05 Sep Online Dietitian Tips to Make Family Meals a Priority, Celebrate National Family Meals Month
Every single day on the calendar carries its own unique occasion (complete with its corresponding greeting card). We have the chance to revel in a myriad of celebrations, from National Pancake Day on September 26th to National Cherry Day on July 16th, and even National Tater Tot Day on February 2nd (although that last one might prompt a slight “ew” reaction). Many of these observances center around generating buzz and marketing various products. However, a subset of these occasions seeks to shed light on vital issues or unaddressed necessities. One such example is National Family Meals Month, commemorated in September.
As dietitian nutritionists, we wholeheartedly endorse this. It seems we’ve entered a new era where the fundamental experience of a family meal is slipping away from our children and grandchildren. And this makes us sad.
It seems like everybody is pressured to do more and more and more. And time is chipped away from a space to sit around a table and break bread together. As working mothers, we understand the demands of today. We juggle supporting the demans of work with the demands of parenting — homework, sports engagements, extracurricular commitments, and socializing with friends. Add screens, video games, and social media, and the family dinner feels more distant than anything.
In the midst of striving to balance it all, we argue that the space of dining together as a family holds profound importance, not solely for the mental and physical well-being of our children but also for our own. Let’s embrace Eat Dinner Together Week this September, committing to celebrate it each day, and ensuring it is part of our families’ lives.
Here’s why:
- Family meals contribute to healthy eating habits, improving everyone’s relationship with food.
- Family meals give children healthier food choices and help cultivate more adventurous eaters.
- Family meals improve meal quality, helping everyone meet recommend fruit and vegetable recommendations.
- Family meals play a significant role in reducing childhood obesity.
- Family meals help everyone to learn to listen to hunger and fullness cues.
- Family meals improve food quality, reducing ultra-processed foods and sugars.
- Family meals improve a child’s self-esteem, cognitive development, academic performance, and body image.
- Family meals set the stage for a place of belonging and a safe place to share ideas and experiences.
- Family meals improve a child’s reading abilities, vocabulary development, and critical thinking skills.
Here’s how:
- Schedule family meals like other important activities.
- Turn off TVs, phones, and all electronics during meals.
- Sit together — whether you have a dining room table or eat picnic-style. It’s not about the table settings, but instead the togetherness.
- Talk about the food, the flavors, what you like and what you don’t. Cultivate mindfulness.
- Say, “Thank you,” for the food on your plate and the togetherness. Teach gratitude.
- Everyone in the family can be involved in meal planning and clean-up, including tasks like grocery shopping, vegetable chopping, and dishwashing. (The meal experience encompasses all the steps from planning and grocery shopping to preparation to cleanup, fostering a sense of mindfulness throughout).
- Understand there will be some nights it just won’t work. In that case, establish a “no-one eats alone” rule in the household. Mealtime should be considered a time of togetherness. And even if you do have to eat alone. Turn off everything and enjoy the peacefulness of a quiet meal.
- Use this rule as an opportunity for children to learn the value of sharing meals and the importance of companionship.
In our fast-paced world today, one in which kids’ schedules are filled with extracurricular activities and college prep classes, we worry about important things that kids might be missing out on. We advocate for everyone to pause and consider going back to the basics, helping our children develop healthy habits like mindful breathing, good posture, and loving their own bodies. These lessons seem to get lost in social media and screen time.
Start by making family meals a priority.
One-Pot Vegetable Stir-Fry with Rice
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of rice (white or brown)
- 2 cups of mixed vegetables (such as carrots, broccoli, and snap peas, sweet corn), chopped
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (low-sodium if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of vinegar (rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- Optional protein sources: tofu cubes, cooked chicken, or scrambled eggs
Instructions:
- Start by cooking the rice according to the package instructions. Once cooked, set it aside.
- In a large pan or wok, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the pan. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- If you’re adding tofu, chicken, or scrambled eggs, push the garlic and ginger to the side of the pan and cook your protein choice until browned and cooked through. If using tofu, you can cook it for about 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy.
- Add the chopped mixed vegetables to the pan. Stir-fry for about 3-5 minutes until they start to soften but are still slightly crisp.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, and vinegar to create the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables and protein in the pan. Stir everything together to ensure even coating.
- Add the cooked rice to the pan and gently mix it with the vegetables and sauce. Continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until everything is heated through.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add more soy sauce or a pinch of salt if desired.
- Remove from heat and serve the one-pot vegetable stir-fry over individual plates.