August/September 2024 Issue
Family Meals: From a Month to a Movement
By Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 26 No. 7 P. 16
Encouraging Healthful Eating Year-Round, Together
September is National Family Meals Month, an initiative of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Foundation celebrating its 10th year in 2024. The FMI Foundation provides tools, ideas, and guidance for promoting the benefits of family meals, no matter how family is defined. In its 10th year, the FMI Foundation is celebrating with new research, new materials, and a collaboration with the USDA that showcases the connection between the MyPlate initiative and family meals. This article provides a brief overview of research around the definition and benefits of family meals, connects the dots between family meals and MyPlate, highlights new aspects of this year’s National Family Meals Month, and closes with guidance for dietetics professionals.
What Are Family Meals?
A family meal can look different from household to household. For some families, mealtime means parents and children sitting down and eating at the table. Others enjoy their meal together with loved ones in the car or at the ballfield. Roommates and friends may define family as their circle of friends.
Ongoing research shows that family meals share common characteristics. A team at the University of Minnesota is exploring the characteristics of family meals to come up with a working definition for this term. In one study of low-income, racially diverse, and ethnically diverse households, parents described family meal characteristics as homemade, prepared by the caregivers, eaten at home at a table or counter with most of the nuclear family gathered, having a conversation, and enjoying a pleasant atmosphere.1
“Whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, coming together to eat with others counts as a family meal—however one identifies family,” explains David Fikes, executive director at FMI Foundation. “We know that families form in many ways, such as with significant others, other related or nonrelated adults in the household, children, and even pets.”
Family Meals Have Broad Benefits
According to the growing body of research highlighted by the FMI Foundation, family meals nourish the spirit, brain, and health of all family members. Regular family meals are linked to higher grades and self-esteem and delayed sexual activity. Children who grow up sharing family meals are more likely to exhibit prosocial behavior as adults, such as sharing, fairness, and respect. Family meals lessen the likelihood of various adolescent attitudes and behaviors, including symptoms of violence, depression, and suicide; use or abuse of drugs; running away; and engagement in risky behavior or delinquent acts. Adults and children who eat at home more regularly are less likely to suffer from obesity.2 Also, increased family meals are associated with greater intake of fruits and vegetables, one of the key features of USDA’s MyPlate.
Studies from around the world support family meal benefits. A recent systematic umbrella review of family meals summarizes the multiple benefits of family mealtime.3 The review concludes that families with children or adolescents who eat together at least a few days a week have a more positive mealtime environment, more positive attitudes toward family meals, and more family time in general. Benefits to children and adolescents include protection against a poor diet, obesity, risky behavior, poor mental health, and poor academic outcomes. In Sweden, family meals were positively associated with improved mental health and well-being, fewer health complaints, and reduced school-related pressure. Family breakfast was particularly beneficial.4
A US study looking at factors associated with daily fruit and vegetable consumption in young children observed that children who ate a daily family meal were more likely to eat fruit regularly.5 A study conducted in the US, Italy, and Germany looking at the relationship between family meals and emotional well-being found an association between having family meals or shared meals more often and fewer symptoms related to depression, more connectedness, and higher levels of happiness in adults.6 Longer duration of family meals also appears to improve diet quality and eating behavior in children.7
Fikes calls attention to the findings of a systematic review and a meta-analysis of relevant and appropriate peer-reviewed articles on family meals.8 “Family meals improve fruit and vegetable consumption—overwhelmingly, studies showed a positive relationship between family meal frequency and fruit and vegetable intake when examined separately, but also when fruit and vegetable intake were combined. In addition, family meals improve family functioning—nearly all the studies included in the systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between family meal frequency and measures of family functioning, namely connectedness, communication, expressiveness, and problem-solving.”
He adds that “In the past year, the FMI Foundation released a comprehensive repository of research featuring thousands of studies over the last 35 years that showcase the many benefits of family meals.” Fikes says, “This expansive library of supporting evidence is the cornerstone of the campaign centered on promoting family meals as an established way to enhance physical health, mental health, and social well-being.”
MyPlate and Family Meals Guidance
Over the past several years, the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) has reactivated its MyPlate National Strategic Partners program. Partners include various national organizations and companies, including FMI. Partners are committed to promoting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans through MyPlate, USDA’s leading tool for making the Dietary Guidelines actionable for consumers. Through collaboration and networking, partners promote nutrition content on and through MyPlate as a path toward fostering a healthier nation.
