When families sit down regularly together for meals it’s not just about nutrition it’s about bonding, relationships, and prevention.  Mealtime is a great way to connect with your children. At mealtime you can discuss and monitor your child’s activities, friends and also share ideas. Here are a few of the benefits of eating regularly together as a family and creating a positive mealtime atmosphere:

1. Teens are less likely to smoke, drink, or do drugs.1
2. Teens are less likely to associate with teens that use substances.1
3. It’s more likely that meals shared together will be healthier and more balanced.2
4. Eating disorders are less likely to develop in girls.2
5. Higher academic performance.2
6. Greater psychosocial well-being in adolescents.2

Sources:
1 The Importance of Family Dinners IV, September 2007. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
2 Project Eating Among Teens (Project EAT), University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Project EAT

Visit our website http://devotedtoparenting.com  for links to making a personal food guide for you and your children as well as tips for making healthy food choices for your kids.

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