Getting a Teen Involved with Family Dinners with Idahoan® Premium Steakhouse® Potato Soups

I partnered with Life of Dad and Idahoan^® Foods for this campaign, but my opinions are my own.

It’s a weeknight and we are typically rushed for time to pull together a decent family meal. We love to eat out, but it’s just not feasible every night and we find it puts a pinch on our budget, too. We do theme nights at home from time to time, and on this night we challenged ourselves to re-create a steakhouse experience. And this self-imposed challenge lines up with a recent survey that found 79% of Americans, including 92% of parents*, wish it were easier to recreate a steakhouse experience at home. We went with a soup & salad meal, forgoing the steak due to weather.

When it comes time for dinner with your growing teenager, it can be doubly difficult to get them involved or, even to sit at the table with you. On this steakhouse night, we caught a lucky break. Was it how quick the soup cooked, how delicious it was or, the fact that she got to prep the salads for photos for this post? I’m not really quite sure. 

But, whatever the reason, we were sure glad to have her join us at the table.

My wife and daughter both took an active part in getting our steakhouse dinner together.

My daughter chipped in on preparing the salads and snapping some pictures. My wife pulled together the tableware, placemats, napkins and prepared the soup. I focused on eating.

Preparing the Soup

We chose the Loaded Potato variety of the Idahoan^® Premium Steakhouse^® Potato Soups for our steakhouse experience. The soup is available in four varieties: Creamy Potato, Loaded Potato, Cheddar Broccoli, and Three Cheese Chipotle.

My wife whisks the soup per the directions.

The soup begins to bubble.

In just a few minutes the soup coalesces into yumminess. And it’s ready to serve!

Setting the Table and Creating the Steakhouse Experience 

As part of our steakhouse experience, I thought it was important to include the bread that is served at some steakhouses.  Who doesn’t like bread, right? And what could be more intimate than some candlelight?

Get your veggies in, too. A salad pairs well. Here, my daughter slices and dices.

The Steakhouse Dining Experience

The table is set. Check pattern napkins and woven placemats, and large serving bowls mimic that less formal restaurant look.

After the salad, our second course was the soup. Velvety smooth and the added bacon and green onion were a nice complement to the potato chunks.

I pause to enjoy the soup… for a moment.

And let’s not forget the steakhouse bread. Good and sturdy it held up well to the butter.

Overall a flavorful, slow-cooked taste of restaurant-quality potato soup. Filled with red potatoes and red potato skins, this hearty soup delivers exceptional taste and texture in every spoonful.

Although I have no typical happy family meal pictures there is one that matters…

Don’t I Deserve to Be Crowned #KINGOFSOUP?

Yes! For two important reasons. (1.)My ability to successfully get a teenager to sit at the table and not stay curled up in her bed. And (2.) to get said teenager to eat a meal and not complain. If this is worthy of me being crowned #kingofsoup tweet it, share or, comment below.

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