Start Improving Family Dinnertime

Get Set to Share The Table!

Making family mealtime a priority can be really rewarding, and it's easier than you think. Just by following a few simple suggestions, you can start making mealtime with loved ones more meaningful and fun.

We have some great ideas to help you and your family better enjoy your time sharing the table. Choose from our ideas below and see what a big difference a small change can make!

IDEA #1

Enjoy More Frequent Family Meals

Family meals are about more than just eating. Use these precious opportunities around the dinner table to connect with your family. Get to know one another better and keep up with what's going on in each other's lives. The more often you gather together for family meals, the easier it will be to strengthen that connection. For more benefits, see parts of our research in Share The Table: The Barilla Family Dinner Project.

IDEA #2

Allow Fewer Distractions at our Family Meals

Dinnertime shouldn't be TV time, or cell phone time. Tuning out the outside world means tuning in to quality time with those around you. Learn more when you read Family Dinner Advice: What to Avoid During Family Dinners.

IDEA #3

Better Interact as a Family During Dinnertime
Through Conversation and Lingering at the Table

Once you get your whole family together, focus on creating a welcome environment for talking and sharing comfortably. For some tips on keeping the conversation going, read Connecting During Family Dinnertime by Dr. William Doherty.

IDEA #4

Get the Whole Family Involved in Creating
Meals, Including Shopping, Cooking, and Cleanup

The best family moments are when everyone is involved. Getting everyone in your household to participate is a wonderful way to make dinnertime feel more special. Even the little ones can get involved when they make their own place settings with our Placemat Creator. Read more ideas and tips in Family Dinner Preparation.

IDEA #5

Improve the Kind and Quality of Food We Eat
at Dinnertime

New tastes are the key to keeping dinner exciting. Encourage everyone in your family to bring fresh ideas and ingredients to the table. Browse our recipes for some mealtime inspiration.

A Guide to Making Family Mealtime More Meaningful

Eating together as a family–and well–is easier than you might think. Enjoy tips and recipes to make dinnertime more meaningful.

 (535k)

In order to view PDF documents, you must have Adobe^® Reader^® installed on your computer. If you do not have it, you may download it from the Adobe Web site for free.

Adobe and Adobe Reader are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Get Adobe® Reader