The Importance of Family Mealtime
Posted on: 12 January 2015
The idea of a home-cooked meal, shared as a family at the dining table is in some households infrequent at best. However the value of eating together as a family shouldn't be underestimated. Let's look at some of the top reasons why regular family mealtime is important.
Connect
A shared meal is a fantastic opportunity for your family to connect, learn about each other, and develop a strong sense of familial identity. To enhance your family connection at the dinner table, foster interest in each other's activities with open-ended questions. Work to foster warmth among family members by being genuinely interested in what activities and events happened in your children's day, and openly share interesting aspects of your day in return.
Consider talking to companies like Baker & Shuhandler to spruce up your dining room area to make the gathering more comfortable and enjoyable.
Educate
The dinner table is a great time to teach your kids about healthy eating. Present a variety of fresh vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates at your family meals, and discuss the ingredients with your children in an age-appropriate manner. For young children, help them to identify different colours, textures and flavours. Older children can actively learn about the vitamins, minerals and macronutrients, and how they act to nourish our bodies.
An ongoing discussion of food sustainability will also help your family focus on purchasing local, seasonal foods, and remaining mindful of the environmental impact of packaging- both in manufacturing and disposal. You might even learn a few things yourself.
Save
By preparing and eating a shared meal at home just a few nights a week, you can save a considerable amount of money long term. Regular takeaway and convenience meals add up quickly, and while a trip to the grocery store is also costly, there are many ways you can make significant savings on your food bill.
Buy staple foods in bulk, eat seasonal produce, and visit your local farmers market or market gardener to save on fruits and vegetables. If you have a green thumb and a little room in your backyard, consider growing a few of the more expensive vegetables. Spinach leaves, rocket and herbs are easy to grow, require very little maintenance, and can be picked young for a quick plot-to-plate food. Keeping a few chickens for fresh, free-range eggs is another great way of reducing costs, and as an added bonus they'll gobble up your vegetable scraps!
Nourish
Fresh foods are brimming with all the macro and micro nutrients you and your family need to function. Home cooking gives you the power to prepare meals that are high in vitamins and minerals, and low in sodium or saturated fats. You'll feel and look better than ever, and as you gradually enhance your cooking skills, you'll be preparing beautiful, colourful and fresh meals, just the way you like them.
If your family neglects family mealtime, start by initiating regular family meals at least three times a week, and try to prepare meals that are healthy and pleasing to all family members.
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