Family Dinners Are Important

Excerpts taken from "Nurturing with Nutrition" written by Melanie Bazarte, ED.D. and Lucille Beseler, M.S., R.D., L.D.

The power of sharing food and social time does not stop with infancy. If food represents love and comfort to an infant, then eating together as a family continues that feeling of affection and safety as the family grows.

To those reading who do not have infants or young children, I say, the power of sharing food does not have to only apply to holidays.

Family dinners provide lifelong social benefits, not the least of which is table manners. There is a definite order to the bonding that occurs when parents make an effort to have meals together it's saying, "This family is so important that it's worth making time for." Family meals belong to the whole family.

The Family Nutrition Center hopes that you have made plans to be with family and friends this Thanksgiving. Keep it safe, and keep it healthy. Be thankful for your family dinner, and we hope that you have many more!

Happy Thanksgiving!