Benefits of Sharing Meals
Shanthi Appelo, MS, RD
| 3 min read
Sharing meals is a great way to spend more time with family and friends. There are multiple health benefits associated with sharing meals. These benefits include improved eating habits, reduced stress and tension, improved self-image and weight in kids and improved family relationships.
Better family relationships
Time spent sharing meals provides an opportunity to converse and share stories about the day. Family meals can provide structure when practiced regularly. Preparing a meal, setting a table and getting everything cleaned up are also great opportunities to include kids in the process, as well as model family roles and division of labor.
Regular shared meals have a positive psychological effect on kids. A review of existing studies found that routine shared family meals may improve kids’ self-esteem, social coping and problem-solving skills and social and emotional development.
Reduced stress and tension
Connecting with others over a shared meal can be a stress-reducing activity. The vast majority of parents report lower stress levels among their family when they regularly eat together and workers report that shared meals and breaks with coworkers help to lower stress.
Better eating habits
Families who eat dinner together eat healthier overall, including higher amounts fruits and vegetables and lower amounts of fried foods and sugary drinks. Sharing meals also helps both adults and children learn to try a variety of foods. The more often a family shares meals together, the less likely children are to eat ultra-processed foods, fast food and sugary drinks.
Higher rates of family dinners shared tend to result in lower rates of childhood obesity, eating disorders and poor body image. They correlate with better diets for children, and better life-long eating habits, as a formative practice for kids.
Eating together can affect rates of obesity for adults. In fact, adults who ate predominantly home-cooked meals together had a 26% lower chance of obesity than families who ate some or no home-cooked meals. Adults who spend mealtimes together conversing or problem-solving also see a lower rate of obesity than those who spend mealtimes watching movies or shows together.
Time away from screens and devices
Getting away from screens, devices and connection to work or the outside world is another benefit of family meals. When watching movies or TV while eating, there is a higher risk of overeating or paying less attention to food choices. Getting kids to put down devices to help prepare, serve and clean up after dinner can extend this screen-free time past mealtime as well.
Tips for sharing family meals
Even knowing the benefits of sharing meals together as a family, it can be daunting to try to start a new routine or add more shared meals into a schedule. Here are some tips to start sharing more meals together as a family:
- Remember it does not need to be elaborate or fancy. The main idea is sharing a healthy meal together as a family.
- Involve kids in meal planning and preparation. This adds to family time spent together, can help kids learn more about healthy eating and can make meal prep faster and easier as they get older. It also can make the kids feel more invested in mealtime and food choices.
- Set examples and be a good role model. Eating appropriate portions, making healthy choices and talking about healthy food in a positive light all have an impact on a child’s relationship with food.
- Eat the meal together at a table. Avoid eating at the couch, in the car or around screens.
Shanthi Appelö, is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
