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January 3, 2007

Resolve to Eat Family Meals for Health, Happiness

By Eat Right Montana

Like many Montanans, you probably already have settled on some sort of New Year’s resolution. You may have signed up for a gym membership or a diet program, with sincere intentions to “stick with it” this year. But if you are really serious about your health and well being, you may want to consider a much simpler resolution for the whole family.

“Sometimes a seemingly simple act can have a profound impact on overall health,” said Katie Bark, a registered dietitian with the Team Nutrition Program at Montana State University in Bozeman. “Simply eating more meals together can improve physical, mental, and emotional health for your whole family.”

Studies show that family meals can have a positive effect on nutrition. Eating more family meals is associated with the same smart food choices that promote a healthy weight: higher intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and calcium-rich foods, as well as lower intake of soft drinks. Teens who eat more family meals consume more key nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, E, B6, and folate, as well as fiber.

According to Bark, family meals are about more than eating healthy food together. They increase intergenerational communication and a sense of family unity, which affects many aspects of a young person’s life – from substance abuse to performance in school.
 
The Importance of Family Dinners III, a 2006 survey by the National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, showed just how important family meals can be.

The report revealed that young people who ate dinner with their family five or more times a week were much more likely to say that they got either all A’s or mostly A’s and B’s in school. Teens who had family dinners less than twice a week were more than twice as likely to have tried cigarettes and one and a half times more likely to have tried alcohol.

“Making a commitment to regular family meals – with a variety of nutrient-rich foods served in a pleasant atmosphere – is clearly one of the simplest ways to enhance your family’s health and happiness,” said Bark, who is the mother of two college-age daughters. Here are five of Bark’s favorite tips for creating quality mealtimes, even when schedules are hectic:

  • Make family meals a top priority by writing them into everyone’s calendar or PDA.
  • Plan ahead by creating simple meals and shopping for ingredients on the weekend.
  • Share the responsibility by letting every family member choose the menu for one night.
  • Set a special table by simply adding a candle or some colored napkins.
  • Treasure the time together by turning off TVs and telephones for the entire mealtime.

Five Easy Ways to Enjoy Family Meals

  • Plan one more family mealtime every week. Take a quick inventory of how many times you usually eat together now. Then plan to add just one more family mealtime per week. If dinnertime is too hectic, add a leisurely weekend breakfast or lunch. After a month or two of this new pattern, you can then add another family meal each week until, before you know it, you are enjoying eating together at least five times a week.
  • Plan tasty menus. If you think that putting a meal together has to be complicated or time-consuming, think again! The best meals are simple, delicious, and planned together. Let everyone choose a favorite menu for one day. Even small children can pick a main dish (like tacos or pasta), a veggie (green salad or cooked carrots), and fruit for dessert (sliced apples or canned peaches in juice).
  • Plan to set a special table. Food is just one important part of mealtime. There are many other ways to set the mood for an enjoyable and relaxed time around the table together. A little extra attention to the actual table setting can add a lot to mealtime atmosphere at little expense. Some inexpensive possibilities include a candle, some colored napkins, or wipe-clean, plastic tablemats for children.
  • Plan to enjoy conversation at the table. Many mealtime benefits come from the conversations that families have while eating together. Children learn new words from the adults, and adults are able to share family values with the next generation. Choose topics that are positive and allow everyone to participate. Even toddlers like to offer their opinions on topics like “what is your favorite color” or “what made you laugh today.”
  • Plan to turn off the TV and telephones. Loud television noise and multiple phone calls can upset anyone’s mealtime routine, making it difficult to eat or carry on a conversation. The solution is simple: Declare mealtime a TV and phone-free zone (except for emergencies, of course). Turn off the distractions for just 30 minutes. Imagine you are dining at a nice restaurant and play some soothing background music at low volume.

Five Easy Ways to Spend More Time Playing Together

  • Plan time to play outside together. The family that plays together stays healthy together. Give each person a chance to choose an outdoor activity for everybody to play together. Depending on the weather, you could throw a Frisbee, fly a kite, build a snowman, or go up and down the slide at the park. You might also be able to play tag, pick up a game of basketball, or draw an old-fashioned game of hopscotch on the sidewalk.
  • Plan time to take a walk together. Walking can easily become a game rather than an exercise. You can always take a dog. They love to play with balls and sticks. Children of all ages can get into a silly game of “Simon Says.” Walk with your hands on your head or behind your back. Swing your arms like a chimpanzee or an elephant’s trunk. Prance along on your tippy toes, twirl in circles, or just skip along together.
  • Plan time to play inside together. Being active indoors can be lots of fun, too. Clear some space for playing with soft Nerf® or Koosh® balls. Get all tied up in a game of Twister,® or get hooked on one of the active video games, likeDance Dance Revolution®. Kids love to move their bodies in almost any imaginable way. You can have lots of fun just crawling around like wild animals or playing a game of hide-and-seek.
  • Plan time to dance together. Dancing is the perfect family activity – a delightful combination of movement for your body, music for your ears, and joy for your heart. Indoors or outdoors, there’s no need to follow any specific rules or steps. All you need is music and a little bit of space. Children love to learn new moves from videos – or to make up their own creative routines as the music moves them.
  • Plan time to take a class together. Want to learn some new skills and play together at the same time? Check out the classes at your local YMCA, YWCA, Boys and Girls Club, dance studio, or fitness center. Many offer instruction – and fun – for the whole family together. If you’re not able to make a long-term commitment, ask about family fun nights in the gym or splash-and-play events in the pool.

(Eat Right Montana is a coalition promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles. Sponsors are the American Heart Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, Montana Beef Council, Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana Dietetic Association, MSU Extension Service, Montana Office of Public Instruction, Montana Team Nutrition Program, North Dakota WIC Program, and Western Dairy Council. For more information, visit www.montanadieteticassociation.org.)

Page last updated: 01/03/2007