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Importance of Family meals and mindful eating: why do they matter?

Have you heard the wise saying that a family that eats together stays together? This is a virtue which is losing popularity in this time and age. Because of various reasons getting the whole family to sit down on around table for a meal can be very difficult sometimes next to impossible owing to the various activities like engagement in sport practice, working late to meet certain tight deadlines and homework taking up most of your evening hours. This culture has made many family members living in one house to take their meals at whatever time best suits them. Even though this may be fine to others it may not really impact positively to the children and even grownups who are struggling with certain health conditions relating to weight gain. Some studies have established that families who eat together have demonstrated positive outcomes when it comes to health, family relationships and social development. As we progress in this discussion, we are going to look at the importance of family meals and mindful eating in relation to keeping a healthy family.

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, it is the family meal time where children learn manners and healthy feeding habits share and interact freely with their parents; discuss what’s happening in their lives and experiences in new food stuff. It is important to note that it is not only about meal times but it includes even the preparation of food and the table setting process. The family involvement in all these roles will go a long way in shaping the mindset and feelings about the food taken. Doctor Akoury says that it is at the dinner table where your commitment to modeling your children is demonstrated. When you don’t eat together you may not be able to cultivate that culture of healthy feeding habits in your children. The consequences of this is not just about being obese but includes all the futility that comes with being overweight and obese. I encourage you to take the meal time at a family level seriously and be a role model for your children.

Importance of Family meals and mindful eating: Social changes affecting family meal times

Increased working hours and work load in places of work
The increase in population of people living alone
Number of women (particularly mothers) in office employment
Number of single parent households and/or family displacement
Use of technological gadgets in the household
The portion of income we spend on food and drink away from the home

Importance of Family meals and mindful eating: Benefits associated with frequent family meal times

Improved relationships between family members
Increased intake of healthy foods and healthier eating habits
Increased understanding of social behaviors
Improved speech for children
Better mental health outcomes
Decreased risk of children taking up smoking, drugs or having problems with the law.

Importance of Family meals and mindful eating: What you can do

If you’re not already eating together regularly, aim to do so just one night a week for a start.
If dinnertime is too hard to get everyone together, try to have a special family breakfast on the weekends or a family lunch.
During the week, don’t worry if everyone can make it. Sit with whoever is at home to enjoy a meal.
Ignore all phones, turn off the TV and ban texting at the table.
At a loss for conversation? Ask each family member to share one good thing and one bad thing that happened during their day.
Take turns talking so no one is left out. Use an egg timer for little kids if they tend to ramble!
Get your children involved in the meal preparation. Older kids can take charge of the whole meal, while younger ones can help set the table.

Importance of Family meals and mindful eating: Mindful eating

It is not uncommon these days to be constantly grazing on food without taking time to enjoy a full meal this is certainly not mindful eating. Often pre-packaged, these convenience foods are high in nutrients linked to increased risk of diet related diseases. And because many of us are poor in keeping time majority of us are eating hurriedly or in front of our computers surprisingly, such feedings are often not propelled by hunger. Instead, we should be choosing to eat mindfully; bringing our attention and focus to the present moment. Practicing mindful eating can help to bring back an appreciation and enjoyment of food.

Sit at the dinner table for your meal – It’s important to pay attention while eating, rather than grazing mindlessly. Put the phone down, log off your computer, turn off the TV and enjoy your food. That way, you’ll be less likely to overeat. Take the time to talk to family members about their lives and have a conversation. A meal should be a positive and enjoyable time for all. This way you will be avoiding certain health conditions associated with over eating.

Rate your hunger level – If your child says they’re hungry, ask them to rate their hunger level on a scale of 1-10 with one being very hungry, 5 being satisfied and 10 being so full that they feel sick. Do this throughout the meal and if they are not hungry, don’t force them to eat a whole meal. If your child is hungry, they will keep eating. Encourage them to stop eating once they rate their hunger as 5 and not to keep eating until they reach level 10.

Let kids serve themselves – If your child is old enough, allow them to serve themselves how much they would like to eat. While you can provide guidance so that they have enough veggies on their plate, allow them to decide how much will fill them up.

Encourage slow eating – Set the pace for the meal by eating slowly yourself. Take time to chew food properly and put your cutlery down before each mouthful. Aim to take at least 20 to 30 minutes to finish eating your meal. Make this a rule so your children know they will be sitting there for 30 minutes so they might as well eat their food slowly instead of rushing off to see what’s on TV or check their phones.

Discuss the food – At the dinner table, discuss how much you like or dislike a certain food. Ask your child to describe the taste or texture and if they don’t like it, encourage them to explain why that’s the case.

Make nutritious snacks easy to access – By having fruits in bowls on your kitchen bench or vegetable sticks cut up and in the fridge, your child is more likely to eat these foods. Stock your pantry and fridge with nutritious snacks.