You can make family meal plans happen! You have choices.

I admit our family has its seasons of getting too busy to make family meals a priority. It was much easier when my husband worked from home, and we were able to eat all three meals together. At the very least our family shared 2 meals per day. I understand this isn’t the norm for most family. It was fun while it lasted for our family, but we had to make some decisions or should I say make a list of priorities once my husband went back into the workforce.

Before my husband and I got married, we decided that it was important to both of us to eat together as a family during the evenings. In the beginning when we had babies and toddlers it wasn’t an issue.

But as the children grew older….soccer, football, church, and many other extra-curricular activities came into the picture. Before we knew it, our week nights together were scarce. 

We wanted to make family meals a priority again. We had to make changes and choose not to partake in every activity under the sun. It really is so silly to me why we insist our children need to participate in all these activities that are far less important than our own family values. 

Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in extra-curricular activities, and support them to a certain extent, but I don’t believe any family needs to sacrifice their family time every single night of the week for them either.

We all have chooses we must make.

And it’s not always easy. I have been issued the mean mommy card on several occasions, but I believe my 6 children will thank me later one when they have families of their own.

Family Meals in our home is a priority. Before we commit to any outside activity that meets during our designated supper time, we must evaluate the situation and determine the effect on our entire family.

Like I mentioned before, we often get off track and get sucked into the business of life, but we have to make a conscious effort the next season.

7 Reason Why Family Meal Time Needs to Happen 

• Develops family unity and builds family trust among one another
• Instills family traditions by sharing different meals during certain times of the year
• Creates self-confidence by allowing children to share their own opinions in a safe environment
• Healthy food habits are developed by providing home cooked meals
• Encourages children to try new foods
• Teaches table manners and proper etiquette that is overlooked today
• Saves money by eating at home

Research suggests that having dinner together as a family at least four times a week has positive effects on child development. Family dinners have been linked to a lower risk of obesity, substance abuse, eating disorders, and an increased chance of graduating from high school.

Our family goal is to try to eat at least 5 meals per week together. That doesn’t always happens, but we do try our best.

If this is all new to your family, I want to encourage you to try to make plans at least 1 meal per week and as time progresses, increase the family meal times.

It’s not just going to happen, you must make changes and sacrifices.

It will be worth in it the end…soon our babies will have families of their own. And we will be eating TV dinners with our husbands while watching some dumb reality show.

Time is precious and so is your family. Busyness is just one way Satan uses to cause division in our families today!

Don’t let Satan win!

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