Dinner Science

Mother knew eating dinner together would make the family healthy

Family members sit together, their heads bowed in prayer and a hot meal is on the table. Parents preside over the meal asking questions about the day each family member had. The simple act of eating food together lends itself to close relationships. Family meals promote conversation, the sharing of ideas and a sense of belonging. If the family dinner disappears from our culture, our children will be the worse for it.


Studies show:

• More than half the dinners consumed by overweight American children are eaten in front of the television.
• Meals eaten with families consist of 50% more fruits and vegetables than meals consumed alone reports Baylor College of Medicine.
• Harvard University studied 16,000 nine year olds and found that those who ate dinner with their parents regularly were more likely to have a higher intake of the essential nutrients and vitamins.
• The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health reports that teens who share at least five dinners a week with the family (regardless of the family structure) are less likely to participate in substance abuse or early sexual activity.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American family spends more than $2000 per year on dinners away from the home, and that 10% of those dinners come from McDonalds.