Skip to main content
Skip to main content
Give      University of Florida

Smart Couples

Smart Couples

Benefits of Family Meals

Home / Parents & Co-Parents / Making Time for Each Other

Today’s modern family has a lot going on. Kids of all ages are taking part in after school sports and clubs and more mothers are working than ever before. Dinner around one table, at the same, all together, may seem like a distant memory. It’s more likely that Jimmy has soccer until 5, Susie has gymnastics until 4, Mom and Dad are working until 6, and Grandma and Grandpa suddenly find themselves having a new career as chauffeurs in their retirement. Everyone is running on protein bars or fast food at various times. While it’s no doubt that scheduling a sit-down family meal together is not the easiest task, it can have huge benefits for children – and the family unit.

Kids Benefit Most from Family Meals

It may surprise you that family meals benefit children in many ways – from educational, to health, to social and behavioral benefits.

  • Educational
    • Improves school performance
    • Increases language and vocabulary skills
    • Increases focus on homework and personal reading
  • Health
    • Better eating habits and quality of food
    • Decreases likelihood of obesity and eating disorders
    • Less likely to develop depression
  • Social and Behavioral Benefits
    • Increased sense of family connectedness and communication
    • Less likely to be involved with drugs and alcohol
    • Less likely to engage in sexual intercourse

How to make the most of mealtime

There are a few key things you can do and steps you can take to make sure that family meals are enjoyable and engaging for everyone at the table.

    1. Show interest in family members by asking about their day
      1. Most people are tired after a long day at work, but asking about their day will make everyone’s day – whether it’s Dad asking Mom how her workday went, or asking the kids what they learned in school that day.
    2. Compliment each other and provide positive feedback, encouragement, and support when necessary
      1. Validate your family members by giving feedback and support. Let them know you’re listening and that you care about what they’re doing and saying.
    3. Turn off TV, cell phones, and any other electronic devices
      1. Cell phones are never far from being out of reach these days, but at the dining table it’s so important to keep them put away. Give your undivided attention to your spouse and children. Let them know that they are the most important thing to you.
    4. Do not interrupt or talk over one another
      1. Allowing everyone their turn to talk teaches children respect, communication skills, and allows them to feel comfortable expressing themselves without the anxiety of being cut off or interrupted by someone else.
    5. Plan and prepare meals together
      1. This is especially important for the kids in the family. Engaging them in the prepping and cooking will show them what foods are good to eat and teach them useful, lifelong skills.

Conclusion

Eating meals together as a family benefits everyone. Children develop educational, health, social and behavioral skills from these positive interactions, not to mention everyone generally feels closer and happier. Getting the kids involved in planning and prepping, then talking together – undistracted – at the dinner table are simple ways to start feeling the benefits of this age-old tradition. How will you make this a priority for your family?

Looking for more ways to connect, communicate, and get closer with your partner? Heading towards marriage? The SMART Couples project is offering ELEVATE, a free, research-backed relationship enhancement class for couples, and Before You Tie the Knot, a free marriage preparation course, in Florida counties across the state. All our programs are taught by trained professionals and are welcoming to all. Sign up today!

By Liz Kelly, Social Media Specialist, SMART Couples, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of FloridaReferences

Abbot, J.M., & Byrd-Bredbenner, C. (2010). A tool for facilitating meal planning. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 42(1), 66–68.

Ackard, D. M., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2001). Family mealtime while growing up: Associations with symptoms of bulimia nervosa. Eating Disorders 9(3), 239–249.

Condrasky, M. (2006). Cooking with a chef. Journal of Extension, 44(4), Retrieved from http://www.joe.org/ joe/2006august/a5.php

Croll, J., Hannan, P.J., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Perry, C., & Story, M. (2003). Family meal patterns: Association with sociodemographic characteristic and improved dietary intake among adolescents. Journal of American Dietetic Association 103(3), 317–322.

Eisenberg, M. E., Olson, R. E., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., & Bearinger, L.H. (2004). Correlations between family meals and psychosocial well-being among adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 158(8), 792–796.

Fulkerson, J. A., Kubik, M. Y., Story, M., Lytle, L., & Arcan, C. (2009). Are there nutritional and other benefits associated with family meals among at-risk youth? Journal of Adolescent Health 45(4), 389–395.

Fulkerson, J. A., Story, M., Mellin, A., Leffert, N., Neumark- Sztainer, D., & French, S. A. (2006). Family dinner meal frequency and adolescent development: Relationships with developmental assets and high-risk behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health 39(3), 337–345.

Hamilton, S. K. & Wilson, J. H. (2009). Family mealtimes: Worth the effort? Infant, Child, & Adolescent Nutrition 1(6), 346–350.

Hunt, G., Fazio, A. MacKenzie, K., & Moloney, M. (2011). Food in the family: Bringing young people back in. Appetite 56(2), 394–402.

Lanigan, J., & Power, T. G. (2008). Obesity prevention and health promotion: How family life educators view their role. Journal of Extension 46(6). Retrieved from http://www.joe. org/joe/2008december/a5.php

McIntosh, W. A., Kubena, K. S., Tolle, G., Dean, W. R., Jan, J., & Anding, J. (2010). Mothers and meals: The effects of mothers’ meal planning and shopping motivations on children’s participation in family meals. Appetite 55(3), 623–628.

Snow, C. E., & Beals, D. E. (2006). Mealtime talk that supports literacy development. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development 2006 (111), 51–66.

Thomas, H.M.C., & Irwin, J. D. (2011). Cook it up! A commucooking program for at risk youth: Overview of a food literacy intervention. BMC Research Notes 4(495), 1-7.

Thonney, P. F., & Bisogni, C. A. (2006). Cooking up fun! A youth development strategy that promotes independent food skills. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 38, 321-323.

Walters, L. M., & Stacey, J. E. (2009). Focus on food: Development of the cooking with kids experiential nutrition education curriculum. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 41(5), 371-373.

Return to Topic: Making Time For Each Other