When I’m home alone, I eat most of my meals standing up at the kitchen counter.
You, too? So do most of your neighbors.
When we’re lonely, we eat poorly—it’s a proven fact. The European Prospective Investigation of Cancer found that loneliness and social isolation lead to a less nutritious diet that lacks vegetables and variety.
Loneliness is literally killing us.
“Lonely people are more likely to be obese and experience memory loss, dementia, inflammation, depression, sleep disorders, and heart conditions. Lonely people are less likely to exercise or survive surgery. Loneliness increases levels of stress hormones. It impacts how long we live and how often we are sick.” {reference}
How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird
Your challenge on Day 10 of the 14-Day Love Your Neighbor Challenge is invite a neighbor to eat with you. This simple gesture of hospitality can help end the epidemic of loneliness plaguing so many homes in our neighborhoods (perhaps even your own). Here are tips for both introverts and extroverts with budgets big and small:
Have a big party
- Invite several homes over to eat together. Tell your neighbors you’re inviting others so they catch the excitement.
- If anyone offers to bring something, have a ready list of suggestions such as bread, salad, soda pop, ice cream, or an appetizer.
- Host a pizza potluck, where everyone brings their favorite homemade, store-bought or restaurant pizza to share. Supply chips, drinks and brownies for a complete meal.
- To accommodate many different tastes, serve a taco bar or pasta bar.
- Have a dessert party! Make an ice cream sundae bar with all the toppings.
Paper plates, people!
There’s no better time to use your good china… but don’t hesitate to use your fanciest paper plates. If you’re stressed, your guests will sense it.
Host a small gathering
- Invite one neighbor for breakfast. It’s less intimidating to share a morning meal that doesn’t have four courses. Breakfast recipes tend to be simple to cook and affordable to make. Here are some to breakfast recipes to try:
- Allrecipes.com
- Food Network
- com
- The Kitchn
- Yummly
- Splurge on a fancy little dessert and invite a neighbor to share it with you. Coffee and cookies counts!
- Be impromptu. Having meatballs for breakfast at my neighbor’s home one Christmas Eve is a special memory, and it only happened because she was spontaneous and kind.
Go out to eat
- Try a new place or a tried-and-true favorite together.
- Driving separately can be easier if you don’t know each other well.
- Sharing a coupon or lunch special is the perfect excuse to invite a neighbor out to eat.
Please visit my friends’ websites for more ideas about hospitality at home!
- Kristin Schell – I’m on an exciting adventure learning to love my neighbors. It all started when I put a picnic table in my front yard, painted it turquoise, and began inviting neighbors, friends, and even strangers to hang out and do life together at The Turquoise Table. Now we have a thriving community of Front Yard People who are committed to love where they live. Come join us!
- Grace Table – We are people who love God, who love communion and who love a good dinner table conversation. We are storytellers who love food. We’re chefs, short-order cooks, soup stirrers, and birthday cake makers. We are kitchen people and grill masters. We make gourmet breakfasts and serve cereal for dinner. We are passionate about faith and food. We’re hungry for a table where grace is said and passed, like a warm basket full of rolls. Come break bread with us – we’ve saved you a seat.
- Entertaining for Eternity – We live in a world of people who are starved for connectedness and real caring relationships. Our homes no matter how humble they may be are a place where we can share the love of Christ. It’s my hope and prayer that this web site and companion book will motivate you to prop open your front door, put out the welcome mat and start asking your neighbors, work associates and casual acquaintances in for some real caring over a cup of something yummy or maybe even a simple meal.
- Neighbor’s Table – We build more than outdoor handcrafted tables. This is a movement of ordinary people loving extraordinarily around the table. Join us.
Tips, tools. . . and prizes!
Win cute prizes to share with your neighbors from Ever Thine Home and Mary & Martha! To enter, do any of the following:
- Pinterest: Pin the image at the top of this post on Pinterest
- Facebook: Like, comment or share the daily challenge on our Facebook page. Share a story while you’re there!
- Twitter: Tweet this quote to your followers on Twitter
Prize Winners
The winner of the “&” Bag from Mary and Martha is Kathy Sekunna! The winners of the Be His Cards from Ever Thine Home are Angela Royal and Chyrll Vollmer! Congratulations!
More winners will be announced on February 11 & 14. And if you can’t wait to find out if you’re a winner, please support our sponsors by purchasing these lovely items directly from their websites.
14-Day Love Your Neighbor Challenge
- Day 14: Card
- Day 13: Play
- Day 12: Call
- Day 11: Moms
- Day 10: Eat
- Day 9: Learn
- Day 8: Compliment
- Day 7: Host
- Day 6: Help
- Day 5: Post
- Day 4: Serve
- Day 3: Map
- Day 2: Give
- Day 1: Pray
- Prizes for 14-Day Love Your Neighbor Challenge!
- 14-Day Love Your Neighbor Challenge
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