Moments at the dinner table bring lasting memories, new friends, and lots of love. In my opinion, taking the time to really enjoy a meal with the people you’re with leads to a much happier life. Now that it’s the holiday season, old friends, new friends, and loved ones will gather around food.
Sharing food with others means so much more than what’s on the table – it’s about who’s at the table. Food brings us together in a very powerful way.
STAY PRESENT AND CONNECTED
Food brings us together at the dinner table and gives us the opportunity to share what’s on our mind and talk about what happened throughout our day. Being mindful and present while we eat brings both mental and physical benefits. When we aren’t distracted while eating we tend to control how much we eat, making time around the table part of a healthy lifestyle. Multitasking – like eating lunch at your desk, or having dinner while the game’s on TV – can prompt us to eat more, leading to eventual weight gain. Stay connected with those around you, and in tune with how your body is feeling.
ENJOY QUALITY FAMILY TIME
Growing up, our conversations around the dinner table were essentially all over the place. My dad would talk to us about his ideas for the landscaping of our house, and us girls (my mom, my sister, and myself) would talk about clothes, makeup and purses! The dinner table was a place where we could all come together no matter what our busy lives presented us with. We didn’t eat together every single night – we all had different schedules – but when we did, it was something we all really enjoyed that brought us together as a family. Today, my husband and I have established the tradition of eating together at the table every night for dinner. We turn off the TV and we enjoy whatever we’ve cooked up for that evening. Sometimes dinner doesn’t turn up as yummy as we’d hoped and sometimes we’re pressed for time, but sharing that moment together at the end of the day is the perfect way for us to wind down and reconnect. It’s something we both look forward to every night and at times when our schedules don’t permit for us to eat together, we miss it a lot.
CREATE MEMORIES AND KEEP TRADITIONS
Memories are created and remembered every time you gather ’round for some great food. I’ll never forget the time my grandfather ate so much everyone thought he might explode. I’ll also never forget the times my grandma spent hours in the kitchen cooking up my favorite meal, the cute table decorations my mother-in-law set up, or my mom’s lemon cake that I look forward to every time. At the dinner table you’ll share stories that have been shared time and time again. Keep the tradition alive and keep the memories coming.
Blogger, social media consultant, optimist. Inspiring others to live the leisureist lifestyle trifecta: food, wine, and quality time.
