SPOTLIGHT ON FAMILY MEALS

Collaboration with St-Méthode Bakery

While food has a nutritive purpose, it also plays a social role by giving people opportunities to get together. Eating meals together as a family allows food to fill these two functions and has several other advantages.

Sharing homemade meals provides multiple health benefits. First, in preparing their own food, people generally tend to use less salt, fat, and sugar than the amounts found in highly processed products. Next, studies show that children who have meals with their family eat more fruits and vegetables and have better diets. Studies have even shown that the frequency of family meals is correlated with a lower risk of eating disorders (like anorexia and bulimia), alcohol dependence and substance abuse, and depression. Eating together as a family on a more frequent basis is also linked to greater self-esteem in children and teens.

As for food’s social role, family meals are great opportunities to communicate, get closer to one another, explore new foods, develop healthy eating habits, and pass along family culinary traditions.

Bread—both nutritious and unifying—best exemplifies these two aspects of food. The breads in Saint-Méthode’s Campagnolo range, made with olive oil, are perfect for sharing at family meals. For example, the 100% Whole Wheat Loaf, with 8 g of protein and 5 g of fibre, is the ideal choice for a satisfying meal, with a taste that will please the entire family.

In today’s world, it isn’t always easy to eat meals with the whole family, given everyone’s varied schedules and lack of time. Meal planning can greatly help maximize the number of occasions to sit down for a meal together as a family. You should not hesitate to get everyone involved in preparing these meals. For example, you can assign different tasks to various family members: finding recipes, shopping for groceries, cooking, setting the table, washing the dishes, etc. The most important thing: family meals shouldn’t be seen as a chore but rather as moments of joy and sharing. Also, you shouldn’t feel pressured to provide perfect meals every evening. A loaf of bread, hummus, raw veggies, boiled eggs, and some cheese will do just fine on busy evenings!

In 2024, set a goal of increasing the frequency of your family meals… for everyone’s health!

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