Family Meals: Important Enough to Schedule Around
By Sue Gilbert

Why have Family Meals?

• Family meals are more nutritious: A study out of Harvard indicates that families that eat together are twice as likely to have five servings of fruits and vegetables a day as those who aren't. Eating family dinners is associated with consuming less fried food and soda pop. In addition children who regularly eat family dinners have diets that are higher lots of important nutrients, including fiber, calcium, iron, folate and vitamins B6, B12, C and E.
• Kids who eat family meals are more likely to eat a wider variety of foods: The wider variety of foods eaten the better chance kids have to get all the varied vitamins and minerals they require, and they are less apt to be Ôpicky' eaters.
• Home meals don't necessarily mean healthy meals: Even at home, if children don't eat with the family, they are less likely to eat a balanced diet.
• Kids are never too young for family meals: Even babies who are only nursing or on formula benefit from being included at mealtime. Pull up the baby swing or infant seat and allow babies to be a part of the meal. Now is the time to establish the routine of family meals, so your child will come to depend on eating meals with the family as an important part of their day.
• Kids are never too old for family meals: The American Psychological Association came out with a study in 1997 that showed that well-adjusted teens (those with fewer drug and alcohol problems, better relationships with their parents, higher academic motivation and less depression) ate dinner with their families at least five days a week.
• Family meals offer a chance for parent's to be a role model: During family meals, parents can set a good example of healthy eating that children may model. They also display and impart polite table manners. Family meals give our child the occasion to learn these important skills.
• Kids learn more about nutrition and healthy eating: In multiple studies of school-aged children, those who ate family meals had a higher level of nutrition knowledge.
• Kids learn about food safety: Children are more apt to learn about the importance of such things as hand washing before eating.
• Family meals help prevent obesity. Children who have company at meals are slimmer than those who eat alone. That's because they eat less, eat more slowly, and talk more. What a good reason to have a family meal with lots of lively conversation!
• Family meals build vocabulary: In at least one study, kids who ate with their families preformed better in school and had a broader vocabulary. Family meals offer an opportunity for conversations where kids learn vocabulary-building words that help them read well and communicate better.
• Children gain a better sense of belonging within the family: Family meals offer a time for a family to come together as a group and develop a feeling of belonging. That sense of belonging leads to better self-esteem.

Understanding the importance of family meals may seem easier then having them. Here are a few tips that may make incorporating them into your family's schedule a little easier and more successful:

Guide to planning family meals

• Keep it simple: Family meals don't have to be three course affairs. Take-out chicken supplemented with prepared salads and carrot sticks and beverage is healthy and easy. Or, even a bowl of cereal and fruit is good.
• Involve children in the planning and preparation: No matter how simple, such as folding the napkins or choosing the vegetable, if the child is involved, they take a greater interest in healthy meals. And, if they are involved in the meal planning and preparation children can learn important skills in reading and following directions
• Eliminate all distractions that keep you from interacting, such as television, newspapers, books, game-boys, toys, phones, and radios. Do include fun Ôdistractions' such as a game of Scrabble, or Candy Land, or other favorite interactive family game.
• Don't rush through meals, allow for at least 20 minutes so that children have time to finish.
• Set reasonable expectations. Kids are just learning table manners and how to eat, so they can be messy. Plus learning to like new foods often meals Ôplaying' with them, especially for toddlers. Allow some leniency with table manners when introducing new foods
• Be creative and flexible. Family meals such as picnics, breakfast for supper, or served in front of the fireplace make ordinary meals special.. If parents have to go to a child's game or sports practice, pack a simple picnic to take and have ahead of time. If Mom or Dad is working late, order a pizza delivered to the office and join that parentÉ.picking up some fruit and milk along the way. Breakfast, brunch or lunch work fine tooÉ.what matters is that the family comes together to eat a healthy meal.
• Make mealtimes pleasant. Keep interactions positive. Don't battle over foods not eaten, or not eaten enough of. Make family mealtime a haven from the stresses of the day. When mealtime is pleasant, children do their best job of eating well.
• Make family mealtime a priority. Children do better if they have routine to their lives, and that includes having family mealtimes. If you're too busy for regular family meals, maybe you're too busy. Explore ways that schedules can be adjusted to allow for family meals, or consider limiting the number of activities the family is involved in. If necessary, schedule family meals on the calendar like you would any other very important commitment.