In our hectic lives it can be a challenge for families to find the time to sit down
and eat together. Eating together as a family promotes both nutrition and
nurturing. Many of the potential benefits of family meals are an important part
of family well-being. It's not just food, however, but the positive emotions connected
to the meals and the people serving them that make a difference. What fond memories
do you have from your childhood of meals shared together with family?
Eating family dinner together was associated with healthful diets in a study of
over 15,000 boys and girls aged 9 to 14 as reported in a University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension Food Reflections newsletter. For example, youth who dined
with their families included more healthy foods in their diets, such as fruits,
vegetables, fiber, and less fried food, soda and saturated fat.
Family meals aren't just about food and nutrition. Psychologists Bowden and Zeisz
studied teenagers and categorized them as either well adjusted or not well adjusted.
Then, they looked at the number of times they ate at home with their families. The
adjusted teens -- those less likely to take drugs or be depressed, more motivated
at school and who had better peer relationships -- ate with their families an average
of five days a week. The non-adjusted teens ate with their families only
three days a week. While they couldn't pinpoint the exact reason for better adjustment,
family mealtimes appeared to help teens deal with adolescent pressures.
Think about how often you and your loved ones share a meal together. Is it
regularly? If not, how could you make this happen more often? Remember, family meals
nurture and nourish!!!
To learn about other Extension programs and resources, check out http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/racine/