How To Bring Back Sunday Dinner by TROY L. RAWLINGS

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Do you remember Sunday Dinner? I know some people still gather together and eat a nice home-cooked meal. But many people don’t have a set time where the whole family sits down at a dining table together, says ‘Grace”, and eats a fully cooked meal…AT A HOME, TOGETHER, …AT THE SAME TIME!!
And, tragically, because “busyness” is the “New Black” we tend to make it impossible to sit down with the whole family, or a group of friends for an uninterrupted meal and fellowship.

THE FOUNDATION OF OUR HOMES
You’ve heard the saying “HOME is where the HEART is” Yet, the original saying is “HOME is where the HEARTH is”. The hearth used to be the central place in the home where the cooking was done and where the heat for warming the house came from. Like an open-air fireplace. Families would gather together around the hearth to tell stories, fellowship, and grub out!

WHY WE NEED DINNER GATHERINGS

People have always been busy y’all. This isn’t new. It’s just that when work and school hours were more conventional, it was easier to establish dinner time at 5PM or 6PM when everyone was home. This was usually when a father or mother could find out what was going on in their children’s daily lives. Coming up, in my own home, while my mother cooked all the time we didn’t always have a set dinner time because she was a nurse and my father worked in a factory. But, my mother was stellar at using her phenomenal cooking skills to find out about my friends.

One day I was talking to a friend on the front porch about something we shouldn’t have been talking about as teenagers, I’m sure, and my mom opened the door.

“Why are y’all standing out here, you can come inside…” Mom says.

“Oh he was just stopping by for sec Ma. He’s about to…” before I could finish, my mother brushes me off with a head shake and a smile.

“ARE YOU HUNGRY BABY?” She Asked.

And that was it. Once one of our homeboys was eating ANYTHING my mother made, it was a rap. They would start talking like an auctioneer. It’s like a truth serum. They would literally tell everything we were whispering about. Mom knew once you feed people in a loving atmosphere and they are comfortable, they will open up.

WHEN IS YOUR NEXT SUNDAY DINNER GATHERING
Now as I mentioned earlier, I know that we’re all busy. And more importantly, I realize that everyone can’t cook! So make it simple. We recently had a couple dinner mixer at my friend’s house. One was catered, the other was a Pot Luck. Get the other people, who you trust to cook…, to bring a dish or two and before you know it, WAALAAA you have a big ole Sunday Dinner.

The food is not the main character, you, your friends and your family are the main characters. The conversation, the laughs, the history, the plans, this is why you do it.

So, what time is dinner?

Tell me below who was or is the best cook in your family. What is their best dish? Also, tell me the places in your city that do the best HOMESTYLE COOKING Remember to Log On to ReachLAAngels.com for all the hottest events, restaurants, and venues to fit your tastes.

Until The Next Time,

God Bless, One Love

Troy

And just like that, Troy done stirred the pot again — in the best way. “How To Bring Back Sunday Dinner” isn’t just a blog post, it’s a whole cultural reset. A reminder that our tables still matter, our stories still matter, and our families deserve moments that feel like home.

If you’re rocking with this vibe, don’t just read and dip. Stay tapped in with us. We’re building a community that celebrates culture, connection, and the creators who keep LA’s heartbeat steady.

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