Families today are stretched for time for a myriad of reasons and can find it challenging to eat dinner together on a consistent basis. Workdays are long and parents/guardians may be too tired or unprepared to get a meal ready as well as contending with meetings and extracurricular activities. Some may even be unsure of how to prepare a quick meal for their family.
Even with those challenges, it is possible to eat dinner together and worth the effort. Research has shown that families who eat together eat healthier, kids do better in school, are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, and eat more fruits and vegetables. Family meals strengthen families because it’s taking time to talk, share their day, and connect with each other. An added benefit is that mealtime is the perfect place to learn social and conversation skills, manners, and to listen to each other. Parents need to set the example and model these particularly important social skills which includes turning off the television and putting away the cell phones, so the focus is on family members and the important things they have to share with the rest of the family.
The benefits of eating together as a family are inspiring and so worth it! Take a small amount of time each week or every two weeks and make a meal plan and shopping list. The more you do it, the easier it will get. Time is saved when you get home because you’ll already know what you’re having for dinner that evening and will have all the ingredients on hand to make the meal.
The key to consistent dinnertime with your family is PLANNING! Here’s an idea of how to plan your meals from the Food Nanny https://www.thefoodnanny.com/ . She uses “theme nights” as a starting point and those themes are:
- Monday: Comfort Food
- Tuesday: Italian Night
- Wednesday: Fish or Meatless
- Thursday: Mexican Night
- Friday: Pizza Night
- Saturday: Grill Night
- Sunday: Family Favorites
The themes help the planning be consistent for family mealtime. While the above themes are suggestions to get you started, you can pick any of them you want or produce your own. The themes give an idea of the sort of recipe you may want to prepare for that night; you may have an amazing pasta recipe that you already know your family loves…it would be perfect for Italian night. Once you know what is being prepared for each night, its easy to make a shopping list for the grocery store and check the pantry for ingredients.
To make your family mealtime a priority, everyone will have to do their part and pitch in. Schedules need to be coordinated and priorities for other activities and obligations set. Remember to be flexible! If dinner together isn’t possible one evening, then think of an alternative to get family time that day.
By making this commitment a priority, mealtime will be a cooperative effort so that the things that need to be done are shared by all family members. There’s and old saying that “ many hands make light work.” Family mealtime will bond your family and create the atmosphere we all want in our homes…it’s so worth it!
Here are some delicious, quick, and easy recipes from Damn Delicious https://damndelicious.net/ to get you started in setting up dinnertime as a priority in your home!
Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon https://damndelicious.net/2017/02/10/sheet-pan-teriyaki-salmon/
Chicken Pesto Pizza https://damndelicious.net/2017/01/24/chicken-pesto-pizza/
Sheet Pan Steak and Vegies https://damndelicious.net/2016/12/16/sheet-pan-steak-and-veggies/
Shrimp Boil Foil Packets https://damndelicious.net/2015/08/26/shrimp-boil-foil-packets/#comments
Creamy Mushroom Fettuccini https://damndelicious.net/2015/04/11/creamy-mushroom-fettuccine/
One Pot Cheeseburger Casserole https://damndelicious.net/2014/01/11/one-pot-cheeseburger-casserole/
Written by Joddee L. Jacobsen, MA, University of Wyoming Extension Community Vitality and Health Educator
Sources:
- Marilou Rochford, Retired Family and Community Health Sciences Educator, Cape May County & Sherri Cirignano, MS, RD, LDN, Department of Family and Community Health Sciences, Rutgers University Extension
- Liz Edwards & Lizi Heaps. The Food Nanny, 2023, https://www.thefoodnanny.com/. May 15, 2023.
- Chungah Rhee. Damn Delicious, 2023, https://damndelicious.net/ . May 15, 2023.