Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
WE’VE SPOKEN ABOUT how important it is for people to sit down and eat as a family.
Benefits of breaking bread together include these…
We’ve even spoken to psychologist David Coleman who gave us some top tips on getting the whole family eating together.
But the best experts and tipsters are all you family-oriented folks out there.
So we want you to tell us your top tips on getting the family involved in mealtimes. Share your wisdom in the comments.
For further inspiration, read on…
One of the ways that can make dinner time more fun and people more engaged in the meal is by cooking together. Obviously it isn’t always practical when you’re rushing to get dinner on the table after a long, hard day, but for more relaxed days including the kids in the making of the meal can be a great way to ramp up the joy of the experience.
Here are some easy-to-make recipes that the kids can get involved in, that make delicious meals with a minimum of fuss.
This is a really easy way to get a snack on the table and having bowls of lettuce, salsa, cheese and beans on the table and letting the kids assemble their own makes it even easier. Recipe is here.
Soup is soup-er (yup, no shame) easy to make and this recipe is perfect with a cheese sandwich – toasted or not. Great to make in advance and have ready to heat up after school. Here’s the recipe.
Go home!!! Your boss might think your brilliant working till 8-9 or even 10pm but it’s not worth it in the long run health and family wise
yeah . it’s not like the boss will keep you on if they have to loose staff or close down. you’re just a number when in employment.
Simple: turn off the TV at mealtimes or eat in the kitchen and not the sitting room.
No phones or tablets at the dinner table.
My telephone is anchored to the wall and my tablets are in the medicine cabinet.
No tv, no wifi, no mobile devices – for a start. Everybody eats the same meal, nobody leaves the table until we’re finished. If we’re finished early then we talk to one another. Even if we all don’t make it to the table at the same time (if someone is working) then everybody else still eats together. It is that simple.
We always always eat together unless someone is working…never made special meals for anyone (surprising how people came to like previous dislikes!)…no telly…oh and no telly in bedrooms either!
Looks liked I would have had malnutrition in your house.
I’m lucky my mother did me separate meals.
*my mother had malnutrition growing up due to being a picky eater.
With teenagers there has to be a No phones at the table . Also they need to help with preparations and clean up.
My 6 and 3 year olds usually compete with each other when setting the plates and cutlery…I hope they continue to do so into their teen years.
We always share 1 childhood experience (good or bad) of our own with kids at dinner time and wait for everyone to finish before getting up.
I tell them to sit down, shut up, and eat this crap. If they are hungry enough, following physical activity, there is no problem whatever. Articles like this annoy me.
Don’t forget the wooden spoon.
Isn’t there a word for people that willingly expose themselves to things that annoy them?
Masochist?
Yes, a few words actually. However, ‘narky oul’ shite’ will suffice. Give me patience.
Bad day today Sheik? you were annoyed on other threads. Relax, it will pass.
Once a week is enough for us for sit down family meal. The kids are generally hungry straight after school. The husband can finish work any time between 5 and 7.
Everyone in the house has their own tastes so sometimes I cook 3 different meals at the same time. My husband can’t eat red meat or anything with cream, my one son doesn’t like things spicy (like me), my one son also turned vegetarian for a while (that phase is over), my one son and daughter are the only people in the family who like fish and prawns.
So meal times are organised chaos.
As a picky eater as a child I didn’t agree with forcing a child to eat a food they don’t like. I am very happy to feed them what I know they will eat be it a stir fry, roast, curry, pasta and so on.
Finally Lily, a realistic response. All the others were written whilst wearing rose-tinted glasses.
I grew up in a ‘eat when you are hungry’ house. No set in stone mealtimes. It was more of a relaxed environment that way. Dad often worked till late at night on a car engine (he wouldn’t leave it till it was fixed) and would have his dinner reheated in the microwave.
I have been to extended family sit down meals and they are awkward. Expectations for kids to clean their plates, bribery with desserts, no elbows on table, kids getting bored, parents getting irritated. More hassle than its worth sometimes. ..
No breakfast or lunch does the job!
Everyone helps in some way prepare, cook and clean. No media interference in family and social conversation
Hunger is a great sauce. There weren’t too many picky eaters when food was scarce. I understand some people have aversions to certain foods but with kids sometimes give them an inch and they’ll take a mile. They eat what’s for the dinner in our house and if they don’t like certain things in it e.g. Mushrooms, they can pick them out. A little bit of everything.
Spare the rod, spoil the child
Feed them .
Fresh cod and chips gets them all to the table
No trick required. Both our kids have done it since day one. All breakfasts and dinners are at the table with tv off. Its nice.
have your say