I see dozens of busy moms every week who are working so hard to get fit, but the struggle to find time to cook and eat healthy especially when you are always on the go is real! Trust me though, it's worth it. I can tell you that eating a nutritious diet will impact more than just your own health. Not only are you modeling a healthy diet and being an example for your children, you could potentially improve the psychological, cognitive, and social well-being of your child if you eat these healthy meals together! That's why at Burn Boot Camp, we stress the importance of eating healthy in addition to exercise. Not only that, once your family is on the same page, a healthy lifestyle becomes easier to carry out because of the increased support!
Did you know that research shows eating 4-5 family meals together each week can improve health and psychosocial outcomes for children and adolescents?
In families that have frequent meals together, children and teens demonstrate:
Positive societal values
Fewer high risk behaviors (substance abuse, sexual activity, depression/suicide, and violence)
Heightened intellectual development
Improved academic success
Healthier meal consumption
Reduced unhealthy weight control behaviors (binging/purging, excessive weight loss)
Improved social functioning
Improved psychosocial well-being
Improved vocabulary
Decreased risk of obesity
If you have teenagers at home, you may be thinking they wouldn’t be all that interested in sitting down to eat with the family – but it’s not true! 79% of teens say they enjoy eating family dinners more than watching TV and as much as a family vacation! 65-75% would even give up a weekend activity if it meant they could sit down for dinner as a family.
On top of that, family meals are important for Mom and Dad’s well being too! Studies show greater job satisfaction for parents who regularly sit down for a family meal.
Despite all of these benefits, the trend in the United States is moving towards eating alone – grabbing a sandwich to eat on the go, eating in front of a TV or while on the computer, etc. We live in a fast paced society where parents and kids’ schedules are becoming more and more packed! There may be plenty of obstacles to overcome in order to protect family meal times, but the benefits are priceless.
Here are some practical tips to get family meals going…
Get creative with meals – it doesn’t have to be dinner, try a Saturday morning breakfast.
Involve children and teens in meal prep
Add some structure to the conversation to avoid conflict (try having each member share a “high” and “low” point of their day)
Rather than trying to add in 5 new family meal times, try adding one every few weeks
Plan a menu each week that includes healthy foods
Make it quality time – turn off the electronics
It is a good idea to implement these changes while it is still summer before school starts when things get even crazier. These changes will have numerous positive health benefits but maybe the most important benefit will be bringing your family closer together.
Eli,
Head Trainer
Burn Boot Camp Eau Claire
eauclaire.burnbootcamp.com
eauclaire@burnbootcamp.com
References:
Fruh, S.M., Mulekar, M.S., Hall, H., Fulkerson, J., King, A., Jezek, K., & Roussel,. (2012). Benefits of family meals with adolescents: nurse practitioners’ perspective. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners – JNP. 8(4), 280-287.
Fruh, S.M., Fulkerson, J.A., Mulekar, M.S., Kendrick, L.A.J., & Clanton, C., (2011). The Surprising benefits of the family meal. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners – JNP. 7(1), 18-22.
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, 389-395.
Edwards, O.W., & Pratt, H. (2016). Family meal participation as a corollary of positive youth development: opportunities for counseling services. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 38, 89-96
