Nurture The Future Prenatal and Family Nutrition
Connect with us here
  • Home
  • Services
    • Nutrition
    • The Whole 9 Months
    • Babywearing Education
    • Groups
    • Upcoming Events
    • Registration
    • In Case You Missed It
  • Contact
  • Articles
    • Pregnancy
    • Infants
    • Children
    • Families
    • Nutrition
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Treats
  • About
  • What People Are Saying
  • Blog

Family Meals

11/14/2014

0 Comments

 
The importance of family meals seems to be coming up everywhere these days, which is great. But at the same time, many people feel it is too much of a stretch for their family and something that is unattainable. Are family meals really that important, many people ask?

The answer is yes. Eating together is linked with healthier weights in children and choosing better foods (1). When kids sit down on a regular basis and eat with their families they eat healthier.  For example they tend to eat more vegetables and fruit, more fibre and vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, calcium and iron as well as less sweet, salty and fried foods and drinking pop (4).

There are many reasons to eat family meals. Family meals are a time for learning and communicating. Use the time to check in with each other about the day, or life in general, what are things you are grateful for, what was something you did today that you were proud of? Get your kids involved in the family meal, this will help teach them about food- including how to choose and prepare foods. Blog post Involving your Kids coming soon. Eating family meals can also be a great way to share family and cultural traditions with your kids (1).

Sometimes people feel that it has to be dinner that is eaten together as the family meal. Families these days are busy, parents may not get home in time from work, kids have different activities, I completely understand! The good news is that it can be any meal eaten together. Honestly, the more, the better. Even if it can’t be a full meal, even sitting together to have a snack (or two) can be beneficial.

So what are some of the benefits?

      ·      The more family meals that are eaten are connected with an increase in family support, communication and                  expectations (4). 

      ·      For teens, eating together with their families helps lower the risk for substance abuse and other behaviours                such as early sexual activity and less fights compared to those who eat with their parents less often (4).

      ·      Having family meals has been shown to lower the risk of being overweight and obese for both children and                 teens.

      ·      For teens, eating together more often seems to have a protective effect from eating disorders (4).

      ·      Children in high school who ate family meals 4 or more times a week had better grades (4).


In short, eating together means eating better. The more you can do it the better, and eating any meal or snack together can bring about the same benefits.

Wondering how to make family meals happen in your home? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at [email protected] 

References:
1. http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Adolescents-teenagers/Family-Meals-with-no-TV.aspx#.VEWVOCtdUWw
2. http://ellynsatterinstitute.org/fmf/fmf4.php
3. http://www.bettertogetherbc.ca/uploads2/bettertogether/BCDF_ReportLow-res.pdf
4. http://www.bettertogetherbc.ca/uploads2/bettertogether/making-meals-matter-backgrounder.pdf


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Jill Wallace, RD, CH

    Mom, Registered Dietitian and Chartered Herbalist writing about nutrition. Have a topic you want to read about? I would love to hear your idea. Email [email protected] 

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    Children
    Families
    Infants
    Nutrition
    Pregnancy
    Recipes

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.