Healthy Eating

Eating habits and food preferences are established early in life. Eating meals together as a family promotes healthy eating through positive role modeling and learning about healthy foods. Family meals are a healthy routine which provide children with comfort and security about food. Shared meals are an opportunity to pass along family traditions and help keep families connected and communicating.

Yes! Eating meals together as a family is linked with better food choices and nutrient intakes as well as healthier weights in children. Studies have found that children who regularly sit down to eat dinner together with their family eat more vegetables and fruits and less fried foods, sweets, salty snacks and pop. Children who eat with their families also consume more fibre, calcium, folate, iron, and vitamins B6, B12, C and E, and less saturated fat and trans fat.