Since the pandemic, statistics indicate more family dinners are happening, but for many families it is still more of an exception instead of a rule.
Trish Brimhall, RDN, CD, CLE, says as a dietitian, she finds herself having to "sell people" on the idea of family dinner.
But she says the evidence is overwhelming that it really is a habit that's worth doing and cites these stats:
- Adolescents who ate family meals five to seven times a week were twice as likely to get A's in school as those who at dinner with their families fewer than two times a week.
- Regular mealtime is an even more powerful predictor of high achievement scores than time spent in school, doing homework, playing sports or doing art.
- Young adults who ate regular family meals as teens are less likely to be obese and more likely to eat healthily once they live on their own.
- For young children, dinnertime conversation boosts vocabulary even more than being read aloud to.
- Add to that lower rates of disordered eating, improved health and nutrition, higher self-esteem and less depression, and better relationships with parents and you no longer have any reason not to make family dinner a priority.
Trish says, "Family dinner doesn't have to be food-network-worthy. It doesn't have to be fancy or gourmet, just start by making it happen. Even if it means sitting down at the table to eat the PB&Js together – that is a great start."
Trish also says involving your kids in menu planning can help make family dinner less of a battle ground.
"And as age-appropriate, I strongly suggest involving them in the cooking/preparation process as well. We think a lot about academic and financial preparation for college and adult-life for our kids, but don't overlook the most important life-skill – feeding themselves. One of the best ways to help your child overcome pickiness at mealtime is to get them cooking in the kitchen. And don't think that if you are an empty nester that means you no longer need to eat meals with a spouse or others in your social sphere. Social eating and home meal preparation still provides significant physical and emotional health benefits."
You can contact Trish by going to her website nutritiousintent.com.
