Benefits Of Family Meals

In celebration of our partnership with Pure Flavor and our love of getting families into the kitchen enjoying meals together, Pure Flavor is sharing this blog post on the Benefits Of Family Meals.

It’s time to make family meals a priority again! Busy schedules make family mealtimes challenging, but we believe that the time spent eating together as a family has never been more important! September is National Family Meals Month™ and Pure Flavor^® is proud to support this campaign by encouraging families to spend more time together! Families come in all shapes & sizes, and we know that mealtime can be anywhere from around the table to in the car on the way to soccer from piano lessons. 

Research shows that family meals nourish the spirit, brain, & overall health of all family members.  This means that there are many benefits for not only your physical health but for your mind as well. Time is often tight so ensuring that you have a list of convenient and healthy recipes at hand will help to ensure that healthy choices are made.   Try an easy-to-prep-ahead sheet pan meal like Sheet Pan Breakfast Sausages to help start the day strong or Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs so that you have time to help with homework while dinner cooks. 

Whether you are looking to strengthen your family’s connection or increase your physical and mental well-being, there are many different benefits of eating together as a family. There are many benefits to sharing meals together with those who are important to you – family can be anything from pets, friends, kids, siblings or other generations.  What matters most is the time spent together and how making the time to eat together, can play a key role in fueling a healthy family.

For families with kids, parents can influence & improve food choices, model good nutrition and build family relationships at mealtime. All of these can lead to better weight management, improved physical health and improved mental health.  Families of any size or configuration can also benefit from the bonding time shared by preparing or eating a meal with those you are closest to.  Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner, even one more meal a week together can make a huge difference in your family’s well-being.

MENTAL HEALTH

When you take the time to come together more often as a family, every member’s well-being benefits. It is proven that family meals can increase resilience, lower the risk of depression, and boost self-esteem! By engaging in meaningful conversations and having a stronger family bond you can create memories that will last a lifetime. There truly is nothing better than laughing and smiling together, which happens when you spend meaningful time together. Looking for where to start? Try these family-friendly conversation starters to get everyone to chat about their day!  When you come together as a family and positively influence eating behavior, you can affect much more than just your family’s physical health. 

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

There are many physical benefits that come from spending time together for family meals. It can improve physical health because parents are able to influence healthy nutrition decisions with their children. People eat healthier when they eat together! There are many different greenhouse grown vegetables you can include in your family meals to increase your health benefits even more! They all contain important vitamins and nutrients you need to live a healthy lifestyle. Cucumbers contain Iron which is important to maintaining a healthy count of red blood cells, Potassium which helps your heart and muscles work properly and Vitamin K which builds strong bones so you can stay active! When you stick to a routine and eat your meals at regular times, it can play a role in your circadian rhythm as well. Make shared meals a priority for every family member’s physical health! 

STRONGER FAMILY BOND

Family dinners are about so much more than simply eating a healthy meal together. It can be a time to disconnect from the distractions around you and enjoy meaningful conversations, and laughs, and learn about each other’s day. Put the phones and electronics away, turn off the television, and focus on sharing time and enjoying each other’s company. When you have regular family meals, you provide a consistent time for the whole family to come together and give them something to look forward to. Deepening relationships with family and friends is good for everyone’s mental and physical health.

BENEFITS FOR KIDS & SCHOOL

We know that healthy breakfasts and lunches are important to success in school. Try Breakfast Taquitos with Sangria® Salsa as an easy-to-make-ahead breakfast that also doubles as a great lunchbox addition! This year, make family meals together a part of your school routine and stick to it year-round! Along with the other mental and physical benefits, there are proven facts that link success in school to kids who eat more meals with their families. Pack lunches with fun alternatives like Cucumber Sandwich Sushi or Chickpea Salad & Veggie Sandwiches that are filled with nutrient-rich veggies! Using greenhouse grown tomatoes and peppers are great ways to ensure that meals are nutrient-rich and colorful to make eating fun! When you make family meals a priority you are giving them the tools to succeed in their education!