“Will you be home for dinner?”
This is a question my mom always asks me without fail whenever I’m home from college. I have to admit that at times it can get somewhat annoying, especially since I’m used to being on my own and not having to answer to anyone if or when I’ll be back for dinner. But at the same time, it’s an endearing question. It lets me know I have a family who wants to feed me and share a meal with me. Eating together as a family is nothing glamorous but it’s so beneficial in building relationships.
Today many Americans do not eat together anymore. With the abundance of fast food options, frozen meals, and busy schedules, families can often times end up eating separately in front of the TV or in their cars or rooms. Family life can move along just fine like this. However, it means that family members are missing out on spending meaningful moments with their loved ones. Eating with someone you care about it has positive physical and psychological effects.
Families that eat together, stay together. I’ve found this to be quite true from my own family life. Setting time aside for at least a few days a week when everyone comes together to eat builds a strong sense of community. You can talk about your day and share your thoughts and feelings with others who will listen. Eating together also tends to be healthier, helps children do better in school (students are twice as likely to get As in their classes if they eat with their families consistently), and makes family members less likely to be overweight. The physical act of making a meal together or setting the table can also bring about a sense of accomplishment and order that helps to improve familial attitude.
Eating alone doesn’t bring about these benefits. For one, eating by yourself isn’t as healthy, as you’re more likely to eat out and bypass healthier homemade foods with less sugar, fat, and preservatives. When you take the time to make your food with family, you’re more conscious of what you eat. Eating by oneself is also alienating. The dinner table is the like the town square of the house. It’s a unifier where everyone can catch up with one another and enjoy the presence of those they care about.
I realize that being in college is different, and that many students are away from their families. They’ve grown comfortable eating a meal alone on campus when they’re in a hurry, need to get work done or simply have no one to eat with. It's good to occasionally reach out to a friend and ask him or her to meet up with you for a bite to eat. That can provide some of the same benefits that eating with your family can.
Eating together as a family should be a valued time. Drawing physical and physiological nourishment together gives you a sense of aliveness and satisfaction. As I mentioned earlier, eating as a family isn’t anything glamorous, but it’s imperative to raising healthy children and maintaining the mental well being of families. So, pull up a chair, and rediscover the joys of sharing a meal with those you love.
