• Eating Together with the Family

  • With so much running around during the day between work and school, it can feel like a lot of work to come home and prepare a family dinner. But taking the time to sit down together for a full meal is one of the best ways to ensure your family is happy and healthy. It might not seem like it, but sharing a meal with your family can help build communication and even help develop healthy eating habits your children will carry through life.

    First of all, the Food Pyramid is more likely to be followed when you have a family dinner. This is because you, as the parent, are more conscious of what is being served. Most of us like to have a variety of foods when eating a full meal, and with family dinners, it’s up to you to make sure everyone gets a healthy share of veggies. That’s a luxury you don’t always get with fast food.

    Meals with the family also help build healthy eating habits. Setting a good example of what and how to eat will certainly help younger children learn. But family dinners can also be used as a means of coaching teenagers about the effects of foods on physical health and how to watch what you are eating. This sharing of knowledge can help prevent munching and embarrassing weight gains for kids.

    Finally, family dinners offer an opportunity for open communication. This is less about food and more about sharing good company. When you sit down for a family dinner, face-to-face, it builds an intimate, honest environment for you and your kids to talk about life and the struggles they might be going through at school or with friends. Use this time to communicate your expectations for their health and guide them away from harmful ideologies they might be picking up in the hallways.