The Family Meal: A Recipe For Your Child's Success

If you’re like many parents in today’s fast-paced age of cell phones, hectic schedules and the Internet - you spend less time with your children than you’d like. And perhaps one sacrifice you’ve made along the way is the traditional family meal. Well, experts now suggest you reconsider, and for good reason.

Nearly 11 years of studies show that kids of families who eat regular meals together are less likely to smoke, drink, try drugs, snack on unhealthy foods or have weight problems. They’re more likely to get good grades and confide in their parents. Plus, the family dinner table encourages them to eat more fruits, vegetables and grains.

It’s important to share as many meals as you can, but it’s a challenge for today’s family to find the time. Check out these quick tips on how to bring your family back to the table!

Tip 1: Any Meal Can Be a Family Meal

Don’t get too hung up on visions of the ideal family dinner. If your schedule makes evenings impossible, breakfast or lunch can have the same value. Strive for nutritious food, but remember the point is eating together — whether it’s takeout, delivery, frozen or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings.

No matter what time you can schedule, researchers have found that family meals get better with practice. The more often a family eats together, the better the experience — with healthier food and a better quality of conversation. On the other hand, eating together three or fewer times a week makes for kids who feel a great deal of tension among family members and are less likely to think their parents are proud of them.

Tip 2: Family Together Makes a Family Meal

Don’t worry about every family member attending every meal. Research shows no difference between the benefits of eating with two parents or one. When scheduling becomes a problem for some, eat with whoever is available.

All the same, try eating dinner a little later to accommodate a child at sports practice. Or set aside time on the weekend when it’s more convenient to gather as a group — like a Sunday brunch. No matter who can attend, family meals are a comfort to both parents and kids. Children crave the predictability, and parents get a regular opportunity to catch up with their kids.

Tip 3: Take It on the Road

Sometimes the biggest challenge in family meals is not when to eat or with whom — but where. Is there a baseball game or dance rehearsal that can’t be missed? Rather than split up the family, pack a picnic and take it to the event. A change of venue can add spice to your meal, and give kids a chance to practice their manners in a public setting.

Does your work take you on the road and away from family meals? Studies support that frequent travelers should be in touch with their children often, and spend more meaningful time with them at home. Before you leave, try writing notes to your kids on napkins that your spouse can put in their lunch box.

Tip 4: Get the Kids Involved

Research shows that when children help prepare a meal, they are more likely to eat it. It’s also a great way for kids to learn useful skills that build self-esteem, so keep yours involved in every step - from creating a menu and shopping, to preparation and cleanup. They’ll learn that a meal is about sharing and compromise, since nobody gets their ideal menu every night.In addition, family meals offer the chance to introduce your children to new foods, find out which foods they like — and which ones they don’t.

Teens are more likely to establish their independence and avoid family meals. But studies find they still want their parents’ advice and counsel, and that a majority of teens eating three or fewer meals a week with their families wished they did so more often. Mealtime is a chance to reconnect. Besides helping to plan and prepare, encourage their attendance by allowing your teen to invite a friend to dinner.

Tip 5: Keep It Positive

To really bring your family back to the table, meals should be a positive experience. Try to keep mealtime pleasant - and avoid complaining, lecturing, criticizing or arguing at the table. The object is to make it enjoyable for everyone.

This suggestion holds especially true for the teenage years — when a positive attitude can work wonders. Experts in adolescent development have shown that the older your kids are, the more they need meals together — but the less likely they are to get it. In one case study a majority of 12-year-olds said they had dinner with a parent seven nights a week, compared to only 25 percent of 17-year-olds.

However you slice it, the results are clear: children who eat with their parents on a regular basis are healthier, happier and better students. So don’t delay! For your child’s success, make your next meal a family recipe.