The Benefits of Family Meal Time
by Jessica Lieb, guest blogger
Gathering your family around the table for a home-cooked meal is a rarity for many families. Conflicting schedules, traffic-filled commutes, and cranky toddler bedtimes mean family mealtimes often get cut out of a busy day. On the rare occasion you get everyone sitting around the table at the same time, it feels like a huge accomplishment.
There are, however, many benefits to prioritizing enjoying meals together as a family.
Encourages Healthy Eating Habits
Research has demonstrated that family dinners encourage healthy eating habits. Children who share home-cooked meals consume less fat and sugar and eat more fruits, vegetables, and protein. Children exposed to nutritious foods are likelier to continue making healthy food choices as they grow older.
Regular family dinners help children develop healthier eating habits, leading to lower obesity rates. Good eating habits are essential for children's development and long-term health. Your family meals provide nourishing meals for your kids and encourage children to make healthy food choices outside the home.
Helps Improve A Child’s Mental Health
Regular family dinners offer significant mental health benefits. They are linked to lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, and early teenage pregnancy while promoting resilience and self-esteem. Shared mealtimes enable family members to communicate love and support, which fosters healthy mental development.
Encouraging children to share their day and actively listen shows that you value them. Involving children in preparing family meals enhances their sense of responsibility and involvement.
Builds Stronger Family Relationships
Mealtime provides an opportunity for families to connect. Slow down from the busyness of the day to catch up with your family and enjoy each other's company.
Family meals foster a strong familial bond and establish family traditions that offer stability and support children's development. Family meals encourage open communication and trust, creating a safe space for children to share their thoughts and feelings.
Additionally, mealtime allows family members to offer emotional support help develop problem-solving skills, and learn to navigate difficult situations.
Tips for Planning Family Meals
Keep the Menu Simple
Family meals don’t have to be elaborate. Choose simple recipes your family enjoys, and aim to include at least one vegetable or fruit with each meal. You can repeat your favorite dishes each week; think Taco Tuesday or Pizza Friday. A few of our favorite simple weeknight meals include sub sandwiches, pasta, one-pot meals, or pizza.
Plan Ahead
Schedule a time to make a weekly meal plan for your family. Display your menu in a prominent place so everyone can see the schedule. Consider using a chalkboard, dry-erase board, or printable meal plan. Include at least one quick and easy meal for busy days. If your family doesn't frequently eat together, choose one or two days each week to have meals together. The goal is to create quality time as a family.
Involve the Whole Family
Include your children in the planning, shopping, and cooking your family meals. Even your little ones can get involved. Teach them how to fold napkins and set the table. Older kids can plan meals and help prepare them. Involving kids not only makes meal preparation easier but also encourages teamwork and sets them up for independence, too. Let them help with shopping lists, cooking, setting the table, and cleaning up.
Make it Screen-Free
You've made an intentional effort to have family meal time, so set aside your phones and tables for the duration of the meal. Place your devices in another room of the house; this will reduce the temptation during dinner. Mealtime is for listening and sharing the day’s stories. Leave phones on mute and out of reach.
