Learn Hardcore Chinese: zhōumò zài jiā chīfàn de shíhou, wǒmen chángcháng yòng hěnduō wǎn, suǒyǐ chīwán yǐhòu děi yìqǐ xǐ wǎn. - When we eat at home on weekends, we often use many bowls, so after eating we have to wash them together.

周末zhōumò　在zài　家jiā　吃饭chīfàn　的de　时候shíhou，　我们wǒmen　常常chángcháng　用yòng　很多hěnduō　碗wǎn，　所以suǒyǐ　吃完chīwán　以后yǐhòu　得děi　一起yìqǐ　洗xǐ　碗wǎn。zhōumò zài jiā chīfàn de shíhou, wǒmen chángcháng yòng hěnduō wǎn, suǒyǐ chīwán yǐhòu děi yìqǐ xǐ wǎn.

When we eat at home on weekends, we often use many bowls, so after eating we have to wash them together.

Breakdown of zhōumò zài jiā chīfàn de shíhou, wǒmen chángcháng yòng hěnduō wǎn, suǒyǐ chīwán yǐhòu děi yìqǐ xǐ wǎn.

Questions & Answers about zhōumò zài jiā chīfàn de shíhou, wǒmen chángcháng yòng hěnduō wǎn, suǒyǐ chīwán yǐhòu děi yìqǐ xǐ wǎn.

Why is the sentence order 周末　在家　吃饭　的时候 instead of something like 我们在家周末吃饭的时候?

Chinese has a relatively fixed preferred order for background information:

Time → Place → Action

So:

周末 – time (on weekends)
在家 – place (at home)
吃饭的时候 – action + when-clause (when eating)

Putting these first sets the scene before introducing 我们 and what we "often" do in that situation.

You can say 我们周末在家吃饭的时候; that’s also correct and natural. The version in your sentence just foregrounds the time/place more strongly by putting them at the very beginning.

What exactly does 在家吃饭的时候 mean, and how does the 的 work here?

在家吃饭的时候 literally breaks down as:

在家 – at home
吃饭 – eat (a meal)
的 – turns the verb phrase into something that can modify a noun
时候 – time / moment / when

So 在家吃饭的 is functioning like a relative clause describing 时候:

在家吃饭的时候 → "the time when (we) eat at home"

The 的 here is a structural particle that connects the verb phrase to 时候. It’s the same 的 you see in:

我上大学的时候 – when I was in college
你来的时候 – when you came

What’s the difference between 时候 and 的时候? Could you say 在家吃饭时 instead?