The Benefits of Family Dinners

Having young kids at home that are juggling school, homework, practices, and games makes it very difficult for us parents to get everyone together for a shared meal. Often times it seems like it would be easier just to set up a grab-and-go dinner in order to work around conflicting schedules. In terms of time saved, this idea works very well but at what cost?

Recent research has indicated that those family's who routinely eat meals together tend to thrive together. The data shows that when families prepare, cook and consume a meal together, those foods tend to be more nutrient dense. These meals have more protein, fruits and vegetables and are less likely to contain processed foods and high sugar content. But wait, there is more...

After decades of research, psychiatrist Anne Fishel lays out in her work the amazing mental health benefits of eating regular meals together. The children from families who eat together are associated with lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, tobacco use, early teenage pregnancy and they show higher rates of resilience and self esteem. If you can put all that stuff in a vitamin tablet each and everyone one of us (and our kids) would be jumping at the opportunity to consume it!

So how do we make this happen? Start with one meal per week. Pick a day that everyone is free and have a meal together. When you make this is a habit (and everyone realizes spending time together isn't so bad after all) you add another day. Keep this up until you are eating more and more healthy meals together and creating memories with those closest to you. 

Chris