FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING BODY AND SOULFEEDING BODY AND SOUL

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING BODY AND SOULFEEDING BODY AND SOUL

What do you think?What do you think?What do you think?What do you think?

Family Meals can…• Improve family eating habits• Develop family traditions• Strengthen family traditions• Develop cooking skills• Prevent children from taking drugs • Prevent children from starting to smoke

Objectives:Objectives:Objectives:Objectives:

Participants will:• Understand the benefits of eating together as

identified in current research.• Plan to use family mealtimes as a way to

strengthen the family.• Understand the components of planning and be

able to plan a nutritious meal• Be able to identify strategies to incorporate

family meals into busy lifestyles.

Are families eating together?Are families eating together?Are families eating together?Are families eating together?

• Studies show 40-43% of families eat most meals together.

• Most families place a high importance on family meals.

Barriers to family mealsBarriers to family mealsBarriers to family mealsBarriers to family meals

•Conflicting schedules•Age of children•Two worker families•Working mother

•Second job•Shift work•Working late•Teen jobs

What does research tell us about What does research tell us about the benefits of family meals?the benefits of family meals?What does research tell us about What does research tell us about the benefits of family meals?the benefits of family meals?

Improving family eating habitsImproving family eating habitsImproving family eating habitsImproving family eating habits

• More fruits, vegetables and grains• Less fried foods• Less soda• Less saturated fats• Less trans fats• More fiber and calcium• More macronutrients

Developing cooking skillsDeveloping cooking skillsDeveloping cooking skillsDeveloping cooking skills

• Greater confidence in meal preparation• More cooking skills• Healthier food choices

Promoting Social skills and Promoting Social skills and family belongingfamily belongingPromoting Social skills and Promoting Social skills and family belongingfamily belonging

• Parents teach table manners and social skills

• Family values• Sense of community• Family rituals• Family traditions• Parents as role models

Staying connectedStaying connectedStaying connectedStaying connected

Family meals allow parents to stay involved with their children’s lives, friends and activities.

Avoiding substance abuseAvoiding substance abuseAvoiding substance abuseAvoiding substance abuse

Children who ate with adult family members at least 5 times a week are less likely to use drugs than adolescents who ate with parents only 3 times a week.

The more often a teen eats dinner with his or her family, the less likely that teen is to:

• Smoke• Drink• Use illegal drugs

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING THE SOULFEEDING THE SOUL

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING THE SOULFEEDING THE SOUL

“The dinner table is not only a place of sustenance and family business, but also a place for the teaching and passing on of our values.”

-Dr. Kevin Ryan

Center of Advancement of Ethics and Character

Strong families have routinesStrong families have routinesStrong families have routinesStrong families have routines

• rou·tine n. 1. A prescribed and detailed course of action to be followed regularly; standard procedure. 2. A set of customary and often mechanically performed procedures or activities.

(The American Heritage Dictionary)

Enriching family lifeEnriching family lifeEnriching family lifeEnriching family life

• Relating: communicating, caring, problem solving, time alone and together balance

• Changing: adapting to stages, crisis or events

More on Enriching…More on Enriching…More on Enriching…More on Enriching…

• Healing: acts of forgiveness and recovery from loss

• Believing: affirming family values, faith, life experiences

• Celebrating: special events, holidays, accomplishments

Feeding the soulFeeding the soulFeeding the soulFeeding the soul

• Reconnect after a busy day• Carry on a conversation and expand vocabulary• Provide feelings of safety and security• Share in chores and responsibilities• Teach thankfulness• Teach manners and social graces• Improve eating habits

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING THE BODYFEEDING THE BODY

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING THE BODYFEEDING THE BODY

http://www. MyPyramid.gov

Starting with the basics…Starting with the basics…Starting with the basics…Starting with the basics…

Web site: www.MyPyramid.gov

Building-a-breakfast PyramidBuilding-a-breakfast PyramidBuilding-a-breakfast PyramidBuilding-a-breakfast Pyramid

