Now
that we have had two weeks of food I’d like to take a minute out to explain a
little more about the underlying reasons for cooking a family meal instead of everyone just eating on the run. Not
because we are hungry but because it bring the family together. Ever one
eats but when you cook and eat with each others there is a sense of family, of
community, of friendship among all. I know family dinners have been a
large part of my life for a long time. This weekend I experienced something
new. I skipped out on a family dinner to go have some fun up at Michigan State
with a couple of friends. To my surprise a friend of mine who lives with 3 other
people and some of the neighbors had all gotten together for dinner and when I
asked what was going on they simply replied “oh we all get together at each person’s
house and whoever’s house were at makes dinner for everyone.” I thought it was
strange but this is the sense of community that something as basic as food/dinner
can provide a close nit group of individuals.
Dinners
as a family starting at a young age has an amazing effect on a child. Not only
are they healthier in a world were more and more dinners come from fast food
establishments like McDonald's, KFC, and Taco Bell or other places that may serve your
food fast but might be are still sit down restaurants like Qudoba, Panara Bread, or Chilies.
This video gives you 10 great reasons to stop eating fast food and try making something new for dinner instead.
Kids
are not born with manners, they are learned, and like the video says the dinner
table is a great place to learn them. The dinner table can serve as more than
just a place to teach. It can be used as a place for parents to learn, what their
kids did that day or learned in school. This creates comradery and a sense of community
like my friends from Michigan State had.
I
hope that you start to build that sense of community and enjoy the comradery
that comes with it.
