Do you cook meals and sit down as a family? I just read an article that

There are many benefits to eating family meals. It keeps children talking to their parents, helps with grades in school, and makes eating healthy more likely. It also is just a nice time to spend time together, without being busy with something else and distracted. My family always eats together, and it is very important to us, we make it a priority. I did not have a lot of that growing up, so I want to make it a part of life for my family now.

It depends on how you go about it. If you make healthy meals and let them eat what they want, not force them to eat everything no matter what, then yes, it will help with image problems and eating disorders. When my father made sit-down dinners, he made unhealthy Italian dishes, filled the plates to overflowing and screamed at anyone who didn't finish everything in their dish, my mother included. Because of this, both my mother and younger sister have had overeating problems. My mother's has gotten better because she has severe ulcers and can't eat a lot without getting sick, but she's still very overweight. My sister is a severe overeater.

In my house thereis no Hightable-everybody joins the whole family on the table,including the maid who cooked the food! We dont have meals until all the members of the family are at home,especially me and my wife. I note that eating together shapes a lot of table manners in the young, they get to be told the donts and the dos of table ettiquete and this tends to shape them very well!

I think the decline of family sit-down meals is really taking a toll on family communication and togetherness. Many studies have actually been done on this topic and it is proven that families who eat together at least one night per week are closer and have better communication. I'm sure that it goes a long way in cohesiveness and many other things as well. We have always had family meals more nights than not in our home.

I think it is a good idea. It can also help with the idea of meal-planning. If a girl eats at the table in front of you-- it is hard for her to dash off and go purge. (I mean, if she has to sit and talk for a few minutes while eating.)

Sometimes we do and sometimes we don't that all depends on the situation in hand. Everyone is usally busy with their lives but we do try to at least on a weekend or something to try and sit down at the table and as a family. It's more around the holidays we do this though. Only one that has to have a table is my youngest daughter. Don't need food all over the house and hand prints on the walls and furniture.

i think its quite possible it could help with eating disorders actually.. not that i think my daughter has one since shes not even 2 years old yet.. but we do sit and eat as a family.. me and my wife at the table and my daughter in her highchair near one of us.. she does however rarely finish a meal unless we stay sitting with her.. she doesnt like to eat alone perhaps.. but none the less she eats much better and less messy too usually when we are with her.. also i agree its a great time to actually talk with your family.. see how their day was if nothing else.. families dont tend to spend much time together.. surely they can spend 20 minutes eating together a day ya? :)

I think family mealtimes are a great idea. Unfortunately, doesnt work for us on a regular basis as my husband works shifts. However, I do try to eat something myself whilst feeding my nine month old son - as think he is more likely to grow up with a healthy attitude towards food if he sees me eating.