•Hard cooked egg•Milk•Orange•Whole grain cereal

•Peanut butter•Low-fat yogurt parfait with granola and fruit•Whole grain bread

Building-a-lunch…Building-a-lunch…Building-a-lunch…Building-a-lunch…

•Mayonnaise, mustard to taste•Ham slice•Swiss cheese•Kiwi slices•Carrot sticks•2 pieces of whole wheat bread

•Reduced fat ranch dressing •Turkey•Glass of low-fat milk•Low-fat cheese•Side of fruit•Tomatoes, lettuce, tortilla wrap

Building-a-dinner…Building-a-dinner…Building-a-dinner…Building-a-dinner…

Key Food Groups 1600 calories 2000 calories

Grains 5 ounces (3) 6 ounces (3)

Vegetables 2 cups 2.5 cups

Fruits 1 ½ cups 2 cups

Oils 5 teaspoons 6 teaspoons

Dairy 3 cups 3 cups

Lean Meat/Beans 5 ounces 5.5 ounces

Eating out?Eating out?Eating out?Eating out?

You can still build a healthy meal when eating out…by choosing carefully.

It is easy to overeat and occasionally one can choose less healthy foods.

Incorporating snacksIncorporating snacksIncorporating snacksIncorporating snacks

Healthy snacking is important to plan too!

Purchase healthy foods to snack on and have them ready to eat.

Portion distortionPortion distortionPortion distortionPortion distortion

Just because we are eating healthy, doesn’t mean we can eat all we want.

Portions add up!

Did you know that restaurant portions are often 2 or 3 times the recommended serving!

Portion recommendations:Portion recommendations:Portion recommendations:Portion recommendations:

8 ounces3 ounces

1 cup1/2 cup

1 tablespoon

-West Virginia Universtiy, “Dining with Diabetes”

Making home recipes Making home recipes healthierhealthierMaking home recipes Making home recipes healthierhealthier

• Reduce sugar by 1/3rd

• Reduce fats by 1/3rd

• Change solid fats to oils whenever possible

• Use whole grain flours or substitute part whole grain flour for regular flour

• Make substitutions when possible

STRONG BODY AND SOULSTRONG BODY AND SOULYOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN~YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN~

STRONG BODY AND SOULSTRONG BODY AND SOULYOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN~YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN~

Parents as role modelsParents as role modelsParents as role modelsParents as role models

• Meal time practices• A “do as I say” parenting style is not

as effective as a “do as I do” style.

More about parents as More about parents as role models role models More about parents as More about parents as role models role models

Meal Time Practices • Quantities of food• Types of food

• Milk • Fruits and vegetables• Snacks

• Social skills• Food preparation skills• Manners

Your personal picnic basket promiseYour personal picnic basket promiseYour personal picnic basket promiseYour personal picnic basket promise

Make family mealtimes a priority

StrategiesStrategiesStrategiesStrategies

• Set habits when children are young.• Get rid of distractions.

• Television• Computer• Telephone • Newspapers, magazines, mail

StrategiesStrategiesStrategiesStrategies

• Encourage pleasant mealtime conversations.

• Conversation jar or cards• Placemats

• Involve family members in meal planning, preparation and cleanup.

Eating togetherEating togetherEating togetherEating together

• At least five meals a week

May be any meal• Eating away from home

• Relative’s or friend’s home• Restaurant• Car• Picnic at sports practice or event

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING BODY AND SOULFEEDING BODY AND SOUL

FAMILY MEALS:FAMILY MEALS:FEEDING BODY AND SOULFEEDING BODY AND SOUL

You can makeit happen!

CreditsCreditsCreditsCredits

• Pat Brinkman, Extension Educator, Fayette County• Shari Gallup, Extension Educator, Licking County• Linnette Goard, Extension Educator, Lorain County• Melinda Hill, Extension Educator, Wayne County• Cindy Oliveri, Extension Educator, Regional Office• Cheryle Jones Syracuse, Extension Educator, Ashtabula

County

OSU Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, age, gender identity or expression, disability, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or veteran status.

Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director, OSU Extension TDD No.800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868.