Why Eating Together is Better
The current pace of life feels much different than I recall growing up. The demands of work, school, extracurricular activities, and countless other responsibilities often leaves families feeling overwhelmed. One of the greatest challenges of this fast-paced lifestyle is the real struggle to find quality time to sit down together to share a meal. Add to this the pervasive use, and availability of technology, and uninterrupted quality family time becomes even harder to pin down. Yet, there is a growing body of research supporting the numerous benefits to eating meals together. Let’s explore the research!
The positive relationship between frequent family meals and improved children’s health
Though it may seem obvious, sitting down together for meals promotes conversation and connection. Not only does this allow for meaningful interaction for sharing experiences of the day and working through problems or concerns, but it offers an opportunity for sharing traditions and stories too. My favorite family meals included those with extended family where either Italian or German was interwoven into the conversation and there was much laughter, and intensity around what I can only imagine was probably associated with politics. Research indicates that dialogue during family mealtime is not only intended to build connection in these ways, but also leads to better vocabulary and language skills and higher grade-point average more broadly (2). When we emphasize conversation at the table we signal to our children that we are available emotionally, promote open communication, and encourage learning.
The number of meals shared at home also impacts specific nutritional factors such as weight, satiety and hunger cue recognition, and nutrient status. Eating home-cooked meals with family often prioritizes fresh, simple ingredients over processed ingredients and additives that we are more likely to be exposed to when we eat out. For my family, going out to eat was truly a treat. Today however, eating out is the norm given our busier than ever schedules and the convenience of these options. Nevertheless, the research suggests that “Family meal frequency has been shown to be positively associated with increased intakes of calcium, fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, B12, B6, and vitamins A, C, and E” (1) In addition to improved nutrient status, increased intake of vegetables, fruit, and dairy has also been identified among study subjects exposed to increased family meal time.
According to one meta-analysis on the subject, an inverse relationship was found between frequent family meals and negative behavior, including disordered eating, substance use, depression, and violent behavior (2 ). This means that these two factors move in an opposite direction with increased family meals associated with reduced risk of the above behaviors. Although there are many other factors involved in determining involvement in or susceptibility to risky or negative behaviors, increasing the number of sit-down meals together as a family is one relatively simple strategy for promoting better psychosocial outcomes with low to no risk. Still, we must consider the blocking factors that some people face when it comes to sitting down together as a family. In particular, single-parent families, shift-workers and long-distance commuters often face time restraints, while low-income families with limited resources, may rely more heavily on less expensive, processed foods, while working multiple jobs, leaving little time for meal preparation. Food insecurity is also a growing concern across the the world.
Other concurrent factors may also be responsible for some of the positive benefits attributed to family meals. Longer family meal time, for instance, is associated with slowed rate of eating, potentiating satiety cues, and a lowered risk of obesity (3). Therefore, it is not only the family style meal that matters, but length of time of the meal has its own implications for health. And just like the strong infant-mother bond is associated with better feeding, development, and growth outcomes, it should not come as a surprise that warmth, love, and connection continues to play a major role in the well-being of our children well into adolescence. These characteristics of the family dynamic may be enough without the sit-down meals to foster the health outcomes listed above, especially those within the psychosocial framework. So while there may be more research needed (isn’t there always) to know for sure the role of family meals on our children’s long-term health and well-being, it seems safe to say that including a few more family meals together is not a bad idea. In fact, the research suggests that the magic number of meals is between 3 and 5 per week.
Tips on how to prioritize family meals in your home
Remember that any meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack) counts as a meal together
Aim to eat together at the dinner table whenever possible
Limit distractions (TV off, phones away) kids often eat more when distracted leading to unhealthy weight gain
Schedule these meals in order to be more successful and reach your goal
Meal plan whenever possible-likely to be more successful at managing time for meal prep
Make this time pleasant together-rather than stress over what is eaten, focus on enjoying each other’s company
Get the kids involved in age-appropriate ways-setting the table, meal prep, saying what they are thankful for, etc.
Carla Abate is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist in Lakewood, CO, specializing in functional nutritional strategies for women and families. She is a Restorative Wellness Solutions Practitioner, a Certified Nutrition Therapist Master, and a Postpartum Doula. She also holds a Master's degree in Counseling. Carla is dedicated to fostering health and wellness through evidence-based nutrition coaching. Contact her at Rebel Roots Nutrition.
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References:
Glanz K, Metcalfe JJ, Folta SC, Brown A, Fiese B. Diet and Health Benefits Associated with In-Home Eating and Sharing Meals at Home: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 7;18(4):1577. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041577. PMID: 33562357; PMCID: PMC7915304.
Harrison ME, Norris ML, Obeid N, Fu M, Weinstangel H, Sampson M. Systematic review of the effects of family meal frequency on psychosocial outcomes in youth. Can Fam Physician. 2015 Feb;61(2):e96-106. PMID: 25676655; PMCID: PMC4325878.
Dallacker M, Knobl V, Hertwig R, Mata J. Effect of Longer Family Meals on Children's Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Apr 3;6(4):e236331. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6331. PMID: 37010871; PMCID: PMC10071335.