How to Make Healthy Eating Work as a Family

When it comes to enjoying meals with the whole family, only one thing is ever certain: Your chances of everyone agreeing on what to eat are basically zero.

Maybe your family isn’t like mine and you all love the same healthy foods—if that’s you, congrats! But if you’re family IS like mine, then you know the struggle. We’re three different people who typically have three varying ideas about what mealtime should look like. I love a wide variety of interesting, healthy, spicy foods. My husband, on the other hand, tends to prefer pretty basic, bland foods. My son falls somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. The result is mealtimes that can become . . . well, interesting, if we don’t plan well.

Fortunately, we fell into a pattern a few years ago that has allowed us to enjoy mealtimes together. Everyone gets to eat what they want, everyone gets to spend quality time together, and we all get to keep our busy schedules on track!

So how do we do it? We cook together, of course!

One of our favorite ways to spend time together and handle the responsibilities of mealtime is to each prepare our own meal for ourselves, at the same time. I know it may sound a little crazy, but hear me out! It’s truly the way that makes the most sense for my family. Like I said, each selecting our own meal means that we’re all happy with what we’re eating—I can have a delicious salad with whatever thoughtfully-spiced protein is on the menu that day, while my husband and son can each adjust their meals according to their diverse pallets.

Do we sometimes run into each other and get in one another’s way? Absolutely. But for us, that’s part of the fun. By prepping and eating our dinners together, we enjoy a built-in time when we’re all spending quality time with one another, taking care of a chore that needed to be addressed anyway while simultaneously enjoying each other’s company.

So there’s a tip to help mealtimes this week run a little smoother in your home! Does your family already cook together? Do you think preparing dinner together is something your household would enjoy? Let me know what you think about this concept in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.

If you’re interested in more tips to simplify your family’s life and nutrition, be sure to check out my free facebook community, Never Diet Again. I show up there regularly to share everything from health and wellness tips, to recipes, to workout plans and inspiration. Hope to see you there!

Until next week, what I wish for you is to live a life you love without feeling hungry, depriving yourself, or giving up your glass of wine with dinner. Ciao!