CNPP and FMI strengthened their partnership in 2023 by jointly creating resources that spotlight the year-round FMI Foundation Family Meals Movement initiative and the MyPlate logo. The cobranded infographics are available during this year’s National Family Meals Month.
“The congruences between the Family Meals Movement and MyPlate have long been recognized,” says Tabitha Benefield, manager of nutrition, health, and well-being at FMI. “The USDA’s Dr Caree Cotwright is driving the mission to ‘make MyPlate a household brand’ while guaranteeing access to healthful, safe, and affordable foods.”
A new FMI infographic, released May 2024, illustrates how food and nutrition connect with health and well-being, providing a visual interpretation of MyPlate, echoing fundamentals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and offering guidance on label reading. In addition, a small working group of National Strategic Partners, including FMI, will be collaborating on a month-by-month calendar of events and celebrations to help extend healthful meals and MyPlate messaging year-round in support of the Family Meals Movement.
What Else Is New in 2024?
“National research reveals the more consumers know about the benefits of family meals, the more likely they are to enjoy family meals more often,” Fikes says. “However, while 60% of adults surveyed indicate they’re more likely to share family meals when they hear about the benefits, work still needs to be done. According to the FMI Foundation’s April 2024 “Staying Strong with Family Meals” Barometer, only about half of consumers surveyed know about the physical and mental benefits of family meals, and about one-third are aware of the social benefits or the family meals campaign overall.”
Fikes is excited about the numerous activities geared toward improving consumer awareness during this 10th anniversary year, including a comprehensive earned media campaign aimed at increasing the reach and frequency of messages related to the benefits of family meals; a new toolkit for FMI partners and dietetics professionals to create customized, individualized Family Meals promotional support; trade advertising; and a new partnership with the National Federation of Families, a national family-run organization linking more than 120 affiliates and partners focused on the issues of families whose children experience mental health and/or substance use challenges during their lifetime.
Supporting Family Meals Strategies
“National Family Meals Month and the Family Meals Movement empower dietetics professionals with a nonthreatening, accessible way to talk about the Dietary Guidelines through MyPlate while inspiring consumers to have more meals together at home,” Fikes says.
Dietetics professionals can help clients by encouraging family meals. “Sharing food with others supports people of all ages,” says Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, an author and nutrition communications specialist. “It can help older adults feel connected and less lonely. It can help parents get closer to their children in an atmosphere for relaxing conversations. The MyPlate tool is a great visual reminder of a balanced plate with half vegetables and/or fruit, about a quarter grains, and another quarter protein. In addition, you can add a serving of low-fat or nonfat dairy.”
Setting a nice table or planning a family mealtime doesn’t have to be reserved for the holidays. Creating a simple space that’s relaxing and unplugged can help support family meals. Ensuring that the time and space allow for a stress-free zone makes sure it can be enjoyed by everyone in the household.
Fikes concludes that “the RD community has been one of the greatest allies and proponents of the family meals movement. RDs recognize that encouraging family meals is a great way to improve nutrition and health.”
— Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN, is a food and nutrition communicator based in metro New York.
References
1. Daragan C, Tate AD, Trofholz AC, Berge JM. Exploration of parent-reported family meal dinner characteristics to inform a definition of family meals. Appetite. 2023;184:106480.
2. Supporting research. FMI website. https://www.fmi.org/family-meals/our-mission/supporting-research
3. Snuggs S, Harvey K. Family mealtimes: a systematic umbrella review of characteristics, correlates, outcomes and interventions. Nutrients. 2023;15(13):2841.
4. Jonsson KR, Bailey CK, Corell M, Löfstedt P, Adjei NK. Associations between dietary behaviours and the mental and physical well-being of Swedish adolescents. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2024;18(1):43.
5. Noiman A, Lee SH, Marks KJ, Grap ME, Dooyema C, Hamner HC. Factors associated with daily fruit and vegetable intakes among children aged 1-5 years in the United States. Nutrients. 2024;16(5):751.
6. Berge JM, Doherty WJ, Klemenhagen KC, Hersch D, Mendenhall TJ, Danner C. A descriptive examination of international family/shared meals: prevalence, meal types, media at meals, and emotional well-being [published online March 7, 2024]. Fam Syst Health. doi: 10.1037/fsh0000874.
7. Dallacker M, Knobl V, Hertwig R, Mata J. Effect of longer family meals on children’s fruit and vegetable intake. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(4):e236331.
8. Robson SM, McCullough MB, Rex S, Munafò MR, Taylor G. Family meal frequency, diet, and family functioning: a systematic review with meta-analyses. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2020;52(5):553-564.