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COME AND GET IT!
It may be dinnertime, but when was the last time your family sat down and enjoyed a meal together?
Getting the entire family together can be a tall order these days. Everyone seems to be going in too many directions. Cooking and sharing meals brings so many essential benefits for families.
What happened to family dinners?
According to a recent market research study by The Hartman Group:
- Only 24% of dinners are made from scratch (though cooking shows are more popular than ever)
- 53% of dinners are planned within an hour of eating
- 42% of meals consumed are eaten alone (up from 38% in 2012)
- 3 in 5 (59%) say that family meals are the only time when they can really talk to each other.
HAVE FAMILY DINNERS BECOME A LOST ART?
Help Us Revive a Lost Family Tradition – Starting with Your Family!
In the past 20 years, the frequency of family dinners has declined 33 percent.
In 1970, Americans spent 26 percent of their food budget on eating out; by 2010, that number had risen to 41 percent. During that time, rates of obesity in the United States more than doubled.
Are family meals really that important? I mean what’s the big deal?
You may think that the biggest benefit of eating together as a family is to ensure everyone has food in their bellies. However, sharing meals does more than feed each person physically; it also feeds them emotionally and draws them together. Sharing a family meal is good for the spirit and the overall well-being of the entire family. Dinner is a time to relax, laugh, tell stories and catch up on the day while developing a sense of who we are as a family unit.
Do family dinners have any scientific benefits?
Several studies link regular family dinners with many behaviors that parents strive for: lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and depression, as well as higher grade-point averages and self-esteem. Studies also indicate that dinner conversation can be a highly effective vocabulary-booster, even more than reading, and the stories told around the kitchen table help our children build resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving strategies.
Regular family meals also lower the rates of obesity and eating disorders in children and adolescents. Families who eat dinner together with the television off consume more fruits and vegetables than those who eat separately or with the television on, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Amazing that something so simple can reap this many rewards!
If you’re running all week to rehearsals, ball practice, and crazy work schedules, why not make Sundays your special day to break bread together! The 1 day you can take a little extra time to plan and enjoy some cherished family time. And fresh healthy food, home-cooked with love, can quickly become a habit.
Pass on your wisdom and values while the family devours your healthy cooking!
BENEFITS OF Eating together AND MEAL PLANNING EVEN JUST 1 DAY / WK.
*Family dinners are a time to nourish your family, prevent all kinds of problems, increase your children’s cognitive abilities, and provide pleasure, fun, and a unifying, bonding experience for all.- *Meals prepared and eaten at home are more nutritious and healthy.
- *Eating and cooking together get the whole family involved. Basic food preparation are necessities for being self-sufficient. Involve your family in menu planning, grocery shopping, and making healthy food choices. Children of all ages can help, or if you have an empty nest you and your loved one can enjoy some together time.
- *Higher academic performance…Children do better in school when they eat more meals with their parents and family.
- *Save $! Meals purchased away from home cost two to four times more than meals prepared at home.
- *Manners and Etiquette. What a great opportunity for children to learn appropriate table manners, meal etiquette, and social skills. A time to connect, and share while fostering a feeling of belonging and identity.
- *Expand the palate! Cooking at home encourages families to try different foods.
One Special Sunday Supper Meal Per Week!
I grew up in an Italian immigrant family where our lives totally revolved around mealtimes. Especially our lively Sunday Suppers. Even now, I can almost smell the “gravy” simmering on the stove early on Sunday mornings. I could hardly wait until we all sat down together for our big Sunday feast!
It’s time to bring the “family” back to the dinner table. Sharing meals together gives everyone a sense of identity. It can help ease day-to-day conflicts, as well as establish traditions and memories that can last a lifetime. Family meals furnish a meaningful opportunity to provide a role model for healthy eating and emotional stability. It touches all of our senses – sight, touch, taste, smell and listening to good conversation.
So, is the old-fashioned Sunday Supper really in decline? Not if we can help it here at Healthy Cooking Daily! It’s time for a comeback!
WHAT’S INSIDE? OR YOUR ENROLLMENT INCLUDES:
- EVERY TUESDAY, you’ll receive a single special ingredient — plus three main course recipes containing mostly plant-based healthy ingredients, one will be gluten-free and dairy free, and at least one recipe will be vegetarian.
- PLUS, one bonus recipe each week, such as a dessert or salad dressing.
- PLUS, a weekly video discussing the nutritional value of that week’s special ingredient, with an overview of the recipes for that week.