Taking time to enjoy a family meal gets trickier everyday. All the demands on time make it easy to grab whatever is available, but research continues to demonstrate the family meals promote healthy eating habits.

Children model the behaviors of their parents, so mealtime is a good time to show your children how important it is to make and enjoy, healthy choices. Family meals also are an opportunity to introduce children to new foods, develop a meal pattern and share family time, which is important to healthy self –esteem.

Involving kids in meal planning and preparation gives them ownership and increases their interest in trying new foods. Allowing kids to plan one meal a week or aid in preparing ingredients are hands on ways to help children get more comfortable with a variety of foods. Establishing a set mealtime helps kids learn to control hunger and to eat until there are satisfied, rather than overeating. If time is an issue, make the meal simple; just take some time for a family meal.