Family Meal Time

Family meals are so important! I have learned that there are many benefits to eating together as a family. I was even watching a TV talk show one morning and they were discussing how to have positive, meaningful family meals. I was surprised that this was on TV. They suggested that this is not a good time to bring up family problems or concerns; for while the family is all together, this can create negative feelings and make children and family members dislike family meals and relate negative feelings with certain foods and family meals in general. Family meals are so important that I do not what my family to dread having to eat together.

Benefits of Family Meals

An obvious advantage to family meals is that when you eat together, you usually eat better. This is a good time to encourage family members to eat healthy foods and provides the parents an opportunity to get their children to eat healthy foods. Also, since parents are responsible to set the example for their children in pretty much every aspect of their lives, it is important for the parents to eat healthy, so if everyone eats together, all will be more likely to help eat good foods. This is important to me personally as well since I have struggled so much in my life to eat healthy and have spent much of my life feeling sick and fatigued due to my lack of eating healthily.

My textbook, Creating Home as a Sacred Center: Principles for Everyday Living, has a section dedicated to the subject of family meals subject. The text states: “The payoffs for family meals are not limited to nutrition…Children from families who frequently eat dinner together get better grades in school, feel less stress, are less bored, and are less likely to be involved in substance abuse. Other studies indicate that teenagers who are often involved in family meals are better adjusted and have better relationships with their peers and fewer problems with drug use, low grades, depression, and suicidal involvement” (Klein and Hill 139). If the families in this world would just eat together, think of all the problems that would be solved!

I also appreciate this quote: “The challenges of feeding the family are many, but the rewards are great. ‘Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing [feeding children like me green veggies…], for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great’ (D&C 64:33)” (140)