The Importance of Family Mealtime

Why have family meals?

Family mealtimes are a chance for parents to serve as role models, encourage healthy eating habits, and establish family traditions. Other things happen during mealtimes as well, including: socialization of children; establishment of family unity, safety, and security for children; and increased literacy and language development.

Did you know that family mealtimes also decreases the chances that kids will use drugs? According to the National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University (2007), compared to kids who have fewer than three family dinners per week, children and teens who have frequent family dinners are:

1. At 70% lower risk for substance abuse
2. Half as likely to try cigarettes
3. Half as likely to be daily cigarette smokers
4. Half as likely to try marijuana
5. Half as likely to get drunk monthly
6. One third less likely to try alcohol
7. Likelier to get better grades in school
8. Less likely to have friends who drink alcohol & use marijuana
9. Likelier to have parents who take responsibility -teen drug use
10. Almost 40% likelier to say future drug use will never happen

Family Mealtime Resources

For Parents

• Keep Family Mealtimes, but Keep Them Simple – University of Minnesota Extension – Summarizes the benefits of family mealtimes and offers hints for making them successful.
• Family Day: A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children – The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University – Find out information and get tools to celebrate "Family Day," a national initiative to promote eating dinner with your children. The 2009 Family Day will be on September 28, 2009.
• Family Meals: Are They a Thing of the Past? (Project EAT) – University of Minnesota School of Public Health – Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), is a large research project which looks at many facets of teen nutrition and eating habits. This web page summarizes the results related to family mealtime as well as provides links to additional mealtime resources.
• Nutrition, Food & Health: Free Educational Resources for Parents – University of Minnesota Extension – Online resources on parent nutrition, sports nutrition, and more.
• Online Parenting Resources – University of Minnesota Extension – Online resources on child development, school and learning, and child care.
• Information for Parents and Caregivers of Teens – University of Minnesota Extension – Online resources on building parent-teen relationships, facing tough issues, and more.

For Professionals

• The Family Dinner Table and the Health of Our Children: Traditional Wisdom and New Data – William Doherty, University of Minnesota – Reviews the research on the benefits of eating meals together as a family.
• The Importance of Family Dinners IV – The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Columbia University – Research report that compares teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week) to those who have infrequent family dinners (two or fewer).
• Meal Time Family Time – Nutrition Education Program, Kansas State University – Versatile display that comes a variety of backgrounds and handouts addressing topics like eating well, easy recipes, making mealtime happen, and more.
  Listen to the audio clip with Mary Caskey - Extension Educator:
  

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• Project EAT: Eating Among Teens – University of Minnesota School of Public Health – See the results of Project EAT, a large research project which looks at many facets of teen nutrition and eating habits. Includes lists of resources.
• Take Back Your Family Time – University of Minnesota Extension – Families have lost control of their time and are missing out on family rituals, like regular dinners. Video and discussion guide featuring Dr. Bill Doherty in addition to online list of resources.