The Parkview Youth Well-being team created a series of healthy habits, simple to apply to everyday life. In this video, Katie Fulk, MA, RDN, LD, youth and family well-being coordinator, Parkview Health, discusses the benefits of staying in and whipping up something nutritious.
Did you know that when we eat at home together, we enjoy more nourishing meals and make our hearts happy, too? When we eat at home with at least one other person, we typically eat more fruits and vegetables and practice mindful eating habits like slowing down to really enjoy our food.
You can practice eating mindfully by putting your fork or spoon down between bites, chewing your food well, drinking water during your meal and eating with someone else. This helps you eat slower and pay attention to when your tummy is comfortably full.
Eating at home can help us eat less salt, unhealthy fats and sugar. If we eat too much of these things for a long time, it can make us more likely to get sick, or develop heart problems or even type 2 diabetes.
But my favorite part about sharing meals with our loved ones is the benefits on our overall well-being. Eating meals together supports family bonding and even communication. When children eat together with a trusted adult, they participate in less risky behavior, eat healthier foods, slow down at meals and are even more likely to go to college. We should aim to keep shared mealtimes a positive experience for all. Some families like to share the best parts of their day during dinner time.
Remember, there is no best meal to have at home because all meals and snacks are worthy of a together meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack or even a shared sweet treat.
See the full Healthy Habits playlist.
