-->Why Family Meals are So Important
As a child, I’d rush in the door from after school play. I ran to the bathroom to wash my hands and ran back to plop myself at the table. We had to be in our seats at 5:30 pm sharp or we were grounded, no ifs, ands or buts. We were expected to eat what was put in front of us, be polite and social during dinner and talk about our days.
The only things that have changed with this ritual at my house is dinner time slides around a bit depending on our schedules and I don’t make my son clean his plate. To this day I still feel guilty if I don’t eat everything on my plate!
Research shows there are many benefits to eating a meal together as a family and I wanted to share them with you …
Children do Better in School. Children have better grades when they eat family meals regularly. This seems to be two fold, healthier food with more nutritients from the kitchen than a fast food joint and the ability to discuss their day and any difficulties they’re having in school. It gives them a chance to strategize how to do better in their classes and on their homework.
Children abuse drugs and alcohol less. Family meals are a great way to check in with your kids and make sure they’re doing well. Just doing that on a regular basis appears to be enough to keep kids from trying substances they shouldn’t. Also kids want attention from their parents and giving it to them daily with uninterrupted meals is an easy way.
Your whole family will be thinner. Meals cooked in a kitchen are far healthier than restaurant or prepared fare. Parents cook with less oils and more fruits and veggies to keep calories down and nutrients up. If you think about it, how many people do you know with high fructose corn syrup in their pantries?
Your whole family will be healthier. Again, the reduced fat, healthier oils, and increased nutrients in the family meal ensure a healthier family. You’ll have less sick days and more energy, what could be better than that?
Family Meals improve household communication. It stands to reason that if you spend 20 to 30 minutes together every night you’ll have a chance to hear about what’s going on in each other’s lives. This will reduce everyone’s stress levels and help families communicate better. You can talk about where to take an upcoming trip or how to respond to a family issue. Since you’re meeting every day for meals it doesn’t have to be resolved in one fell swoop but can be developed over time.
You’ll save money. Family meals are definitely cheaper than eating out in a restaurant. You can afford higher quality food if you consistently eat at home too. Take all that extra money and plan a family vacation together.
So if it’s been a while since you’ve sat down as a family look at your schedules and pick a day this week that you can all get together and nosh and talk. Then try to move up to 3 to 5 days per week, the more you do it, the greater the benefits.
What do you think of family meals? Did you have to work to make sure you all eat together or was it pretty simple? I’d love to hear your strategies and tips!
Lisa
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We’ve had to adjust our thinking on the family meal as our family & ideas about food have evolved over the last 10 years. We developed a ritual to eat together as a couple, after the kids had gone to bed when they were small. Now they are reading or practicing their instruments when we eat. With 3 kids under 4yrs, we felt nurturing our couple time was important to being good parents. Still, we are with the kids when they eat & we talk (or listen). We also don’t all eat the same thing. Some of my kids are carnivores & some are carbivores, lol. Each child makes out a menu, though, & has to include at least one veggie even if that is a single piece of spinach. (baby steps) Now the oldest kids are learning to cook & help prepare everybody’s food. I used to feel guilty that I wasn’t living up to the ideal, but realized we have created our own ideal. If the goal is to eat a whole foods diet at home, nurture family bonds & communication, we are pleased. :-)
Gini, that certainly sounds like you’ve achieved that :-)
Oh wow, I remember the days of sitting at dinner table until our plates were clean…which usually meant my brother and/or I were left sitting alone at table attempting to eat the last bits on our plate. I still have dinner with my daughter (son doesn’t live w/us anymore) but don’t insist she eat ‘everything on her plate’…but we do eat together and attempt to talk about the day (sometimes difficult with teenage girl).
Totally agree on home cooked meals being healthier and cheaper, plus tastier too :)