Writing-1 Sub Category Article-4

While we’re not experts in building a menu, we can certainly help you brainstorm some Mother’s Day dinner ideas that will have her feeling the love on her special day. So, gather up the family (except for Mom, of course), put someone in charge of note-taking, and get ready to brainstorm!

Rules to brainstorm by. Brainstorming isn’t always just throwing ideas against a wall and seeing what sticks. Of course, this can be an effective way to generate ideas and get your creative juices flowing, but you also need to know what to do with these ideas after. Following a few rules will help to make your brainstorming session more efficient.

• Aim for quantity over quality. There’s no such thing as having too many ideas when you’re brainstorming. Log anything that comes into your mind without regard for the quality of the idea. It’s essential that you have as many ideas to work with as possible when you’re finished because you never know when a terrible idea will evolve into your best idea.
• No idea is too crazy. Along the same vein as gathering as many ideas as possible, remember that no idea is too crazy during a brainstorming session. For instance, if somebody comes up with a Mother’s Day dinner idea that includes taking a helicopter ride to Catalina Island and having a picnic on the beach, don’t reject it. You can always take an outlandish idea and evolve it isn’t something more realistic. The craziest ideas can evolve into a great dinner for Mom.
• Don’t allow criticism. Regardless of how crazy an idea is, don’t allow any criticism of it. Criticizing ideas during a brainstorming session can cause some people to shut down and feel self-conscious about their contributions. They might be worried about how their idea will be received. For example, your 3-year-old suggests making his favorite meal for Mom: Boxed Mac and Cheese. It may sound silly at first but perhaps that idea could morph into a dish like Creamy Cheddar Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Bacon and a Buttery Crumble Topping, paired with her favorite wine! Even a silly idea can turn into something amazing.

Techniques for brainstorming Once you’ve established some rules for brainstorming, you should have a process that you’re going to follow. The brainstorming process is different for everyone, so there are many techniques you can use to hold an effective session.

• Use a combination grid. A combination grid is an excellent way to take multiple ideas and see how they can be combined into a single plan. Get started by sketching a simple 3×3 or 4×4 grid. Label the top something like “Entrees” or “Main dishes,” then label the left side “Appetizers,” “Sides,” or anything else you’d like to complement the main dish. Let’s say you made a 3×3 grid, so you would then list three main dishes across the top of the grid. Then, go down the side and list three appetizers. To complete the grid, fill in the squares with the intersecting food items. For example, if your first main dish is steak and you have mashed potatoes, baked carrots, and French fries as your sides, you would have boxes that read “steak and mashed potatoes,” “steak and baked carrots,” and “steak and French fries.” When you’re finished, your 3×3 grid will produce nine complete meal ideas.
• Make a list. Your brainstorming session doesn’t have to be fancy or overly complicated. It doesn’t take anything more than a pen and paper or an easy-to-use digital tool as a place to keep track of your ideas. Make a list of foods Mom likes to eat or her favorite takeout meal. This list can be created in a single sitting, or it can be a place where you can throw ideas as you come up with them over several days or weeks. However long you decide you want to take making a list of dinner ideas, make sure you keep your ideas in a single location, so nothing gets lost.
• Try starbursting. Starbursting is a brainstorming technique that’s rooted in asking questions about the problem at hand. Think about questions you’re trying to answer by brainstorming Mom’s Mother’s Day dinner. Ask questions like:
• What’s Mom’s favorite fancy restaurant she rarely gets to visit?
• Would she love a fun style of eating like a buffet, fondue or afternoon tea?
• Does Mom want brunch instead of dinner?
• Is there an appetizer she’d love to have?
• What’s her favorite dessert?
• How about creating a drink menu?

Brainstorming Mother’s Day dinner ideas —even breakfast, lunch or brunch ideas, for that matter—will help show her how much you care. Whether it’s a fancy dish or a homemade version of her favorite fast food, you can come up with something she’ll never forget.