C FAMILY MEAL TIME The Table

Family Roles What tasks are required of you each day? What tasks are required of your family members each day? What roles do each of you play each day at home, work and school?

Benefits of Family Meal Time 1. Communication – provides a time for families to bond, plan, connect and learn from one another Share information and news of the day Give extra attention to young children Family meals foster warmth, security and love as well create a feeling of belonging. 2. Model Manners – time for parents and older siblings to display appropriate manners meal etiquette and social skills. Keep the mood light, relaxed and loving Do not instruct or criticize (don’t talk about bad grades or behavior or anything negative at the table)

Benefits of Family Meal Time 3. Expand Your World…One Food at a time – Try new foods, Introduce new foods as well as family favorites. It take 8-10 exposures to a new food before it is accepted so be patient with small children. Try foods from other cultures Have themed dinner nights Select vegetables from a local farmer’s market 4. Nourish – Meals prepared and eaten at home are usually more nutritious and healthy. Home cooked meals are usually not fried and contain more fruits and vegetables.

Benefits of Family Meal Time 5. Become Self-Sufficient – 21 st century children do not know how to plan and prepare meals. Preparing meals as a family helps to prepare them for the world after they leave home. Each family member can help no matter the age: Preschools can tear lettuce, cut bananas and set the table, older children can pour milk, peel vegetables and mix batter. Teens can dice, chop, bake and grill. Everyone working as a team will make it happen faster. 6. Prevent Destructive Behavior – Frequent family dinners (5 or more a week), are associated with lower rates of smoking, drinking, and illegal drug use in teens when compared to families that eat together two or fewer times per week. Even with busy schedules it is important to make time to family meals

Benefits of Family Meal Time 7. Improved Grades – Children have better grades in school when they eat more meals with their parents and family. Four or more family meals per week with family have a high performance level at school. 52% of children are mostly “A/B” students when their families eat dinner together up to twice a week 8. Save Money – Meals purchased away from home cost two to four time more than meals prepared at home. The restaurant industry share in the total food dollar is 46% This is due to scheduling, commitments, activities and families eating out several times a week.

Statistics Families who sit down to a meal feel less busy even with a busy schedule Teens who have family meals report… Closer relationships to parents & siblings The ability to resist peer pressure Resilience in the face of life’s problems 19% less tension between them and parents compared to 7% (3 or more meals/week) Better achievement and behavior at school

Tips for Making Meal Time Easy Making a schedule and setting expectations keeps everyone on tract and eases tension. Have everyone help make the family meal possible. It doesn’t have to be complicated (rotisserie chicken, can of green peas and frozen mashed potatoes) Conversation starters that are positive Creating a fun and welcoming environment (setting the table, themes) Include everyone in planning no matter their age Don’t see it as a task but as a fun event/activity for your family

the Table The leisurely family meal, a staple for countless generations of Americans, has been taken off the table by the cold realities of 21st Century lifestyles. Parents juggle long work days, daily commutes, their children’s after-school activities, and endless demands of running a household. There just isn’t time. But, families that eat meals together reap long-term benefits that feed the body, mind, and spirit. And that’s why Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is launching a national campaign – the Table – by asking its 200,000 members to take a pledge to plan and prepare healthy meals for their families. We have a big goal: 70,000 meals before the 2015 National Leadership Conference, where states with the greatest percentage of meals prepared and shared will be recognized.

the Table Taking the pledge go to the FCCLA website “What’s Next?” Click Here Take the Pledge

Your project Complete the planning process form Student evaluation form for each recipe prepared Estimated cost for each ingredient Estimated total cost of each recipe Include the copies of recipes prepared Pictures of your actual meal Family Feedback form (completed by all family members who eat the meal)

Before You Leave Today Write a paragraph to describe the relationship of your roles as a student and your other roles as a family member. Reflect on your family’s dining habits and how your dinning habits are affected by your roles.