Transcript barriers to family mealtime

Family meals are clearly not extinct
Sample of 930 meal
planners. The report
asked:
Do people cook?



38 percent say they
love to cook
46 percent don’t mind
cooking
15 percent say
cooking is a chore
Are families eating
together?
•
The average American
family eats dinner
together 5 times a
week
isn’t
just a meal, it’s a ritual from which
all who participate benefit
is
important because it gives children
reliable access to their parents
provides
anchoring for everyone’s day
 “Emphasizes
the
importance of the
family nonverbally”
 “Reminds the child
that the family is
there and that he or
she is part of it”
Source: Miriam Weinstein- The
Washington Post. August 30, 2005.
Young people whose families routinely eat
meals together
•
Spend more time on homework and reading
for pleasure
Source: Tepper, 1999; Social Awakening: Adolescent Behavior as Adulthood
Approaches.
Had reduced risk-taking behaviors
•
The frequency of family meals was
inversely associated with tobacco,
alcohol, and marijuana use, low gradepoint average, depressive symptoms, and
suicide involvement
Source: Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2004. Arch Pediatr Adoles. Med.
158:792-796.
Had improved dietary intake
•
Consumed more fruits and vegetables,
less fried foods, and fewer sodas
Source: Neumark-Sztainer, Hannan, Story et al., 2003. J Am Diet Assoc. 103:317-322
Were less likely to
be overweight
Source: Rollins, Frames, BeLue, 2007;
Pediatrics. 17:723-751.
•
Can impact the development of language
and literacy skills
Source: Kimm, Barton, Obarzaneck et al., 2001; Pediatrics. 107:E34.
•
Provide structure and a sense of unity and
connectedness that young children need to
feel safe and secure
Source: Davis, 1995; Arch Dis child. 73: 356; McKenzie, 1993; J. Gastronomy. 7:34-35
•
Build a sense of community and unity; this
sense of unity was found to be important
during adolescence
Lack of time due to:
•
•
Work
Sports (soccer,
baseball, basketball,
football, tennis)
 Be
flexible: Do at least one or two meals per week
together—Saturday lunch or dinner; Sunday
brunch
 Cook
meals ahead on weekend and freeze or store
for later
 Use
a slow cooker

Children (8 to 18 years
old) spend an average of
3 hours a day watching
TV and 1 hour on the
computer

Fifty percent of all
American households
have three or more
televisions

Only 1 in 12 American
families require their
children to finish their
homework before
watching television

TV viewing during
mealtime
•
•
Can decrease time spent
communicating
Increases children’s risk
for being overweight
Kaiser Family Foundation
 Turn
the television off during family mealtime
 Remove
 Decide
the television from the eating area
on specific viewing times
Conflicting schedules:
•
•
•
•
Parents holding 2 or
more jobs
Second job
Long or irregular work
hours
Teens working

Have family meals on weekends or at a time when
everyone is together

Have family breakfast instead of dinner

Have family meals at the soccer field if this is
where everyone is together

Make meals ahead of time can help avoid the
dinner rush and allow more time for the meal
What Skills Are Needed?
What is a "Healthy Diet"?
The Dietary Guidelines describe a healthy
diet as one that:
 Emphasizes
vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and
fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
 Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and
nuts; and
 Is low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, salt
(sodium), and added sugars
 Use
the Food Guide Pyramid
Plan ahead every week to anticipate work,
school, and other activities that affect
mealtime
•
•
•
•
•
•
Plan simple, quick meals especially to start
Use cookbooks and grocery ads to write menus
Make shopping list; read recipes from start to
finish
Stock up on basic items
Use what you have on hand
Consider leftovers when planning meals
 Plan
meals ahead of time
 Get family input when planning menus
 Have children set the table
 Have an older child pour the milk
 Allow younger children to put ice in glasses
 Have family members cut up fruits and
vegetables for a pre-meal snack
 Ask family members to make the salad
 Set
a regular family mealtime; pick a time
together
 Enjoy more table time and less cooking time
 Turn off the TV; turn on the answering
machine.
 Focus mealtime on family talk
 Keep table talk positive; everyone gets to talk
and to listen; important to set the rules
 Keep table time realistic—not too long that the
pleasure goes away
 Cook
several main dishes when you have more
time, such as on weekends
 Make soups, stews, or casseroles to freeze for the
next week
 Cook extra food as “plan-overs” for later use
 Do some tasks ahead:
•
•
•
Washing and trimming vegetables
Cooking noodles for a pasta salad
Cooking lean ground meat for tacos a few hours ahead
or the day before
Goal: Enjoyment, relaxation,
and listening to each other
 EMPHASIZE:
Pleasure and enjoyment
 DO NOT engage in serious debates
 FOCUS conversation on the positive. Everyone
gets to talk and everyone listens
 AVOID mealtime interruptions and distractions
 Ask
everyone to share their favorite part or biggest
challenge of the day
 Exchange memories about your favorite family
pasttime
 Ask kids about their classes, homework, teachers,
and upcoming assignments
 Tell a joke
 Plan or talk about a family vacation you would like
to take
 Plan, and then let the kids pick tasks for the next
day’s menu, preparation, and clean up
Use
•
Riddles and Trivia
What is the strangest food you
have ever eaten?
• Can you think of any songs about
food? Sing one!
• What is your favorite food? Why
do you like it?
• Can you name a vegetable that is
a root? A flower? A stem? A leaf?
Ingrid Adams, Ph.D.
Extension Specialist for Nutrition and Weight Management
July 2009
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