5 Easy Steps for an Epic Girls Night In
by Francine Labiran from Fit Life with Fran
I have three words for you… Girls Night In! There’s nothing quite like it. Some of my favorite moments over the years have been spent laughing, being silly and catching up with my friends. Recently I had get-together with some of my favorite friends and want to share some tips with you. with you. Here are 5 East Steps for an Epic Girls Night In, plus tips if you’re planning on a budget. Let the fun begin!
Step 1: Pick a theme and send a fun invite
Pick a theme, date and send a fun invite to your girls. It can be a simple text, e-invite, or you can go all out and print up invites. I love using Canva to make invites. It’s free, has lots of templates to help get you started and honestly it’s just fun to use. You really can make make the perfect invite for any occasion in just minutes then text it to you girls.
Step 2: Pick your favorite snacks and toasts
Two of my favorite things to do are snacking and giving toasts. And just my luck, they go together perfectly. When picking your snacks, I try to keep three things in mind – simplicity, the amount of time to make it, and flavor.
Here are a few of my go-to snack ideas:
- veggies and hummus
- homemade mini pizzas
- sliced fruit (add non-dairy vanilla yogurt for dipping sauce)
- mixed greens salad (quick, easy and healthy)
- air-popped popcorn (plus a dash of cinnamon or a drizzle of caramel)
- brownie bites
You can even have a “potluck” style night and have friends bring a dish or their favorite snack to share. Ok, on to the toasts!
My go-to alcohol type beverages nowadays is red wine and rose. They are perfect for a talk and sip sessions and “easier” on your body the next da. At my recent girls nights we popped a bottle of Cabernet by Natura Wines. It was definitely a win for everyone.
So, what do I love about this wine? It’s smooth, flavorful, an organic wine and honestly the price point is awesome (a bottle retails for about $10). Plus, Natura Wines produces natural wine. Essentially, the process they use to care for their vineyards and grapes aims to produced healthier beverages without the presence of chemical products.
For non-alcohol options, there are tons of fun options! Here are a few you could make quickly:
- fruit-infused water (I usually make it at home or pick up a few bottles of Core Peach)
- “mocktails” or spritzers with flavored sparkling water from Bai or fresh squeezed juice on ice with a mint soda water
Step 3: Make It Personal
Anytime I can spend time with friends, I love to show them how appreciated they are. And I’m not talking about buying gifts. My favorite things to add to girls’ night are handwritten notes, flowers, a few candles, and I love to add their names to glasses. You can pick up chalkboard wine glasses from places like Home Goods or Pier 1. For a cheaper, but still awesome option, you can pick up chalkboard stickers from Michaels or Target and add them to wine or cocktail glasses.
Step 4: Pick A Fun Activity
This is your chance to get a creative so have fun with it! I usually like to mix and match ideas when it comes to the activity. For example, maybe we’ll listen to music and catch up on what’s new in each other’s lives. Or we may hit the gym together and chat afterward. At my most recent girls’ night in, we watched Issa Rae’s show, “Insecure”.
Here are a few other ideas:
- Movie Night (have everyone write down their favorite movie based on a genre pic a few movies to watch)
- Game Night (Taboo is always great)
- Craft Night (check out Pinterest for group craft ideas)
- Sweat and Sip Night (find a free Yoga videos on YouTube and then have some sips afterwards)
Step 5: Truly Connect with Your Girls
If you’re anything like my friends, then you’re constantly connected to your phones, emails and social media. Between work, kiddos, running businesses, and just being plain boss ladies, we have rare moments where we can just…be. That’s why this last step is so important. Repeat after me… put away your phones, lol. I know it’s hard but here’s a good compromise. Snap a cute photo of you and your girls at the beginning of girls’ night and then at the end. Use this time to truly connect with each other. You’d be surprise what you might learn, even if you’ve know your friend “forever”.
I’d love to hear from you. What are some things you’ve done on a girls’ night in? What are some ideas you would like to try?
About the Author
Fran is an Atlanta native, a modern dancer, running coach for Girls on the Run, healthy foodie, and barre class lover. Her dream is to inspire women to embrace the body they’re in and be their healthiest, happiest self possible. fran@fitlifewithfran.com
www.fitlifewithfran.com
