Importance of Family Meals with Adolescents
Did you know that family meals have a great impact on your children becoming overweight? When families have dinner together at home, they tend to eat more fruits and vegetables. When younger kids eat healthy dinners with their families, they are less likely to become overweight. By practicing dining at home with fresh cooked meals at the dinner table, the child will most likely start making better healthy choices as they become older. If a parent is constantly buying fast food for their child, they will only demand fast food over time.
Two cross-sectional, direct observational studies examining interpersonal dynamics at family meals with overweight children found that families with an obese child had difficulties with interpersonal dynamics during the family meal time, such as managing family members emotions, interpersonal involvement, parental discipline, and role division during family meals as compared to family with non-overweight children.
Here are some key points to induce great family dinners:
- Make it enjoyable. Leave the serious discussions for another time. Family meals are for nourishment, comfort, and support.
- Use the crock pot. Put everything together before leaving for work in the morning. You’ll come home to the delicious smell of a cooked meal.
- Avoid portion distortion. Keep serving sizes under control, whether you’re at home or eating out.
- Get the family involved. Let kids help prepare meals and set the table.
- Keep it simple. Family meals don’t have to be elaborate. Work salads and vegetables into meals. Focus on familiar favorites!
Posted by: SSG
Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23567247
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/family-dinners-are-important