Study after study shows eating together as a family has multiple benefits: It leads to healthier eating habits, It prevents issues with alcohol and substance use, violent behavior, depression, and suicidal thoughts in adolescents. Kids in families who eat together have fewer reports of being bullied, better communication skills, and higher self-esteem. And a 2022 survey by the American Health Association found that 91% of parents reported that their families were significantly less stressed when their families eat meals together regularly. The better news is that the meal doesn’t have to be dinner! So, we’ve dedicated this episode to discussing how to make family meals happen.
A huge factor in making family dinner (or any family meal) happen is to have a plan. That keeps Mom from swinging through McDonald’s on the way home and everyone devouring fries and heading to their rooms. So, we talk about how to structure your week to easily plan meals and how to keep track of favorite meals.
There are obstacles to making family meals happen regardless of your kids’ ages. When they’re little, like Megan’s kids, one’s done eating by the time the other one is strapped in a high chair, and then the wiggles kick in. Elementary kids get involved in sports and activities. When they’re teens, they’ve got after-school obligations and jobs. So it’s important to make the most of the time you have. We talk about enjoying meals by incorporating fun traditions like a guest of honor, asking a specific question to start a conversation, and even fun ways to teach manners. Remember, the food doesn’t have to be gourmet, and the table doesn’t have to be set perfectly. Just make the dinner table a place where there’s laughter and sharing, and it will always be a place the kids want to come back to.
Articles We Mentioned
10 Ideas That Will Help You Conquer Meal Planning
How to Make Family Dinners Happen
6 Family Dinner Conversation Starters
A Weekly Dinner Plan to Help You Cook at Home More
5 Rules for Family Meals
Printables We Think You’ll Like
