Eat Better, Eat Together is a blog series by registered dietitians, educators and parents whose stories and advice help families start or strengthen a commitment to balanced family meals. Take the Eat Better, Eat Together Family Meal Pledge at Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCalifornia.

When was the last time you sat down for a meal with your family? Was it last night, last week or last month? For some families, eating together is reserved for special events and holidays, like birthdays or Thanksgiving. These special occasion meals allow families to connect with each other, strengthen family ties and pass on family cultural traditions.

But family meals don’t have to be reserved for special occasions. Family meals can happen any time of day, any day of the week!  If the words “I’m too busy” pop into your mind, you’re not alone. You probably even hear this from the parents you know or work with. Like so many people, my days revolve around juggling work demands and parent responsibilities. But I’ve learned that family meals can fit into even the busiest of schedules. By planning ahead and getting the whole family involved, you reap a host of benefits:

Children who eat with their families are better nourished, have lower rates of obesity and higher vocabularies. These factors can have a positive impact on classroom behavior and academic performance. And when it comes to improving the health of our children, family meals are a great way to instill healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. As a Registered Dietitian and mom to an almost-2-year-old, these benefits are truly important to me. That is why I’ve made balanced family meals with foods from all of the food groups a priority in my home.

This fall, Dairy Council of California is helping families start or strengthen a commitment to family meals with the Eat Better, Eat Together Family Meal Pledge! Visit Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCalifornia to take the pledge and sign up for recipes, meal suggestions and tips on how to balance meals with foods from all five food groups. Check back here for our Eat Better, Eat Together blog series with family meal tips, resources and stories from Dairy Council of California Registered Dietitians and guests. Be sure to follow @Dairy_Council on Twitter and look for the #EatBetter2Gether hashtag.

Ashley Rosales, R.D.

Project Manager