Last Updated on July 3, 2023 by Create Better Health
Dinner’s Ready!
How often are you eating dinner with your entire family? The benefits of family dinner are well known. Even if you live alone, eating dinner with someone else has been shown to be good for physical and mental health. Additionally, mealtimes can be fun and are a great time to make memories with family members or friends. Research has shown that family dinners have numerous benefits for children, such as higher vocabulary, better grades, and better connection to family, but did you know there are also many benefits for adults? Family dinners lead to better connectivity as a family and greater teamwork. Many mothers and fathers also report better mental health from sharing meals with their families. Even if you don’t live with family or don’t have children, make an effort to have dinner with another person and try to notice the benefits for yourself!
Dinnertime Resources
If you have young children, it can be fun to play a game at the table to help get everyone laughing and engaged. The family dinner project website, linked here, has lots of fun resources like games for the table, fun family friendly recipes, and research articles all about family mealtimes. Check it out and see if you find something new for you or your family to enjoy!
This game is from the family dinner project website. Try it and see what kind of fun you and your family can have during dinner tonight!
Recipe
Of course dinner would not be complete without food! It is important to choose recipes that are affordable, healthy and that will be delicious. This Skillet mac and cheese is a homemade twist on the boxed classic that we all know and love. Try serving it with cooked peas, broccoli, or chopped tomatoes stirred in to add a vegetable. To make dinner extra fancy, try cooking this meal in an oven-safe skillet. When it is finished cooking, try broiling it in the oven for 5 minutes to get the top browned and crispy.
Enjoy these family dinner tips, and enjoy some fun dinners this week!