| You've heard the research. You know that establishing | | | | plan and prepare. |
| the habit of sitting down together for dinner as a family | | | | You'll also need to develop a file of quick and easy |
| is critical to building and maintaining healthy | | | | meal ideas. Busy work nights are not the time to try |
| communication with your children. But then you look at | | | | out that new gourmet recipe. Browse the internet for |
| your calendar and wonder how in the world you can | | | | quick and easy recipes or subscribe to one of the |
| make time to squeeze in a family dinner every night. | | | | many quick cooking magazines that are available on |
| First of all, as long as your family sits down together | | | | newsstands. There are also hundreds of books with |
| for dinner a majority of the time, it's not necessary to | | | | thousands of quick cooking recipes. Studies have |
| do it every single night. However, if you find yourself | | | | shown that most families eat the same 10 to 20 |
| unable to make time for a family dinner once or twice | | | | recipes on a cyclical basis. So, once you've established |
| a week, you may need to take a hard look at your | | | | 10 good, quick recipes that your family enjoys don't |
| family's schedule and see what activities can be | | | | worry too much about needing to serve something |
| eliminated or cut back. Once your calendar is clear and | | | | new every night. |
| you're ready to establish the habit of dining together, | | | | Occasionally, long hours at work or traffic tie ups might |
| you need some survival strategies in order to plan, | | | | mean that you simply can't cook a meal. Planning |
| prepare and clean up after family dinners. | | | | ahead for those events can help you avoid the |
| The easiest way to gather your family around the | | | | drive-thru trap. For example, keep a few high quality |
| dinner table is to involve them in meal planning and | | | | frozen pizzas and bagged salad greens for a quick |
| preparation. Children as young as three years old can | | | | meal. Or stop at the grocery store and pick up a |
| assist with menu planning. Young children can also help | | | | rotisserie chicken and some side dishes. Regardless of |
| tear lettuce for salads, set the table and other | | | | what you serve, be sure you eat your meal on real |
| non-dangerous tasks. Older children can help with | | | | plates with real silverware. If you call ahead, your |
| cutting up vegetables and cooking the meal. Children | | | | children can have the table set by the time you arrive |
| are far more likely to eat food they have helped to | | | | home. |