Eat together - eat better

… they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart… - Acts 2:46

Teens are not getting enough calcium, only about a third eat breakfast daily, about a third were at or above the 85^th percentile for weight, and many (over half of females and nearly a third of males) used unhealthy weight control methods. That’s the bad news. But there’s more than bad news.

Good news: University of Minnesota researchers found adolescents who participated in regular family meals – five times or more per week – reported more healthful diets and meal patterns compared to adolescents without regular family meals. A comprehensive study, Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), surveyed 4,746 adolescents in urban and suburban school districts of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro, at age 12or 13 and again 5 years later. [For more, google “Project EAT” or go to http://www.epi.umn.edu/research/eat/newsletter.shtm]

Likely that’s not such a surprise. Intuitively we recognize that having a meal around a table together lends itself to eating less processed and snack foods. Studies have documented that family meals contribute to intake of fewer soft drinks and fat, and increased intake of nutrients like calcium, fiber, iron, vitamins B, C, and E, and more fruits and vegetables. [http://www.mealsmatter.org/EatingForHealth/Topics/article.aspx?articleId=4 *this Meals Matter web site page has a few recipe links and some ideas for simple yet interesting nutritious meals.]

Like

– purchase a ready-made sauce or marinade and add it to sautéed chicken, beef or shrimp;

– cook on weekends and double a favorite recipe, enjoying one meal now and freezing the other (soups and casseroles freeze especially well); cook up a quantity of grains (brown or wild rice, black beans, or one of my ‘newer’ favs of barley or quinoa) and freeze in smaller portions for quick addition to soup or meal;

– purchase a freshly roasted chicken from the grocery store and round out the meal with preferred grain and a green salad. Aim for both a vegetable and fruit - they can be raw and presented simply - at the main meal of the day. I’ve heard of people having fresh fruit or yogurt for dessert. I must confess that my favorite quick easy dessert is frozen Keebler fudge mint cookies (no, not so healthy, I know). I put fruit on the table at the meal, yes; I just don’t call it dessert!

More good news: family meals have benefits beyond nutrition. Project EAT found –

“Specifically, kids who reported eating more family meals per week reported significantly less substance use and significantly better academic and mental health than those eating fewer meals with family. These associations were apparent across the spectrum of meal frequency each additional meal per week conferred some additional benefit. … When statistically controlling for family connectedness, the researchers still found that family meals “remained a significant protective factor for substance use, grades (for girls only), depressive symptoms and suicide behaviors (for girls only).” Additionally, “In analyses adjusting for all the family meal variables, priority of family meals emerged as the most consistent protective factor for disordered eating.” [http://www.apa.org/pi/cyf/fam4.html]

The supper table at our house holds some of my fondest memories of family, right up there with the camping trips! May your family meals as well be full of good food and fun.

Wishes for us all to enjoy eating together and eating better! And that's no April fools.

So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? - Ecclesiastes 2:24-25