Why Family Meals Matter

Why Family Meals Matter & Strategies to Make Them Happen

By Jill Shaffer RD

No guilt tripping here. I’m really writing to help make your life a little easier. Working mom of three, I completely get the challenges of producing culinary magic for the evening meal and gathering family members together against all odds. Is soccer really that important? Yes!

You may already be familiar with the body of research linking family meals with numerous benefits and positive outcomes with your child’s development.  We know that children and teens who eat regularly with their family do better emotionally, socially, academically, & nutritionally.   Yes, studies connect the family table to improved school performance, less alcohol and drug usage, and stronger family relationships, just to name a few important ones. 

 The truth is that most kids really like eating family meals. They need the structure and opportunities to connect with parents and siblings and share about what’s going on in their lives.  In fact for many families it is the only time when most everyone is in the same place, same time, doing the same thing. Social and emotional needs are being met; it’s as much about talking as it is about eating. 

Now let’s talk nutritionally. Foods that you put together yourself can have a greater potential for offering some reasonable nutritional value. With a little bit of allocation to time, planning, and practice, you can spin out healthy meals with surprising efficiency.  Meals give the opportunity to introduce the family to new foods especially as young children explore different tastes, textures, and work on expanding their variety as they learn to eat what the family eats. Kids get reliable access to food and learn important skills about balanced eating, portion control, and appropriate behavior at the dinner table.  We also know that family meals can promote healthy weight, as well as prevent disordered eating and eating disorders.

Family meals just don’t happen; pulling it off will require some effort. Each family is different. Start by asking yourself… “What can we do to ensure that we are eating more meals together?” Don’t be silent about it; poll your family members as they will undoubtedly come up with some reasonable solutions. Sometimes it’s working on adjusting schedules a tad. Or it might be working on a family consensus and designating a few nights of the week for the purpose of sharing a meal together. And by all means be creative with the mechanics of meal planning and preparation. Some families cook extra meals on the weekend when there may be more time and eat leftovers during the course of the week. Depending on work schedules some of you may be able to start prepping dinner in the morning or finding some good recipes for the slow cooker so that a delicious hot meal can be ready by the time everyone settles in for the evening. Some families take turns and share in the responsibility and recruit older children to support this process.  

Please remember that making changes takes some time and may not be easy.  We’re talking baby steps here, so please set reasonable expectations for yourself and your family as you begin to try things differently. And one of my favorite quotes… “Aim for progress not perfection.”

Jill Shaffer, RD

Nutrition Therapist

Eating Matters

2 Tree Farm Road, Suite A-210

Pennington, NJ  08534

609-818-0020

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