Family Meals spell S – U – C – C – E – S - S

Family Meals What does “family meal” mean to you?

Is there time for meals?

Are family meals important? How frequent are family meals?

2005 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse X: Teens and Parents % Teens Having Family Dinners 7X/Week

What happened to the family meal?  Conflicting schedules  Both parents working  Long work hours  Split shifts  Meetings  Sports practices  Music lessons  ↓ Cooking skills

How we eat today...

How about YOU? Reflect on your own experiences with family mealtime...  Share your best memories of family meals growing up  Describe “family meals” for you today

Do family meals matter? Academic performance Risk-taking behaviors Relationships Eating habits and weight

S – U – C – C – E – S - S  Smarter children…  Unlikely to smoke, drink, or take drugs…  Courteous and conversational…  Connected to family…and  Eating better! Because…at family meals  Sharing food and conversation  Strengthens families!!

S = Smarter Children ↑ language acquisition (C. Snow, Harvard Grad School of Education) ↑ vocabulary = better readers and students

2005 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse X: Teens and Parents % Teens Who Get A’s/B’s in School by Frequency of Family Dinners

Jeopardy’s Million Dollar Man – Ken Jennings

U = Unlikely to smoke…

2005 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse X: Teens and Parents Family Dinners and Teen Substance-Abuse Risk

What teens like to do with their parents Spend holidays together90% Go out to a nice restaurant86% Go on vacation79% Eat dinner at home79% Family parties68% Go to church, synagogue66% Watch TV66% Go out for fast food64% Teenage Research Unlimited, P. Zollo, 2004

C = Courteous and Conversational

C = Connected to Family

E = Eating Better ↑ fruits and vegetables ↑ grains ↑ calcium-rich foods ↑ protein ↑ iron ↑ fiber ↑ vitamins ↓ soft drinks Neumark-Sztainer, JADA (103), 2003

JADA. 104:1 Supplement 1. January 2004

Family Meals: Could they help prevent overweight?  Consistent mealtimes → food security  ↑ nutrient-dense foods, ↓ nutrient-poor foods  Parents role model healthy eating at meals  Prevent “disengaged” eating and promote “focused” eating, respond to hunger/satiety  Promote sense of belonging

S – U – C – C – E – S - S  Smarter children…  Unlikely to smoke, drink, or take drugs…  Courteous and conversational…  Connected to family…and  Eating better! Because…at family meals  Sharing food and conversation  Strengthens families!!

TV and Family Meals: Kaiser Family Foundation 1999 ( yrs old; yrs old) Is TV usually on during meals in your home? (% yes) Total sample58% 2-7 yrs47% 8-18 yrs65%

 TV during meals ↑ in households with ↓ incomes, less educated or single parents  Consumption of pizza, salty snacks and soda higher among families with TV on during 2 or more meals  Children from families with high TV use had 5% less of their energy intake from fruits and vegetables Coon et al. Pediatrics 2001:107 What difference does TV make?

Strategies for family meals: Make a priority Plan ahead Create positive atmosphere

Strategies for family meals: Make a priority

Community Support Reorganization of meetings and schedules to keep mealtimes open and available for families to be home and together. Create coalitions.

How can schools promote? Educate students Inform parents Promotion ideas Designate “no practice” during mealtimes Family style meals at school

FamilyTable.info

Strategies for family meals: Plan ahead

Strategies for family meals: Create positive atmosphere

Family Meals: Impossible Dream or Realistic Goal?

2005 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse X: Teens and Parents Family Dinners,

Family Mealtime Make it happen!

Family Meals spell S – U – C – C – E – S - S

This presentation on Family Mealtime was made possible by the Purdue University Center for Families’ Promoting Family Meals Project. For more information go to: