Health Benefits of Eating a the Dinner Table

As First Lady Michelle Obama advocates, eating as a family at the dinner table is incredibly important. Not only does eating at the table as family reduce stress and enhance family bonds, it is good for your waistline!

Whether you have a family of two or a family of ten making an effort to eat together can make a difference in overall health. Some of the well recognized benefits of eating around the dinner table include less substance abuse, less stress, reduced childhood obesity rates, higher intake of vitamins and minerals, and better overall nutrition. A good meal can take just 30 minutes (as Rachel Ray shows us everyday on 30 Minute Meals) so why not try it?

So how do you create this magical dinner experience where the family feels more connected and is healthier? Get rid of phones, television, tablets and anything else you might be distracted with. Enjoying each other’s company will build your relationships and force you to get to know the people you live with.

Don’t concentrate on the food. Chances are if you’re cooking at home you have already made a huge improvement in your health. Eating out is often the unhealthiest choice you can make because of outrageous portions doused in salt, butter and msg. One study found that just by eating at home parents and kids alike increased their vegetable consumption without even trying.

Cooking at home is cheap! Eating one meal together is probably a lot cheaper than eating out or creating lots of small meals for each person to eat sporadically throughout the night. You’ll save in dollars and in labor. Cooking an entire meal for four people isn’t really much more time consuming than cooking for one or two. You go through all the same steps preparing the meal – just with a little extra food! Let’s not forget that if you’re all eating at the same time you might just get some help from the rest of the family. Kids love learning so letting them help out with preparations will teach them something new and enhance their understanding of food.