20 Reasons to Get Dinner Together as a Family

July 15, 2009 by Monica
Filed under Family Food

6/20/09 after dinner photo 4 of 4
How often do modern families have dinner together? Most families nowadays don’t do this very often.

It’s understandable. Modern families are busy. Both parents work and sometimes get home at different times. Children have activities to go to, and Mom’s got to drive them all over the place.

However, if we just look back to a few decades or at most two generations before us, eating together as a family was a common practice in most families.

photo credit: jakeoneil

Researchers have found many benefits to home-cooked meals. Watch this video to learn about some of them.

Here are 20 reasons I have found to share family meals more often:

1. Families who eat together eat healthier, because home-cooked food is healthier than fast food.

2. Family meals allow busy families to catch up with each other.

3. Young children learn a lot of verbal skills just by eating with their family members. (*very* true for my 4 years old boy)

4. Having family meals more often forces you to end your working day and other obligations in time for dinner.

5. Home cooked are also cheaper than takeout food or eating out.

6. Cooking at home motivates you to be creative with your meal planning and cooking.

7. Children can get involved in cooking meals.

8. Cooking and eating together creates happy childhood memories.

9. Eating together is an opportunity to explore different cuisines.

10. Eating together gives parents a chance to talk about current events from their point of view, injecting their personal values without giving a lecture. (that’s how unschooling kids learn most things!)

11. Eating together helps family members bond and get to know each other better.

12. You’ll be surprised what your kids reveal when you’re in a relaxed environment, such as a family meal.

13. Family meals can be good learning moments, even for small children. Want to start homeschooling or unschooling? Start at the dinner table!

14. Eating together is a good opportunity to model good manners.

15. Family meals are also good times to share music together.

16. Family meals teach everyone valuable life skills, such as sharing and taking turns.

17. Family meals provide an additional occasion for family members to pray together.

18. Eating home is more eco-friendly than eating out or ordering food – less waste!

19. Kids are less likely to become picky eaters when frequently eating home prepared meals together with the rest of the family.

20. Meal time is a good time to relax and carefully watch your kids grow at their own peace.

If the whole planning, shopping and preparation of meals is something you feel you need some help, maybe it’s possible to try a Menu Planner. Check out Dine Without Whine for kid-tested, quick recipes that will help you put together family meals with less effort. Dine Without Whine’s weekly shopping lists will also help you get food shopping done much faster, and even save money on groceries.

As you can see from the list above, the extra time and effort you spend to have family meals more often are worthwhile.

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