Taco nights are a staple in our house. Not only are they fun to prep for, but they are always a hit with the kids. This is a big win since I swear my kids like one thing one day and change their minds the next. Taco nights never disappoint though.
We’ve been experimenting with different recipes and getting creative with our taco night presentations to spice things up. Today, I’m sharing a few of our go-to’s with you!
Our pantry is on the smaller size, but we do have a bin dedicated solely to taco nights. That’s how much we love our taco nights. We keep things like shells, seasoning, salsa, and beans in it that have longer expiration dates so we have our go-to taco night items on hand.
We recently upgraded an old grill and got an electric smoker which has added an extra smoky flavor to our tacos. See the smoked cilantro sauce recipe below which is fabulous if you have a smoker (or you can try the same recipe in the oven too!).
It’s a great idea for us to buy in larger quantities since we have a bigger family and it is nice to have things on hand.
Here are a few go-to ideas that make our taco nights extra special:
- Serve everything in dishes that are easy to pass around the table. I use small to medium size bowls for almost everything so they are even easy for the kids to pass.
- Have the kids make their own tacos. This is also why I like smaller bowls too so the kids can easily dish up their own plates. I feel like they eat more when they control what goes on their plates.
- Set the table! Even if I’m short on time, I like to throw on a tablecloth, light a candle, and set the plates on the table ahead of time. It makes the dinner feel a little more special, and the ambiance keeps us sitting at the table longer. We usually have music going too in the background.
- Prep ahead of time. The more I can do during the day or the night before saves time on prep (like chop vegetables, make the salsa, etc.)
Fruit Guacamole
As a mom, I’m always trying to squeeze in healthy things in creative ways. For our guacamole, we usually add some fruit (like pineapple, pomegranates or strawberries).
Tonight, I served it up in a little watermelon bowl which the kids loved.
The other guacamole is made with greek yogurt, avocado, lime, cilantro, garlic, tomatoes and with pomegranates.
Spicy Smoked Cilantro Sauce
- We use our smoker to smoke the sour cream for 20 mins on a baking sheet. If you don’t have a smoker, you can bake it in the oven
- Add jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and sour cream to a blender and mix together
- Serve on your tacos as desired
What are your taco night favorites? I’d love to hear!
Pinnable images to share and save for later!
