Viva Vitality: The benefits of eating meals together

By Medicine Hat News on March 9, 2018.

This year Dietitians of Canada’s theme for Nutrition Month is Unlock the Potential of Food. Visit http://www.nutritionmonth2018.ca for more information. One of the topics highlighted in this year’s theme is benefits of eating together.

Canadian families are busy. Parents work outside the home; kids are in school, sports, music lessons, after school jobs and the list can go on and on. But, it’s important to share meals together. Sharing a meal together can help family connect and eat more balanced diets while developing skills in meal planning and preparation. Eating together can also encourage each other to try new foods and open up dialogue between parents and children.

Conversations during the meal provide opportunity for the family to bond, plan, and learn from one another. It’s a chance to share information about the day while connecting parent’s lives to their children’s lives. Families eating together can help everyone to have a sense of security and belonging. Shared meal times can give everyone a chance to speak and share something interesting about their day.

Meals prepared at home are often more nutritious and balanced. It is very easy to stop at a drive through restaurant or order in meals but home cooked meals are often higher in vitamins, minerals, fibre and lower in calories. Plus, sugar sweetened beverage consumption (such as pop or ice tea) is often less with meals prepared at home. Plan a meal by choosing foods from three of the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide and enjoy a glass of milk, or water on the side.

Involve everyone in meal preparation; kids and spouses included. Have family members take turns preparing meals. Older children can start supper when they get home from school using simple recipes. Younger children can participate by setting the table, laying out breakfast foods the night before, or packing their own school lunches after supper is finished. Children who are involved in the food preparation are more likely to eat what is prepared.

Build a lesson into the cooking. If children are practicing fractions in school show them a recipe using fractions such as 1/2 cup or 3/4 teaspoon and ask for their help in measuring. Children who are practicing their reading and comprehension can benefit from reading a recipe and then telling a parent how to prepare the dish. Pick a country, learn about the country as a family and then prepare a traditional meal from that country. Finally, discover the science of cooking together. Have children watch what happens when baking soda is mixed with vinegar or have them try to mix oil and water.

Be a role model for your children. If you are excited about the foods being prepared they are more likely to be excited too. When we enjoy eating together we can unlock the potential of new flavors, improved learning, family fun and communication.

For some easy recipe ideas, Dietitians of Canada has 15 featured recipes at http://www.NutritionMonth2018.ca. You can find more healthy recipes at https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/nutrition/page10996.aspx or download the Cookspiration app from Dietitians of Canada

Jennifer Struble is a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Nutrition Services. She can be reached by email at jennifer.struble@ahs.ca.