What Are The Advantages Of Family Meals? – Being Parents

Today, families lead quite hectic lives. Each member has its own activities. It is therefore  difficult to match the time for lunch and dinner with the family.

The habit of sitting around a table and sharing a meal is lost. However, the benefits of family meals are numerous. Each family therefore has an interest in considering the possibility of organizing a meal together, even once a day.

What are the advantages of family meals?

Before mentioning the benefits of  family meals, it is necessary to clarify that it is fundamental to turn off the television and telephones. It should be part of the family rules so that you can enjoy the meal and the company of others.

1. It improves the quality of the feed

Sitting around a table and eating as a family assures parents that children are eating healthy. Thus, it avoids the excessive consumption of fast food and promotes that of vegetables, fruits and legumes. In fact, adolescents who eat as a family are less likely to suffer from obesity and diabetes, among other similar conditions.

For their part, young people accustomed to eating while watching television tend to consume junk food and carbonated drinks. On the other hand,  around the table, parents can teach their children healthy habits. A good example is the consumption of water instead of soft drinks, or also the preparation of meals at home.

2. Family meals promote communication

Lunch and dinner with the family helps the little ones in the house to develop their way of expressing themselves,  arguing and communicating through discussion with their parents and siblings.

In addition,  it is a time when parents can be more attentive to their children. Especially if they spend long hours at work away from home.

3. The creation of good habits

Children learn good table manners by imitation. Childhood is the ideal stage for teaching children models of behavior that they will develop throughout their lives.

If children eat at school, they are more likely to copy their peers. Family meals are therefore a good way to reinforce good table manners.

When a baby manages to sit up on his own, it is very important to make it part of the family mealtime ritual. Thus, he will be able to learn to hold his cutlery, to eat alone and to communicate with others.

4. Save money

Preparing one meal for everyone saves a lot of money. This avoids calls for delivery, fast food or turning on the kitchen several times a day to prepare different foods for each.

5. Family meals improve academic performance

Thanks to the support and the good climate that this generates, in addition to the family cohesion that the child receives, family meals improve school performance. The results are actually much higher in children who are used to eating while sitting around a table with their parents.

“Sitting around a table and eating as a family assures parents that children are eating healthy. Thus, it avoids the excessive consumption of fast food and promotes that of vegetables, fruits and legumes ”

6. The family is more united

There is more to sharing a meal than enjoying a tasty food. Through communication, each member gets to know each other better,  they feel integrated into the family, listened to and loved.

As a result, the family union,  the feelings of brotherhood and solidarity are strengthened. In children, this is fundamental for them to develop balanced emotional health. While in teens, it helps them stay away from addictive behaviors because they feel safe and important to their parents.

3 tips for successful family dining

1. Organization

The current pace of life makes it difficult to find the time to eat as a family every day. In order to create rituals and successfully bring all members together around the table, a good idea is  to organize the schedules. Once established, they must be respected.

2. Plan family meals

It is best to spend some time during the week planning the groceries and the different meals  and putting them on a list. This then sticks to the fridge. This way everyone can see what is missing.

3. Involve the children

Involving children in the preparation of meals is a good way to create a habit of eating together at home. Likewise, it encourages them to add healthy foods. It is also important to involve them in the routines of setting the table, picking up dirty dishes, helping with washing, etc.

Finally,  all you have to do is start the implementation of this ritual within your family. If it hasn’t already, it can become a habit in just a few days and it will be a space for everyone to benefit.