of family time. Laid-back, messy, loud — the way family should be. Plus, Father’s Day gives the perfect excuse to roll out a favorite family meal, get outside, & celebrate all the little things dads do that sometimes get overlooked.

Want to know more? Check out our story and our products. 

One thing I’ve learned from following Montessori principles at home — kids love real work. They don’t need pretend kitchen sets or fake food. They want the real thing, the real tools, the real experience.

BBQs are the perfect setup for this. Hand your kids a basket of veggies and show them how to wash everything. Let them thread cherry tomatoes, zucchini, & bell peppers onto skewers. It won’t be perfect. Some skewers will be loaded on one side, others missing a few veggies, but that’s part of it.

Give them a little bowl of seasoning to sprinkle. Ask them to help carry dishes to the table. You’ll be amazed at how proud they look serving up food they helped make.

Montessori encourages real responsibility. While it gives the kids something to do, we don’t use Montessori to make less work for us but to give kids a real connection to what they’re doing. Nothing beats watching their faces light up when the meal they helped prepare hits the table.

I grew up on BBQs loaded with hot dogs, chips, & a cooler full of sodas. Tasted great, sure, but not exactly what I want for my own kids now. These days, we try to make our BBQs a little fresher, a little lighter, and a whole lot more colorful.

We keep the grill busy with veggie skewers — peppers, mushrooms, zucchini — and lean proteins like chicken or fish. Sometimes we even throw on a few black bean burgers just to mix things up. Fresh fruit bowls are a must. Watermelon slices, berries, or pineapple chunks disappear faster than anything else on the table.

Instead of chips, we’ll roast sweet potatoes or make a crunchy veggie platter. Drinks are simple: water, sparkling water, or homemade lemonade with a lot less sugar than the store-bought kind. Take a look at summertime snack recipes for more ideas.

It still feels like a feast. Plates piled high, kids grabbing seconds, everyone going home full but not weighed down. It’s food that leaves you feeling good — not just stuffed.

We used to grab a pack of store-bought cookies and call it dessert. Now, we try to keep it just as fun but a little more thoughtful. Grilled peaches are one of our favorites — soft, warm, and naturally sweet. Sometimes we build berry parfaits with yogurt and a sprinkle of granola for a little crunch.

These kinds of treats feel special without the sugar overload. Plus, they’re easy for little hands to help assemble.

For even more ideas that keep the fun but skip the crash later, check out our favorite  healthy junk food recipes . Plenty of kid-approved options that taste like a celebration.

We keep things easy. Grab a few picnic blankets, spread them out under the biggest tree you can find, and fill a cooler with drinks. No need for fancy table setups — it’s all about comfort.

This is where our stainless steel plates and bowls from Ahimsa come in handy. They’re tough enough to survive drops, colorful enough to make the kids excited, and way less stressful than worrying about broken plates outside.

Fewer spills, fewer arguments about who gets which cup, and fewer worries for me. Plus, they look pretty great piled up with all the grilled goodies. Simple wins every time. And at the end of the day, clean-up is a breeze — just toss them in the dishwasher & call it done.

Family meals are sneaky like that. They build memories and healthy habits without anyone feeling like they’re sitting through a lesson. No lectures, no nagging — just real moments stacked up over time.

Montessori living has always taught me that kids learn best by doing. Letting them wash the veggies, stack the plates, help pick the snacks — it all matters. It’s the work, the conversations, the tiny jobs they feel proud to take on.

Outdoor meals add another layer. They show kids that food connects us. It’s not something we rush through or do mindlessly. It’s about slowing down, sharing, being together. Whether the watermelon gets dropped or the lemonade spills, it’s all part of the memory. And honestly, those messy moments are usually the ones we laugh about the most later.

Perfect isn’t the goal. Togetherness is.

The burgers might burn a little. Someone’s probably going to spill their drink. Maybe the dog steals a hot dog off a plate — it happens. None of it really matters.

What matters is the full bellies, the sticky fingers, the tired smiles at the end of the day. It’s the laughter over wobbly skewers and the kids racing barefoot through the grass.

Celebrate Dad with all the messy, wonderful moments that make a family meal feel like home. That’s the good stuff — the part everyone remembers.

We built Ahimsa with real families — and real messes — in mind. Our   stainless steel plates were designed by me, a pediatrician and a mom, after too many cracked dishes and mystery plastics. They’ve survived backyard BBQs, endless dishwasher cycles, even getting dropped on the patio (more than once). They come with a lifetime warranty because we know what they’re up against.

Getting kids excited about reusables isn’t hard. Let them pick their favorite color plate and suddenly they want to use it every meal. Pair it with our stainless steel kids cups and you’ve got a set they can carry to the picnic table all by themselves. Small things like that turn into big habits — habits that stick around long after the BBQ is over.

Shop Ahimsa now.