The modern world has so many distractions that it is more and more difficult to find time to eat dinner together as a family. Kids have after-school activities, parents have work emails coming in at all hours, and Netflix beckons.
Still, you should try to make time to have a nice meal once or twice a week around the dinner table as a family. There are many benefits to this group activity!
1. Better Familial Relationships
Studies show that families who eat together more often tend to have better relationships with each other. Parents and children develop a rapport from the habit of telling each other about their day, every day.
Turn off your phones and turn to each other. Breaking bread and just being together creates a bond that lasts forever.
2. Healthier Portions
When you eat alone or on the go, you are more likely to eat too little or too much. If you eat a pizza all by yourself, why not finish the whole pie?
When you share a home-cooked meal around the dinner table, you are more conscious that everyone gets their fair share. You also are more likely to eat your vegetables!
3. Improved Nutritional Value
Children who dine with parents tend to eat more fruit, vegetables, minerals, and vitamins. They consume fewer saturated fats and snacks, and less soda.
When you sit down together, the offerings are more likely to include all the food groups. You are more likely to pass the salad, take a spoonful of broccoli, and grab a serving of fruit than if you were eating alone or at a restaurant.
4. Reduced Stress
Families who eat together experience less stress than other families. Kids who sit down with their families are less likely to drink and do drugs, experience depression and anxiety, and do poorly in school.
Everyone needs a time of day where they can unplug and get away from work, school, and the news. It is healthy and nurturing to make time for the people in your life that you care about.
Whether you are teasing each other, making jokes, or discussing deep topics, time spent with relatives on a regular basis is effective insulation from many negative influences.
5. Less Expensive
You love going to restaurants, with the pretty lighting, fancy glassware, and exotic recipes. But think of how much money it costs to eat out all the time!
You can save a lot of money by eating more frequently at home with your loved ones.
If you miss the glamour of nice restaurants, why not transform your dining room into its own fabulous space? Serve the Sunday meatloaf on your own Saarinen table. Light candles and play classical music.
There’s no reason eating at home cant be a special occasion every night!
So Much to Enjoy Around the Dinner Table
Revel in your children’s recitations of what happened today. Relax for a few minutes without thinking about work, email or the news. Savor home-made food without worrying about nutrition, money, and the outside world.
Time around the dinner table is time well spent as a family.
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