The average parent works very hard to provide for their family. We never seem to be able to pace ourselves. The list of daily activities such as work, school, etc., tends to take precedence over family, and time spent together as a family.
But quality time spent together is what is most important. There is no amount of rules you could ever set for your kids to keep them in check, or all the caregiving you could provide for the older folks that can compare to or bring a sense of peace, acceptance and security than spending time together.
It doesn’t matter your age or your eating habits, sharing a meal with family is very beneficial for both your mental and physical health.
This is one of the best ways to share quality time with family and one of the simplest ways to enjoying more family time.
For many families the best time to sit together is dinnertime or weekends.
Multiple studies have shown that dinnertime is a perfect time to build your children’s self-esteem.
More importantly it should not just be a time that you try to fit into your busy schedule, but a time to relax, unwind and talk to your family. A time to share stories, ask questions, make plans (and stick to them), and in general find out how each person is doing.
In an article written by Jill Anderson, in 2020. Harvard Graduate School of Education, (Anne Fishel, executive director of the Family Dinner Project), helps families find fun, creative and easy ways to make meals a reality, “Anne Fishel knows it’s not easy to find that time, but it doesn’t have to be that hard. Through her work she helps families find fun ways to make these meals a reality.”
Fishel believes that family meals together enhance a holistic union of the body and mind, “Family meals are great for the body, the brain and academic performances, and the spirit of the mental health, and in terms of nutrition, cardiovascular health is better in teens. There is lower fat and sugar and salt in home cooked meals.
Even if you don’t try that hard there is more fruit and fiber and vegetables and protein in home cooked meals, and lower calories, “Kids who grow up having family dinners, when they are on their own, tend to eat healthier and to have lower rates of obesity,” continues Anderson.
The mental health benefits are incredible. Regular family dinners are associated with lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, tobacco use, teenage pregnancies. Also helps to build higher resilience and higher self-esteem” observes Anderson, “So many of the things that I try to do in family therapy actually gets accomplished by regular dinners.
Health Link BC, The Benefits of Eating Together for Children and Families “preparing a meal gets difficult for seniors. Health conditions and medication can make food less enjoyable. So family dinners help them to make more nutritious food choices, boosts their cognitive health and rekindles the joy of eating while conversing around the dinner table.” Says Kim Smith, the corporate director of Dining for (Senior Living Residence), “When we eat with other people, meals hold more meaning and joy. We strengthen relationships with our families. The social stimulation can do wonders for our brain health. The benefits of eating with other people have become so well recognized, that cultural foods pyramids like those of Mediterranean and African Heritage diets, now include eating together and social connections as part of their core recommendations.”
Stanford Children’s Health, Lucile Pollard, Children’s Hospital, Stanford says “often this is the only time when family members are together one place. More American families realize that the benefits of sharing time at day’s end cannot be measured by calories alone.”
There are so many benefits that can be derived from family meals. Good table manners. Learning to listen. Learning to respect each other and each other’s opinion. Helps to handle the day to day stresses. Children can learn a little at a time. Children and adults alike can enjoy the stories of the past told by the elders and so too will the elders feel a sense of belonging. This is a time for healthy discussions and advise if needed. A time to learn about each other.
Both children and elders alike value time spent with them.
Mealtime presents an opportunity for Children and the elders that are still able, to help with the meal preparation. Children will even learn a tremendous amount of life skills during these meal times. These children tend to be happier and even make valuable contributions to society as adults.
Parents, elders and children alike need this time together. What you share together has a great impact on each person. The ultimate goal is time spent together and doing things together. A great place to start is mealtime.
A family that eats together stays together.
Works Cited
Anderson, Jill. Harvard EdCast: The Benefit of Family Mealtime. Harvard Graduate School of Education (Anne Fishel, executive director of the Family Dinner Project). (2021). https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/20/04/harvard-edcast-benefit-family-mealtime
HealthLinkBC. The Benefits of Eating Together for Children & Families.. Co.UK. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating-physical-activity/food-and-nutrition/plan-shop-and-prepare/benefits-eating-together. Retrieved 2021
