October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month. Eating as a family not only positively impacts your child’s physical health, but also their social health. Mealtime can be a great way to get a break from busy schedules and create experiences with your child in the kitchen. Family meals can also improve your child’s school performance. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that eating at home typically means your family will get higher quality foods, containing fiber and vitamins.
Preparing meals as a family also provides a foundation for children to make nutritious food choices. By establishing healthy eating habits in children at home, they will be more likely to make healthy food choices when they are at school or in their friends’ homes. Even if life is busy, taking 30 minutes to have a family meal can improve your child’s health.
By Emily Maus – University of Idaho Dietetic Student
Rockett, H. (September, 2007). Family Dinner: More than Just a Meal. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved from https://jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(07)01470-8/fulltext#secd5874403e71
Spear, B. (February, 2006). The Need for Family Meals. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved from https://jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(05)02219-4/fulltext
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