26 Nov Lessons from New Orleans: The Big Easy Guide for Meaningful Gatherings
By Barbara K. Stump, MA
As we lean into Thanksgiving, and approach more holiday gatherings next month, I can’t help but think of the lessons I was reminded of this past year while in New Orleans (NOLA). Mainly, the importance of meaningful connections with others, while gathering together around a table. NOLA is the ultimate soul and culinary arts travel experience, from flavor packed Cajun cuisine, entertaining jazz music, festive Mardi Gras celebrations, and beignets all day! This article will provide you with a few “Big Easy Tips” for planning your next family, or friends, gathering at your home. Starting with preparing for meals, and including artful dinner presentations.
Before we dive into these helpful tips, you may be asking why should we carve out time for meals with family and friends? What are the benefits?
Dr. Natalie Muth, a pediatrician and registered dietitian in San Diego, shared in her article, Benefits of Family Meals: Eat Together, Thrive Together, “Research links family meals with healthy mental development and lower risks for childhood depression, eating disorders, substance use and other mental health concerns.” Additionally, happiness researchers De Neve, Dugan, Kaats, and Prati from Oxford University surveyed 150,000 people in 142 countries in 2022 and 2023 to investigate the impact of shared meals on happiness. They reported their findings in the 2025 World Happiness Report, Sharing meals with others: How sharing meals supports happiness and social connections. Their findings show, “Not only are those who eat with others happier more often and sadder less often, but in countries where people share more meals, there are higher levels of social support: People are more likely to perform a positive act when they experience a positive act and to experience lower levels of loneliness.”
Keeping those studies in mind, let’s literally dig in! Below are a few tips inspired by NOLA to get your holiday gatherings off to a great start.
- Preparing for Meals:
- Clean out your refrigerator to make space for your holiday dishes. Get a head count of who will be attending. Decide what foods you are able to make ahead of the event. Most importantly, include family members in preparing for big meals. It can be a great bonding experience for everyone, and you might find out you have a budding chef in the family!
- When you are ready to start cooking, make sure you have all of the ingredients on hand before you begin to cook. While we were in NOLA, we participated in a cooking class and learned several helpful hints for preparing for cooking, such as measuring out all of the ingredients prior to beginning. We also learned about the history of cuisines primarily served in the area. New Orleans has distinct cuisines, Creole and Cajun which blend French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences.
2. Artful dinner presentations:
- Pull out your linens and napkins. Create a centerpiece based on your theme. One thing I like to do for my family is buy wrapped chocolates to put at each place setting. If you would like to elevate your dinner table even more you could include place setting cards with your guests names. This is a thoughtful idea and helps people know where to sit for your special meal.
- Music is key, especially in the kitchen. It definitely makes cooking seem less like a chore, and more of an experience that is worth repeating. What type of music do you feel most relaxed while listening to, and yet energized to cook a meal? Do you like jazz? While we were in New Orleans, we had the opportunity to hear different jazz musicians, and a highlight of our trip was catching a performance at Preservation Hall. It is one of the best places in the French Quarter to catch traditional New Orleans Jazz. To make your cooking experience more enjoyable, I highly recommend making a playlist for your next occasion with whatever type of music you enjoy, even if it isn’t jazz.
- Another tip, we were reminded about during our cooking class in NOLA, was how to “plate the food.” Our instructor, at the New Orleans School of Cooking, showed us ways to thoughtfully arrange our food on a plate to make it aesthetically appealing. You could do this for your guests, or you could allow your guests to have fun with it on their own. Maybe make a competition amongst your guests for the most artful plate. Take pictures and share! Below are a few of the dishes we made in our cooking class, and my attempts at artfully plating the courses.
Cooking is an art, and cooking and eating together can improve your well-being. Sitting around a table, sharing a meal with family, and friends, can positively enhance your life. Hopefully, after reading this blog, you found a few “Big Easy” tips to help ease your stress while preparing for holiday gatherings. If you have concerns going into the holiday season, it is ok to set healthy boundaries for yourself. The therapists at the Galvin Growth Group can assist you with how to set those boundaries. Whatever your needs may be, there are professionals available to guide you through the season, and help to make it a positive experience for you. And yes, in New Orleans you truly can have beignets all day!
