Today I had the opportunity to partner with Elizabeth Smith from Kidding Around Yoga to offer a fun-filled workshop at the Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County on healthy eating and active living for families and caregivers with children ages 0-5.

COKING WITH KIDS IS FUN!

We discussed how cooking with kids is not only fun, but also reinforces concepts like math skills, comprehension, real life science, self-esteem, communication, and life skills.

For more information on cooking with kids, CLICK HERE.

YOGA PROMOTES HEALTHY EATING HABITS!

We also discussed how yoga promotes healthy eating habits, self-care, and alleviates boredom, which we all know that boredom often leads to snacking.¹

For more information about Kidding Around Yoga, CLICK HERE.

FAMILY MEALS

Over the past 20 years, the frequency of family meals has significantly declined even though research has shown that children who share family dinners three or more times per week are less likely to be overweight and more likely to perform better in school, eat healthier foods, and have better relationships with their parents.² With family dinners on the decline and more than 50% of Americans reporting that their family today has fewer family meals than when they were growing up, perhaps it's time to emphasize the importance of family dinners. Thus, educating families on the importance of healthy eating and eating meals together as a family is a priority for the Butte Cluster's UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.

10 REASONS TO COOK & EAT TOGETHER AS A FAMILY

1. FAMILY DINNERS IMPROVE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS: Families who eat together develop strong parent-child bonds. Children are more likely to talk and share things with their parents during dinner. Eating together also provides a daily time for the whole family to be together.

2. FAMILY DINNERS LEAD TO HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICES: Eating family dinners is associated with healthy dietary food patterns. Families who eat meals at least three times a week benefit nutritionally compared to peers who do not share as many meals as a family.3

3. EATING AS A FAMILY LEADS TO BETTER GRADES: Studies have shown that there is a significant link between family dinners and academic achievement.

4. FAMILY DINNERS ARE A CHANCE TO EXPLORE NEW FOODS: Family meals have proven to be a perfect opportunity for parents to expose children to new and different foods and expand their tastes.

5. FAMILY DINNERS LEAD TO GREATER OVERALL HAPPINESS: Research has shown that when children eat with their parents regularly, they are more likely to be emotionally strong and gave better mental health.4

6. HOMEMADE MEALS PROMOTE PORTION CONTROL: Eating together as a family at home gives you a chance to teach your child about healthy, balanced meals. Preparing meals together can also help your child learn how to cook in a healthy manner.

7.  FAMILY DINNERS EQUAL HEALTHY KIDS: When families eat together, children are less likely to be overweight or obese.2

8. FAMILY DINNERS RELIEVE STRESS: If you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may actually leave you feeling less stressed.

9. EATING AT HOME CAN SAVE MONEY: According to the national Consumer Expenditure Survey (2007) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household spent $3,465 on meals at home and $2,668 on meals away from home. Per meal, that's about $8 per meal outside of the home, and only about $4.50 per meal made at home.

10. FAMILY DINNERS LEAD TO DECREASED DRUG USE IN TEENS: A report by CASA found that compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (5 to 7 per week), those who have infrequent dinners (less than 3 per week) are more than twice as likely to say that they expect to try drugs in the future. 

For more information on the benefits of eating together as a family, CLICK HERE. 

References

1. Moynihan, Andrew B., et al. "Eaten up by boredom: consuming food to escape awareness of the bored self." Frontiers in psychology 6 (2015): 369.

2. Hammons, Amber J., and Barbara H. Fiese. "Is frequency of shared family meals related to the nutritional health of children and adolescents?." Pediatrics 127.6 (2011): e1565-e1574.

3. Videon, Tami M., and Carolyn K. Manning. "Influences on adolescent eating patterns: the importance of family meals." Journal of adolescent health 32.5 (2003): 365-373.

4. Eisenberg, Marla E., et al. "Correlations between family meals and psychosocial well-being among adolescents." Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine 158.8 (2004): 792-796.