10 Reasons to Have Family Meals More Often

By simplesahm | April 14, 2009

When was the last time your family had a meal together?

I don't mean sitting in the car munching on burgers from the drive-through. I mean sitting down at the table and sharing a home-cooked meal. If you can't remember when you last enjoyed a family dinner, make plans to have them more often.

Experts have found - and continue to discover - plenty of benefits for both children and adults when families have dinner together at least three times a week. I know...I know, it's not always easy, so click here if you need help with meal planning and grocery shopping.

Here are 10 reasons why you should have family meals more often:

Good For The Body

1. When families eat together, everyone tends to eat healthier. People who have frequent family meals consume more calcium, fiber, iron, and vitamins B6, B12, C and E. It could be because home-cooked meals are healthier than fast food and restaurant meals. (Source: Archives of Family Medicine)

2. Children tend to eat more fruits and vegetables when they frequently have dinner with their families. They also tend to eat fewer snack foods. (Source: American Dietetic Association)

3. Children in families who eat dinner together are less likely to be overweight (Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine). This makes sense, given the findings in #1 and #2 above.

Good For The Brain

4. Children from families who eat meals together get better grades than their peers who don't have lots of family meal times (Source: Lou Harris-Reader's Digest National Poll). So family dinners are not only good for the body; they're also good for the brain.

5. When families eat together frequently, children have better language skills compared to kids from families who don't have family mealtimes often. (Source: Harvard University) Good For Emotional Health 6. Children of families who eat together report feeling happier and are more optimistic about the future, than their peers who have infrequent family meals. (Source: Lou Harris- Reader's Digest National Poll)

7. Teenagers are less likely to use drugs, smoke, and drink alcoholic drinks, when their families eat together regularly. (Source: Columbia University)

8. It may come as a surprise, but among Moms who work outside the home, those who have family mealtimes reported feeling less stress than those who had family dinners less often. (Source: Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal)

9. The more often teen girls had meals with their families, the less likely they were to have symptoms of depression and suicidal behaviors. (Source: University of Minnesota)

Good For Family Bonding

10. Eating together gives family members the chance to communicate and build relationships, something that both adults and children appreciate very much. (Source: Nutrition Education Network of Washington & Oprah Winfrey's "Family Dinner Experiment") I hope these reasons motivate you and your family to try and eat together more often. We're all busy - even children have plenty of after-school activities.

But as the list above shows, family meals are worth every effort we put into them. It helps to plan ahead so that we're not scrambling to get dinner ready or panicking because we don't have all the ingredients we need.

To make it easier to get the family around the table with a home-cooked meal, check out Dine Without Whine's menu planning service. It cost just a penny to try it out!

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Drop the Weight with Pre-Planned Meals

By simplesahm | January 28, 2009

We all spend a great deal of time planning the major events in our lives such as weddings and graduations, so why not plan out meals to lose weight. We all see commercials on television for companies that will deliver ready made meals to your door, but are they worth it? Advertising on television reveals that some of these pre-made meal plans cost about $70 (or more!) a week. Fine print also reveals that necessary staples such as milk, cereal, not to mention coffee and the like are not included. This can surely add up, especially if you still have a family to feed. So what is the best and most affordable way to lose weight fast?

Having a plan of attack when visiting the grocery store is a great way to plan a smart and affordable menu to help you lose weight. It is recommended that you load up on fruits and vegetables that you commonly cook with. When you get home from the store, wash and cut them so that they are ready to use and convenient to cook with and snack on.

Next make your own pre-planned meals by doubling up on recipes. Freezing the left-overs in individual containers makes for a quick and easy, not to mention pre-portioned meal for in the future. Following this step will cut back on the time that is spent preparing meals and money in the long run.

Finally, by taking the time to make your own pre-planned meals to lose weight, you know that you are getting fresh food that does not contain any preservatives. Most programs that offer pre-planned meals do not require refrigeration of their food. That leads one to wonder about all the additives and preservatives that are added to keep the food fresh. Also, preparing your own meals ensures that there is no added ingredients that you dislike or allergic to.

Susan Patterson has been studying alternative medicine and health for over 10 years. She loves to write to help others, especially in the area of quick weight loss which can be accomplished safely. She has found several herbal remedies to be effective in her journey to better health without the side effects that medications cause. She is particularly passionate about hoodia for weight loss.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Patterson

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Topics: Meal Planning Articles | 1 Comment »

Over Stuffed? 10 Great Leftover Turkey & Stuffing Recipes

By simplesahm | December 2, 2008

I am crazy about Thanksgiving & Christmas Day leftovers. I am not sure why, but sometimes I think the turkey & stuffing actually tastes better the next day (plus, I am a huge fan of fresh turkey & swiss sandwiches).

This year, we have an abundance of leftovers and I thought I would stretch the leftovers with some creative leftover stuffing & turkey recipes. I tried the first one last night and it was fabulous!

If you are "over-stuffed" check out these leftover turkey & stuffing recipes.