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Family Mealtimes Can Be a Reality

Eating together as a family has many benefits.

Eating together as a family can be a challenge because of today’s busy lifestyles.

Family mealtime used to be the foundation of everybody’s day. However, now only about 28 percent of families eat together seven days a week, and 24 percent eat together less than three times a week.

“Studies have shown that families who eat together often choose more healthful foods, such as vegetables,” says Julie Garden-Robinson, North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist. “Dinnertime is a perfect time to teach your children about eating healthfully.”

The only time some family members can spend with each other is when they’re eating together.

“Children get more than nutritional education and family time when they eat with their family,” says Sean Brotherson, NDSU Extension family science specialist. “Children are more self-confident and get better grades, and they are more active in school-based activities. They also are less likely to abuse drugs as a result of spending time with their family while they are young.”

March is National Nutrition Month, which is a good time to start finding ways for your family to enjoy meals together.

Here are some tips for putting tasty, healthful meals on the table easily:

  • Take time to plan meals for the week. Planning saves time, money and frustration.
  • Find several recipes your family likes. Keep ingredients for these recipes on hand for when you need to make quick adjustments to meal plans, such as a change in schedule or someone requests a favorite recipe.
  • Keep your menus simple. They don’t have to be elaborate or difficult to prepare.
  • Set aside a chunk of time, such as Sunday afternoon, to prepare portions of meals for the week. For example, cook and season ground beef for tacos, and cook and cube chicken breasts for chicken and rice casserole. Then freeze the ground beef and chicken in freezer-safe containers or zip-close bags. On the day you’re having tacos or chicken and rice casserole, pull out the ground beef or chicken and you’re ready to go.
  • Develop a food budget. Check grocery store sale ads and incorporate on-sale items into the week’s menus.
  • Have your kids help prepare meals. The kitchen provides a perfect learning environment for children while providing a bonding experience for you and your children.
  • Encourage your family to develop healthful eating habits. To help them do that, offer healthy and fun snacks, or try starting a traditional or container garden with your child to promote vegetable eating. Serve low-fat or fat-free milk with meals, and have water instead of sweetened beverages to quench thirst throughout the day. Have whole fruit more often than fruit juice.

For more information on how to get your family together for nutritious meals without breaking the budget, visit http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/meals.html.


NDSU Agriculture Communication - Feb. 24, 2011

Source:Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu
Source:Sean Brotherson, (701) 231-6143, sean.brotherson@ndsu.edu
Editor:Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ellen.crawford@ndsu.edu
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