Sunday dinner in Latter-day Saint homes is a different meal than dinners served the other six days of the week. For one thing, most families in keeping the Sabbath day don’t eat out at restaurants; they eat at home–theirs or an extended family member’s. Then, too, dinner is worked around whichever block schedule the family attends---not the usual 6:00 p.m. or so of weeknights. Sunday dinner has a long tradition of being a meal special to the day and a time for family togetherness.

Vickie Muir Stewart, the eldest grandchild of LaVern Watts Parmley, fifth general Primary president, remembers going to her grandparents' home nearly every Sunday for dinner. “Grandma always had the same menu, and we loved it. To this day, when I smell leg of lamb, I think of her unfailingly. Her icebox rolls were really, really good,” said Vickie. “I always felt that there was a safety net under my family because of my grandparents.”

(Janet Peterson and LaRene Gaunt, “LaVern Watts Parmley,” in The Children’s Friends: Primary Presidents and Their Lives of Service, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1996, 87.)

Doris Christopher, founder and president of Pampered Chef, recalled Sunday dinner  during her growing up years in the 1960: “The best day of the week started with bacon and eggs and ended with Ed Sullivan. In between were fat newspapers and heavenly church choirs, droning lawn mowers and sweet ice cream cones. And right in the middle, the centerpiece of it all, was our family’s Sunday dinner, a meal that did for our spirits what the morning sermon had done for our souls. Even now, more than forty years later, I still marvel at how seamlessly one ceremony flowed into the other; how natural it felt to walk home from church and take our seats at the family table. And so one week ended and another began, in an atmosphere of reflection and renewal. . . .

“Sundays had a quality all their own back in those days, a feeling quite unlike that of Tuesdays or Fridays or Saturday. Sundays were spiritual. They stretched out before us, lazy and long, ideal for quiet reflection, relaxation, and togetherness, for putting our house in order, both literally and figuratively, before jumping back into the fray. There were no malls to rush off to, no shopping centers or giant ‘superstores.’ Folks went to church, then came back home to dinner. The sanctity of Sunday as ‘Family Day’ was respected to a far greater degree. . . .

“Indeed, looking back on my childhood Sundays, I now see just how precious they were. Those midday dinners my mother prepared gave me a sense of stability that has stayed with me throughout the years, defining family life and sowing the seeds for the relationships I now enjoy with my own daughters. . . .

“And we made the most of our big day together, not just with bacon and eggs at breakfast, but with leisurely conversations over the dinner table during the one meal that never felt rushed. We discussed the events of the week, both in our lives and in the outside world. We ate slowly and went back for seconds, more to prolong the occasion than to quell any lingering hunger pangs.” (Doris Christopher, Come to the Table: A Celebration of Family Life, New York: Warner Books, 1999, 33, 34, 37, 38.)

Leg of lamb and Ed Sullivan come from another era (Anyone serve leg of lamb with mint jelly  last Sunday? Many readers will be too young to remember the Ed Sullivan Show, where the Beatles made their American debut in the early 1960s.) Gone also is the “old meeting schedule” where Church members attended Sunday School in the morning (priesthood for the brethren preceded) and then returned for sacrament meeting in the evening. Sunday dinner back then was usually served mid-afternoon.

How is Sunday dinner defined for LDS families today? For most, the meal is still considered an occasion but far simpler in preparation than a generation or more ago, where homemade rolls and pies were standard fare. The most important aspect of Sunday dinner, however, has not changed—that it affords a particularly wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy conversation and companionship, to strengthen relationships, and  to feel the spirit of the Sabbath.

There’s no prescribed way to do Sunday dinner;  individual families develop their own approaches and traditions. A variety of dinner styles have suited the families noted here.

