Most days, we have three chances to make it m.  So let’s use those opportunities to pour into the people we love, to build them up both physically and emotionally.

Turning daily meals into “more than a meal” doesn’t have to be hard.  Sometimes all it takes is a few simple tweaks.

Read on to learn more

7 ways to make it more than a meal

Eating is a daily affair.  In fact, it usually happens three times every day. 

Getting healthy food on the table three times a day, seven days a week, can start to feel like drudgery.  In the midst of all that cooking and cleaning up, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. 

I’ve been there!  With three growing boys to feed and a farm to run, sometimes it feels like my entire day is spent in the kitchen.  But over the years, I’ve learned to view our family mealtimes as opportunities to fuel bodies and nourish relationships. 

As a mom, my goal for mealtimes is twofold: I want to serve healthy, real food and I want to build strong family relationships.  

Here are a few ideas that have worked well at my house…

7 ways to make it more than a meal

1. Practice gratitude

Beginning each meal with a simple prayer helps to set the tone.  It reminds us to be grateful for the food before us and the people around us.

2. Set the table

It takes only a few minutes to wash dinner plates and using real plates and cloth napkins totally elevates our meal.  It communicates value to my family: dinner is an event.  I treasure this time with you and want it to feel special. 

Annette is a pro when it comes to setting a beautiful table!  Let her Christmas table design, Thanksgiving tablescape, or vintage fall table decor inspire your own family table.

3. Listen and learn

The shared family table is a great place for kids to learn how to converse and discuss.  At our house, we rotate through different ways of sparking conversation.  Sometimes we share highs and lows of our day, sometimes we discuss current events, and sometimes we pose a thoughtful question. 

4. Lend a hand

Mealtime provides a way for kids to learn real skills and contribute to family life.  Teach them to set the table, chop veggies, stir the pot, clear the dishes, wipe the table, load the dishwasher.  As they get older, they can learn to prepare entire recipes. 

5. Provide options

Some kids struggle when it comes to eating vegetables or other foods.  I’ve learned to serve at least two, and often three or four veggies with dinner.  I try to make at least one veggie be a favorite.  The kids still have to choose at least two vegetables, but this allows them to pile on the favored veggie to drown out the undesirable option.

6. Make a plan

Investing a few minutes into jotting down a meal plan pays off huge dividends for busy mamas.  This practice saves me so much time, energy, and headache!  Following a meal plan helps me feel positive about my time in the kitchen instead of viewing it as a stressful chore. It also allows me to serve nourishing meals without resorting to takeout or convenience foods.

7. Be prepared

We want to serve real food, but it's not always possible to make homemade everything.  Or sometimes life happens and our meal plan falls apart.  This is when it’s important to fall back on a pantry stocked with healthy options.   

Never feel guilt over store-bought food. Even for those of us who do raise our own meat and veggies, trust me: we all have plenty of store-bought goodies in our pantries. The secret is to be picky about the purchased items in your pantry.

I’ve created a FREE list of hea that itemizes some of the best choices when homemade isn’t an option.  Because everyone needs to improve their pantry, and incorporate a little more real food in their family’s menu!

If you’d like lots more tips on real food, food-growing, and making it more than a meal, please join me over on Ins.

Here’s to real food and the family table, and to making it more than a meal!

BIO:

Kathleen Henderson is the natural living mentor behind the Roots & B and Youtube channel and the creator of the brand-new Real Food Famil, which is earning 5-star ratings--and saving time and money--in kitchens across the country.  

Note: Photo credit for all photos goes to Stefanie Kamerman Photography.