We’ve all seen the data on the benefits of family meals: They improve children’s self-esteem, decrease their likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors and decrease their mental and emotional stress. But there’s also a measurable benefit to regular family meals: They can boost children’s academic performance.
The proof is in the (family) pudding
According to a study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, regular family meals have a direct correlation with middle and high school student grade point averages.
A joint 15-year study of 65 families conducted by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Tulsa found that mealtime conversations can enhance language development, boosting reading scores and vocabulary – even more so than when parents read to their children.
Additionally, a series of studies conducted by Columbia University found a repeated connection between the frequency of family meals and academic performance among teens, with students who eat an average of five to seven meals with their family each week being considerably more likely to earn As and Bs in school.
And, in 2020, a Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior study found that family meals improve family functioning, with studies demonstrating a positive relationship between family meal frequency and measures of family functioning, namely connectedness, communication, expressiveness and problem-solving.
Redefining family meals
September marks 10 years of National Family Meals Month, an initiative started by FMI—The Food Industry Association and the FMI Foundation, which is supported by the USDA’s MyPlate initiative. The success of the program led to the creation of the Family Meals Movement, which encourages families to have meals together year-round. The movement also has a Bits and Bolts modular toolkit to help its food retailing members easily promote the initiative.
“No matter how you define family, sharing meals together helps set children up for success,” said David Fikes, executive director of the FMI Foundation. “The onset of school brings unintended stress and anxiety, but when adolescents share a family meal, they report feeling happier and more fulfilled, therefore less prone to burnout and distress.”
It’s also important to understand that, “the benefits of family meals are not exclusive to dinnertime,” Fikes adds.
“The critical ingredient is taking time to eat together in the same room, regardless of the time of day,” he explains. “The regular time together leads to the myriad benefits documented in the body of research and the benefits get amplified if the mealtime together is device- and distraction-free.”
Food retailers help make family mealtime possible
Food retailer members of FMI are doing their part this month to promote family meals and make family mealtime more feasible for their shoppers:
- Hy-Vee is encouraging family meals by hosting cooking classes for kids and families, posting daily and weekly recipes on social media and allowing children to eat free at its Market Grille in-store restaurant.
- Associated Wholesale Grocers is celebrating National Family Meals Month by publishing educational recipe videos, blogposts and infographics on its four AWG Brands’ social media pages and websites throughout the month – all of which can be customized by AWG member retailers for sharing via their own digital and in-store platforms. (The retailer was previously awarded an FMI Gold Plate Award for its efforts to promote family meals).
- Tops Friendly Markets reveals a family-friendly mealtime activity as part of its “Family Meals Month Bingo” every Monday, Wednesday and Friday this month. Activities include having breakfast for dinner, dressing up for dinner and having a device-free dinner.
“One benefit of the (Family Meals) program is that it encourages grocery stores to implement initiatives to help families that would like to eat more meals together,” wrote FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin in an op-ed piece for Progressive Grocer earlier this year. “For example, time-strapped shoppers can rely on their grocers’ foodservice departments to help them prepare ‘hybrid’ meals that combine families’ home-cooked favorites with semi- or fully prepared nutritious items from the grocery store, be it grab-and-go side dishes, quick-cooking whole grains, fresh fruits or frozen vegetables. … The food industry is working hard to make sure customers have meal planning options that support the health and well-being goals of even the busiest families.”
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