For all the twenty-five years I knew Valorie Liddell, she raved about Sunday dinners at her mother’s home. Each Sunday after everyone’s church meetings  were concluded, all the married children who lived nearby and their families gathered at Grandma’s house. Dinner was potluck so that no one person had to do it all. Paper goods were used so time wasn’t spent washing a lot of dishes. Games, singing, putting on little plays on Grandma’s stage in the basement, talking, laughing, and joking were all part of the Hair Family tradition. When Maurine Hair died in November 2001, her family included this weekly event in her obituary: “Her greatest joy in life was her family. She had 36 of us to Sunday dinner every week.”

Pat Menlove, growing up in a family of 13 children where Sunday dinner was a formal and elegant occasion, describes Sunday dinner in her home: “Today, with our family of nine children married and gone, the only real ‘event’ at our dinner table is Sunday dinner, when we invite our family back to our home. We still set an elegant table with the best china and silverware, a centerpiece, and napkins. We still love to prepare what we can from scratch—hot rolls or scones, raspberry jam and honey butter, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a variety of vegetables and salads. Favorite desserts are homemade pies—banana cream, chocolate cream, apple, and pumpkin—fancy cakes, brownies, and ice cream! Now my beautiful daughters and daughters-in-law bring a fair share of the dinner to make it easier for all of us. We have a wonderful time around our ample dining room table with the best company in the world and food fit for a king! In fact, no king ever ate this well!”

Sheri Caldwell prepares Sunday dinner for her adult children and grandchildren “so that I can see them. It’s become such an incredible tradition that my children don’t want to miss. Eating dinner together on Sunday has made our family closer.” Sheri usually prepares all the food, though at times daughters and daughters-in-law bring side dishes. The Caldwells eat outside in warm weather around a table fashioned large enough to accommodate the whole family so that everyone can visit together. “There’s no traditional menu,” says Sheri. “We eat everything from hoagies to roast beef to Mexican and Italian. Some Sundays family members have other obligations or invitations to eat at their in-laws. But everyone knows that dinner is served at 6:00 p.m., and there is always plenty of food. They are welcome to bring their friends; my siblings also know that they have an open invitation.”

The Williams family has a long-standing tradition of Sunday steak, grilled (year-round no less in Boston) by Gordon, a busy doctor and Church leader.  Side dishes may vary, but it wouldn’t be Sunday dinner without Gordon’s grilled-to-perfection steak.

Sally Rasmussen has prepared roast beef and mashed potatoes for Sunday dinner for 50 years because “that’s what we like. Both Neil and I grew up eating roast beef and mashed potatoes on Sunday.” Once a month the entire Rasmussen clan, numbering around 40, gathers for Sunday dinner at Sally and Neil’s. “Then we have potluck,” says Sally, “sometimes even frozen lasagna from Costco. We use paper goods so the clean-up is easy. We love to be together, and Sunday dinner gives us that opportunity.”

The Roy and Kathleen McGuire family sits down to a variety of menus on Sunday and usually  eats in the dining room with a pretty table cloth,  best china, and silverware.

Time and seasons of life change. At the Cheney home, father JC, does the cooking now for their family of eight children on Sunday. While he served as bishop that wouldn’t have been possible. He’s “paying back” his wife, Jodi, who currently serves in a Relief Society presidency, which entails some extra meetings and service on Sunday.

While the six Kirton boys were growing up, each son contributed one part of the dinner, such as salad, vegetable, or dessert as well as setting the table and doing the dishes. Besides helping their mother, Janet, they also learned cooking skills along the way.

Of course, not everyone can gather the extended family for dinner on Sunday as many families are scattered across the United States and around the world. Stephanie and Dave Bywater have lived away from their home state all their married life. They frequently invite members of their ward family, friends, or missionaries to dinner on Sunday “to make a connection,” says Stephanie. “Having guests on Sunday has become one of our family traditions.”  The three young Bywater children often ask on Sunday mornings, “Are we having people over for dinner today?” They’re eager to help in food preparation and setting the table.

