Families who eat together have a healthier and happier lifestyle. By simply eating meals with your family, so many skills are practised. Your language skills are developed and table manners are improved. Additionally, there are health advantages: in a survey of 2000 nine to fourteen year olds, those who ate meals as a family consumed more fruit and vegetables and less fried, fatty and unhealthy foods. Their diets included lots of calcium, fibre and iron. From an emotional perspective, connecting daily with your immediate family is encouraged as it is helps you to build a stronger bond.
Secondly, I eat dinner with my family as often as possible as I enjoy catching up on the day and spending time with them. However, eating together isn’t always possible because sometimes my family’s schedule is busy. Sadly, teens who don’t often eat with their family are more likely to use alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. Moreover, these teens are more prone to developing abnormal eating behaviours compared to teens that eat with their family. Families that eat together, appear to have a happier lifestyle.
I recently interviewed an English teacher at Surbiton High School who said ‘I have breakfast with one of my daughters in the morning,’ and believes it is ‘vital to eat with my family.’ He further discussed how he ‘grew up in a family that didn’t eat together and viewed meal times as something to be done on the run. I do believe our family unity would be much stronger had we eaten together.’ This shows that while eating together may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of our busy lives, it does have lasting benefits.
If eating as a family is a challenge for you, I would strongly advise you plan to best accommodate everyone’s schedules, so you can enjoy spending time together. Eating healthy, home cooked foods means consuming less fat, sugar and more nutrients. It is precious time that you will spend with you family and it is appreciated by everyone.
