Food is my first love, but my schedule often means I end up eating on the go, buying takeaways or indulging in restaurant dinners to the point where they no longer feel like a treat.

So on Saturday night, I switched out my standard Domino’s for a homemade dinner, and best of all, I invited my mum and sister round to help me make it.

Weirdly enough, preparing our own food was much more satisfying than ordering it in, while combining a catch-up with cooking made for a better bonding experience than fighting over the last slice of pizza.

We opted for a garlicky prawn Alfredo, which was no easy feat for three amateur chefs whose kitchen prowess usually extends to pesto pasta and tuna jackets…

Nevertheless, the meal was delicious and we rewarded our efforts with a large glass of Freixenet Pinot Grigio D.O.C., a delicate white wine from northern Italy and the perfect pairing for our seafood special.

It felt like a proper occasion and not just a mindless evening in front of the telly. A night in, taken to the next level.

I spent a week making an occasion out of absolutely everything – here’s what I learned