The May 2003 issue of Better Homes and Gardens features an article “Together on Sunday,” encouraging families to prepare and share Sunday dinner. The introduction states: “Sunday dinner has a comfy-cozy mood of its own. Plates piled high with family favorites are served with heaps of love and maybe a goofy joke or two. It’s a tradition that feeds the heart and soul.” (Jeanne Ambrose, “Together on Sunday,” Better Homes and Gardens, May 2003, 253.)

Serving a delicious and satisfying meal on the Sabbath that doesn’t require hours of labor can be achieved by employing simple and easy recipes. Many aspects of meal preparation can be done ahead on Saturday.  The family cook (or cooks) also needs to experience Sunday as a day of rest. Sunday dinner does indeed “feed the heart and the soul.”

The following recipes from Remedies for the “I Don’t Cook” Syndrome are very appropriate for Sunday dinner. Please visit idontcook.net for more information on strengthening the family at the dinner table, more recipes, and ordering Remedies for the “I Don’t Cook” Syndrome.

POT ROAST IN FOIL
Judith Nielson

Great Sunday pot roast recipe—perfectly timed for three-hour-church. Add frozen peas when it comes out of the oven, and by the time the prayer is over, they will be cooked, too!

1 (3- to 4-pound) roast (cross-rib, blade, rolled rump, tip, chuck, or bottom round)
1 (10 ¾-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (0.9-ounce) envelope onion soup mix
 4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 medium carrots, cut in halves
2 tablespoons water
1-½ cups frozen peas

Heat oven to 300º F.

Place a piece of foil,18x30 inches, in an ungreased 9x13-inch pan. Place beef on foil. Mix mushroom and onion soups together and spread over beef. Add carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle with water. Fold foil over and seal. Cook for 3 hours.  For the last few minutes of cooking, undo foil and add frozen peas.

Serves 6-10.

ROAST PORK WITH CHERRY SAUCE
Janet Peterson

Spiced cherry sauce makes pork roast an elegant Sunday dinner.

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless pork loin roast
1 (16-ounce) can pie cherries in water
1 1/3cups sugar
¼ cup vinegar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3  tablespoons cornstarch
2 to 3 drops red food coloring

Easy, quick, and extra delicious.”

2 (14½-ounce) cans French-cut green beans
2/3 cup grated Cheddar cheese (Cracker Barrel recommended)
1 cup sour cream
2 shakes of dried dill weed (optional)

Heat oven to 375º F.

Drain beans. Put beans in a 2-quart casserole or 8-inch square baking dish. Stir in cheese, sour cream, and dill. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

SUNDAY PUDDING
Stephanie Santiago

A crispy pudding/cake with a caramel sauce. Serve hot with ice cream and sauce drizzled over top. A family favorite!

1 cup brown sugar
2 cups water
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup cold water
1 cup flour
½  teaspoon salt

Heat oven to at 375º F.

In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, 2 cups water, and butter. Bring to a boil. Pour into a 9x13-inch pan.

Combine ½ cup sugar, baking powder, ½ cup cold water, flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well. Dough will be sticky. Drop by spoonfuls into caramel mixture until pan is covered. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serves 8-12.

BANANA CREAM PIE (CHOCOLATE OR LEMON VARIATIONS)

Nancy Flamm

Creamy and smooth and very easy.

1 (3-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
1½ cups milk
½ pint whipping cream, whipped
1 prepared 9-inch pie crust (pastry, graham cracker, or cookie crumb)
Coconut (optional)

Combine instant pudding with milk, stirring until well mixed and thick. Fold half the whipped cream into pudding. Arrange banana slices on the pie crust. Pour pudding mixture into pie crust. Refrigerate until set. Top with remaining whipped cream that has been sweetened. Garnish with coconut and additional banana slices.

Chocolate Cream or Lemon Cream Variation

Prepare chocolate or lemon pudding as above, omitting bananas. Garnish with whipped cream, coconut, chocolate curls, or lemon zest.

Serves 6