Can spaghetti prevent childhood obesity? How do grilled chicken and vegetables teach boys and girls better social skills? When will tacos keep a teen out of trouble?
Multiple studies suggest that regular family mealtimes can strengthen family bonds. And it’s no secret that healthy, well-adjusted children come from strong families.
However, most parents admit that our modern lifestyles make it a challenge to pull off family mealtimes. Here are some tips to help your family nurture togetherness over the kitchen table.
If music lessons, sports practice and other after-school activities interfere with your family mealtimes, this is a good opportunity to be flexible.
Try serving the meal earlier or later to accommodate individual schedule. If the entire family is at a child’s ball game, pack a dinner of sandwiches, carrots and apples and turn your family meal into a tailgate party at the ball field.
Complicated preparation will make meal preparation seem like a chore and cut into the time spent at the table. Stick to simple-to-prepare meals that can get from the stove to the table in a minimal amount of time.
If you’ve got extra time on the weekends, do some advance preparation so you’ll spend less time in the kitchen on weeknights. Having a casserole or meatloaf prepared in advance can be a lifesaver on busy weeknights.
Give each family member an age-appropriate job. Older children can help with the food preparation. Younger kids can set the table. Everyone can pitch in to clean up after the meal. Let family members take turns planning the menu and helping shop for ingredients.
Work, school and recreation schedules might keep you apart at mealtime so family dinners may not happen every evening. That’s okay. Gather as often as you can.
Weekends can also be a difficult time to get everyone together, so be flexible in choosing what time to have your family meal. Maybe it needs to be breakfast on Saturday or lunch on Sunday.
Make family mealtimes a positive experience. Don’t use this as a time to dole out punishment or deliver lectures. Instead, talk about the highlights of your day. Encourage family members to share the items for which they’re thankful. Talk about your faith. It’s even a good time to share jokes and funny stories.
Remember, the most important thing about family mealtimes is the people gathered around you.
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