Did you know that simply sharing a meal with someone can strengthen emotional well-being?

Sitting down together—even if the meal is quick or imperfect, creates an important opportunity. As a dietitian, of course I believe that nutrition is important, but not at the expense of perfection. Dinner happens every day, and when schedules are busy, convenience food can help fill the gaps. Food is nourishing even when it comes from the freezer or a take-out container. And the benefits of sharing family meals on a more regular basis offers so much more than nutrition.

Keep in mind, that “family meals” are not only defined as households with parents and children. Any meal shared with friends, coworkers or family counts as a family meal. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to note that parents benefit as much as the children when meals are shared. The main message here? Everyone at the meal benefits from eating together.

The Benefits of Family Meals

The benefits of family meals go well beyond nutrition. Studies have shown that coming together for a meal improves emotional well being. It can also stregnthen our communication skills. Research links more frequent family meals with:

• Better overall diet quality
• Stronger communication and family connections
• Better mental and emotional well-being
• Opportunities for kids to practice conversation and social skills

And here’s an interesting finding: time at the table may matter too. One study found that simply extending family mealtime by about 10 minutes increased children’s fruit and vegetable intake.

Family meals nourish more than our bodies.

You don’t need a picture-perfect dinner or a home-cooked meal every night. Start where you are. Breakfast counts. Lunch counts. Pizza night counts. Standing at the counter counts. It’s about being together, not separated or alone.

For families, allowing children to participate in meal planning and preparation nurtures the connection between food and the body, as well as the enjoyment of being together. Here are a few simple dinner ideas that most any kid can get on board with:

• Grilled Cheese: Butter one side of whole grain bread, place into a warm pan or griddle, top with a variety of shredded or sliced cheeses, then add another slice of bread (buttered on outside). Cook 3 minutes per side over low heat until lightly golden. Serve sliced apples or a fruit salad on the side.
• Build your own pizza night: Follow instructions on ready-to-bake shells or flatbread. Use jarred pizza sauce, shredded cheese, pepperoni, chopped veggies for topping. Serve with a tossed salad.
• Tacos or Nachos – Make a batch of fixings and create a balanced meal! For Tacos, offer seasoned beef or ground turkey, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and shredded cheese. Add salsa and sour cream or Greek yogurt as a garnish. For Nachos, include ground beef and a variety of finely diced veggies for the kids to sprinkle onto tortilla chips. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes and serve family-style.

Sharing meals is important through all of life’s stages

The benefits of family meals extend through all of life’s stages. Research has associated loneliness to poorer health outcomes. Loneliness and social isolation can influence food choices and cooking routines. In older adults, loneliness may lead to changes in eating habits. This can result in poor dietary choices regarding both food selection and preparation methods. Encouraging the older adults in your life to share a meal with friends, or neighbors in the apartment building, helps build connection, and ultimately improves diet quality.

Keep family meals simple and engaging

Using a few convenience foods from the supermarket can save time. Simple options from the freezer, refrigerated case, or the deli and help out when you are time-crunched. For instance, keeping microwavable rice packages in the pantry can help create delicious, balanced bowls. Or, a simple salad kit can bring a family meal to the table. Make it complete by adding a protein, an additional fruit or veggie plus a crispy garnish like nuts or seeds. Consider easy protein options from the your grocery store like pre-roasted chicken from the deli counter or heat up precooked chicken from the freezer section. Frozen precooked shrimp from the freezer case is quick to heat in the oven or sauté in a pan. You could also add drained, canned beans or baked or fried tofu to your salad.

Enjoy “breakfast-for-dinner” options such as omelets or burritos. An omelet or a quick egg scramble can use up leftovers you have in the fridge, and can be custom make to suit everyone’s preferences. Serve with a fruit salad and you have a balanced meal. Egg burritos are also quick and easy to enjoy at dinner hour. Cook up some microwavable rice, and saute some pre-cut frozen pepper and onion mix in a pan with the eggs. Place the scrambled egg mixture, rice, and salsa onto a flour tortilla, roll up and toast in the oven.

And yes, sharing a dessert counts too! Try this simply fruit crisp.

The most important ingredient may simply be making time to eat—and connect—together.

Sheet pan dinners are quick, and make clean up easier. Try my Sheet Pan Chicken with Green Beans. The options are endless.