The Amazing ways your child will benefit from family dinners

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“Growing up, I learned life’s important lessons at the dinner table.”

-Chef John Besh

One of the most important things my parents ever did for my brother and I was instill the tradition of eating family dinners together. In fact, if we were all home, we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together. It is where my parents shared their stories and wisdom and also where my brother and I shared our lives with them.

I have continued this tradition in my own home, and I feel it is one of the most important things that you can do for your children. I believe that kids feel safer in the world if they have routines and traditions that they can count on.

Unfortunately, only 30% of families eat meals together on a consistent basis. Our lives are overscheduled with school, work and extracurricular activities, which gives us no time to sit down and eat together. Some families go days or even weeks without sharing a meal!

Top 10 reasons family meals are important:

  1. Food is more nutritious and kids tend to be less picky because they eat a wider variety of food.
  2. It strengthens family bonds and helps build better relationships.
  3. It gives children a sense of belonging.
  4. Parents get a chance to be role models. They can teach their kids manners and share their wisdom. They can also teach values and traditions.
  5. Kids have a lower chance of engaging in high risk behaviors, like substance abuse, smoking and teen pregnancy.
  6. It makes children feel loved, safe and secure because it is a routine that they can count on everyday.
  7. Children get to talk about their day and feel important.
  8. Young children learn more words, which gives them a larger vocabulary.
  9. Lower rates of depression, anxiety and eating disorders in teens and higher rates of resilience and self esteem.
  10. According to research, 80% of teens said that dinner time is the time of the day they’re most likely to talk to their parents.

So as you can see, family dinners are very important for the health and well being of children. Also, it doesn’t always have to be dinner. Eating breakfast or lunch together is just as beneficial. You should shoot for eating meals together five times a week to reap the benefits.

Try not to get overwhelmed, it’s okay to start out slow with one meal a week and then add on from there. The important thing is that you are using the meal as a time to come together without outside distractions like the television, computer, tablet or phones. Also, keep toys and books off the table as well. Use this time to connect as a family and give your children your undivided attention.

As a mother, I feel that eating together is one of the most important things you can do as a parent. I hope that this information has inspired you to make family meals a priority in your life! Take care and Bon Appetit!

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