Benefits of Eating Together as a Family: Develop Traditional Values

We all must have heard – “A family that eats together stays together.” But is it true? And to what extent?

Sitting together and sharing a meal with your family is not only a great way to get rid of the nuisance in your professional life but also a key to staying happy and enhancing the bond with your loved ones. But what are the true benefits of eating together as a family? Let’s explore!

Benefits of Eating Meals Together as a Family

There are several benefits of eating meals together as a family. Whether it is from the angle of health or just forming an emotional bond with your family, the tradition of having meals together is not limited to being just a cultural tradition, it has more to it. Let us explore seven benefits of eating together as a family:

1. Encourages Healthier Eating Habits

A study by the JAMA Network Open points out the healthy aspect of eating meals together as a family. It is found that families who have meals together follow a better diet overall, especially adolescents. Teenagers eating with their families are found to be eating healthier, picking more fruits and vegetables over sugary beverages and junk food. Moreover, it doesn’t matter whether you are an ideal functional family according to society. The study points out that even if the family isn’t a functional, happy family, your kids can build healthier eating habits by just sitting together for meals.

2. Creates Involvement of the Family During Prep

The benefits of eating together as a family not only include the encouragement of healthier eating habits but also raise the involvement of the entire family while preparing for a meal. This helps you as parents to bond with your child and even spend some quality time with your partner. Further, when you involve kids in the process of preparing a meal, they learn important life skills like shopping for groceries, planning the meal, and preparing it.

When it comes to preparing dinner together as a family, everyone participates equally, even children. And in a traditional Indian household, where the cultural roots are cherished, the meal might just be incomplete without making proper rotis. And as we talk about the benefits of eating meals together as a family and prepping for the meal, how about everyone participate in the process of making rotis? With Rotimatic, it is easy for anyone to use, and yes, even children!

3. Prevents Mental Health Issues

According to a 2015 study published in PubMed, there are mental health benefits of eating together as a family. It was found through the study that frequently having meals with your family may prevent issues like substance and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, depression, violent behaviors, and suicidal thoughts in adolescents. The female participants in the study were more likely to see better health benefits of eating together as a family.

Further, a survey by the American Heart Association revealed that about 91% of the families who had meals together saw a drop in their stress levels. And when we talk about families eating a meal together, it does not mean that they essentially have to have a proper dinner together. The meal can be anything.

4. Improves Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Experts at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health suggest that children are more likely to feel more self-confident when they eat meals together with their families. This is because when you sit together as a family to have meals, you share everything about your day. Your kids will start talking about their day, you will communicate with them and make them believe that you respect and value their opinions.

When having meals together as a family, let your child choose their own seat, encourage them to participate in making dinner, set the table, serve food, and later clean up the dinner table. This can build their self-confidence and also help them boost their life skills.

5. Helps Improving Communication Skills

A Canadian study done on a group of families followed the lives of children from infancy to childhood. The study found that kids whose families created a positive meal experience from the age of 6 saw positive benefits by the age of 10. Besides the health benefits of eating together as a family, gathering together to eat encourages discussions and social interaction, improving your child’s communication skills.

6. Fosters Communication to Improve Negative Effects of Bullying

Research by JAMA Pediatrics found a clear connection between cyberbullying and depression, anxiety, and substance abuse for almost 19,000 students. With a huge mass of kids undergoing bullying in their school, it negatively affects their mental health. However, there have been instances where it was seen that teenagers who ate meals with their families together reported having fewer challenges when they were being bullied. This happens because when you sit with your family for a meal, it opens a means of communication where parents can have an open channel of fostering positive talks and giving their guidance.

7. Reduces Screen Time

Another benefit of eating together as a family includes reduced screen time. While technology has allowed everything to become simpler and more accessible, it is undeniable that it comes in the way of our relationship with our family and may even affect it. Having a dedicated time of the day where the entire family ditches their smartphones and just sits together to have at least one meal a day without any gadget disturbing them is a great way to boost your bond with your loved ones.

It creates a designated time and space where electronic devices are intentionally set aside, allowing family members to engage in meaningful face-to-face interactions. This period becomes a digital detox, breaking the habit of constant screen engagement and fostering a more balanced daily routine. Further, during family meals, the focus shifts from individual activities on screens to collective experiences and conversations. This time spent together encourages the sharing of stories, ideas, and emotions, which can strengthen familial bonds and improve communication skills. By prioritizing these interactions over screen time, family members, particularly children and teenagers, learn the value of real-world connections and the importance of being present in the moment.

Eating Together – The Best Way to Come Closer to Your Loved Ones!

The benefits of eating together as a family are not just about having your meals with your loved ones. No, it extends far beyond gathering around the dining table to eat. It reinforces traditional values among the family members where deep connections are built, an open communication channel is formed, opinions are shared, and emotional support is provided. Sharing meals can serve as a supplementary form of family therapy, where you can communicate properly with each other without having any form of gadget disturbing your time. When you sit for meals together as a family, better bonding is promoted, strengthening relationships and creating lasting memories!