Laurelhurst
Nutrition
Advisory
Committee
Top Ten Reasons to Share Family Meals
Connect, Create and Communicate with Your Kids
By Chef Tom French
- Children and teenagers who eat with their family on a regular basis tend to do better at school, have better mental health and show evidence of greater social interaction and adjustment.
- According to a 2005 survey conducted by the National Center on Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse and Columbia University (CASA), frequent family dining is associated with lower rates of teen smoking, drinking and drug use.
- (From the same survey above by CASA )- Compared to teens who share five or more family meals per week, teens who share two or fewer family meals a week are:
- three times likelier to try marijuana (35 percent compared with 12 percent)
- two-and-a-half times likelier to smoke cigarettes (34 percent compared with 14 percent)
- more than one-and-a-half times likelier to drink alcohol (52 percent compared with 30 percent)
- Archives of Family Health which looked at 16,000 children, found that children who have meals with their families eat more fruit and vegetables and less junk food than those who do not. They also have significantly higher levels of calcium, folate, iron, B vitamins and vitamins C and E.
- Several scientific studies have found a link between regular family meals and a range of social and psychological benefits.
- The family meal provides an opportunity for family members to bond, plan, connect and talk to each other, which can help build strong relationships by fostering warmth, security and love; mealtimes can be a unifying experience for all.
- Children learn so much through listening to the conversation of others and through dialogue. There are several studies that show word comprehension, problem solving and social skills are greatly enhanced among families that share meals on a regular basis.
- Children who have family meals five or more times a week are more likely to have lower levels of stress and tension among family members. They are also more likely to feel secure about going to one or both parents with a serious problem.
- The family identity that can only be passed on through interaction and dialogue is fostered in an environment of mutual respect. This is much like the DNA imprint that is unique to your family.
- It’s just plain fun!!!!
