4 Benefits of Family Meals (and 7 Helpful Tips)

October is National Eat Better, Eat Together Month!This goal of this month is to encourage families to gather around the table together at mealtimes. When families enjoy their main meals together, they tend to be more balanced with food choices.  It’s also a great way to spend time together during the week when everyone has busy schedules.

Now, before we delve into what this month is – tell me something… Do you and your family eat most (if not all) meals together? If you do – great! If not, don’t worry you are not alone and now is the perfect time to start. And, just so you know, Eat Better, Eat Together Month does not mean you have to commit to eating every meal together.  Keep reading to learn more about all the benefits and tips for this month!

Make it a goal to eat at least one meal a day as a family. Choose breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

4 Benefits of Family Meals

1. Studies have found that families who eat together are twice as likely to eat their five servings of fruits and vegetables as families who don’t eat together. This is because kids who eat meals with their families tend to eat a wider variety of foods (specifically fruits and vegetables) and become less picky eaters.

2. Research has also shown that people tend to eat less during family meals because they eat more slowly and talk more, which can strengthen their ability to listen to their hunger/fullness cues and also help prevent obesity.

3. Family mealtime also provides an opportunity for family members to come together, strengthen ties and build better relationships. It can help build a sense of belonging, which leads to better self-esteem.

4. Eating together as a family also provides the opportunity for parents to be role models and set an example of healthy eating and polite table manners for their kids. It can also lead to a lower chance of engaging in high risk behaviors such as substance use and violence, and fewer psychological problems.

7 Tips to Get the Most Out of Family Mealtime

Now that you know all the benefits of family meals, you may be asking yourself where to start. I have complied a list of tips to help you get started

1. Get everyone involved in preparing/cooking the meal– Let your family choose the sides such as their favorite veggies, legumes and/or grains. You can even let them help you prep before cooking.

2. Set the table together – You can do this either before you cook or while you are cooking – either way, make it fun or engage in meaningful conversation with whoever is helping you!

3. Play a fun question/trivia game at the table – This can be food/family meal related or not, that is up to you. Get everyone involved by going around the table and giving each person a chance to ask the trivia question they make up.

4. Share upcoming events to know what is on everyone’s schedule – Use this time to plan your upcoming week or month with any practices, games and/or concerts depending on what your family is interested in.

5. Ask each other to share their favorite part of their day – This is the perfect time to learn all about your family’s day. Go around the table and ask each peson what they did that day and what is something new they learned.

6. Make cleanup a team effort – Remember, cleaning up will go a lot faster if everyone helps. You can also make this a game to get everyone involved.

7. Make it a theme night – Think Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday or even days based on colors, ethnicities, etc. Ask each person to help you come up with ideas to make it a family affair.

If you’re looking for help and advice on ending mealtime battles with your kids, check out my program, Raising an Intuitive Eater: A Parent Program for Children Under 9 years old.

Click here to learn more and grab your eBook called 3 Steps to Raising a Mindful Eater (scroll to bottom of page for the eBook).

Like this post? Share it!