Eating Together

Enjoy a Family Meal
Eating a meal with your family is a great way to share healthy foods and stay up-to-date on what's happening in one another's lives. But did you know that it's also good for your family's health? One recent study found that girls who ate five or more meals a week with their families had a lower risk of developing unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders. And other studies have linked regular family meals with less obesity, drug use, smoking, and suicidal thinking in adolescents.
Unfortunately, with our increasingly hectic schedules, many of us don't eat together as a family. But you have the power to change that. With all the benefits you and your family can get from eating together, how can you afford not to?
Here are a few tips for establishing family meals:
Set a time for the meal — just remember who has basketball practice or dance lessons on which day!
Share food preparation and clean-up duties — your kids will love helping prepare the meals, and if everyone is involved in clean-up no one can complain about it!
If they're old enough, let the kids help clean, peel, and cut up vegetables.
If your kids are too young to help cook, they can still be involved by choosing what vegetables they want at dinner or by stirring something in a bowl.
Don't let anyone opt out of the meal. Including everyone emphasizes the importance of the family time.
Turn off the TV and computers — focus on eating and talking.
Eat slowly and enjoy the food, the conversation, and the laughter.
Keep mealtime conversation positive and avoid contentious subjects.