5 Tips for Setting a Good Example with Healthy Family Dinners

The make-time-for-family-dinners mantra is widely passed along to parents by many, many experts. The importance of family meals has often been the subject of research which cites advantages ranging from improved family relationships to less risky behavior among teens or greater success in school. Even though we know we should, many of our families don’t eat together as frequently as they would like or perhaps should. This of course creates some stress. For those families, another research report may provide some relief, or not.

Earlier this year, MinnPost offered a second opinion with their article “The family dinner: not as important as once thought?” Based on a new University of Minnesota Study which was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, researchers concluded that the family meals matter but they have less of an effect that previous studies suggest. While the traditional shared dinner is believed to have less of an impact in creating healthier and happier families, this research did find that adolescents of families that regularly ate together tend to report fewer symptoms of depression.

However, despite this “second opinion” our obesity epidemic persists in the United States with as many as 1 in 5 children aged 6-19 overweight. So even though the long-term social benefits of shared family meals can be debated, one thing is clear. Setting a good example by eating nutritious family meals together will help teach children how to eat well, create good habits for a healthier adulthood and help battle obesity. If this doesn’t provide enough motivation for you to commit to healthy family meals, consider this. With many public schools cutting funding for the traditional physical education and health classes, the food served in your home takes on even greater importance in your children’s education.

This sentiment was echoed by Ryan Strother (17), a senior captain of the Orono Mound Westonka High School boys swim team and member of the Minnetonka Swim Club’s National Team. Ryan has recently been studying nutrition on his own as a way to supplement his swim training. “I like having dinner with my family when I come home. I think nutritious dinners are essential to help me recover from swim practice and prepare for the next day.”

While student athletes may have greater awareness of nutrition than students not involved in sports, all children and especially adolescents can benefit from learning to make nutritious food choices.

Here are some easy tips on how to set a good example with nutritious, healthy family dinners – whether they are eaten together as a family or on individual schedules. Think of creating menus for your family for nutritious, satisfying meals constructed with the building blocks of lean proteins, fiber-rich fruits and veggies and whole grains.

1. Stock the fridge with washed and ready-to-eat veggies like broccoli, snap peas and cauliflower. These make great crunchy after-school snacks and will help make dinner prep faster and easier.
2. Keep nuts and dried fruit on hand as great snacks for your family.
3. Create your menu for the week so you can plan ahead. Do your shopping for the week so that the healthy ingredients are readily available when it’s time to cook. Zestar 101 offers helpful planning tips.
4. Let the “building blocks” guide your family meal planning. Start with a protein like lean sirloin, add a colorful array of 2-3 veggies and provide a side of whole-grain pasta or rice. Fresh fruit (topped with a little frozen yogurt) makes a tasty and healthy dessert.
5. Consider recipes that can be prepared in a slow cooker, especially if your family will be eating at different times during the evening. Raw veggies can easily be steamed in the microwave as healthy side dishes.

A little advanced prep can go a long way in helping you set a good example to your family with nutritious meal items.

What other family meal tips do you have? I welcome your thoughts!

Jeannemarie Beiseigel, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian with a doctorate in human nutrition, foods, and exercise. She shares her knowledge as Zestar's Director of Nutrition. You can find more of Jeannemarie's blog posts at zestarapp.com or follow her on Twitter!