It's a New Year, and we're not talking about resolutions. In this episode, Bri and Annie explore the idea of setting intentions for the family dinner table, to help families get the most out of their shared meals. They delve into the recent research on how families adapted their mealtimes during COVID, and how those experiences have shaped attitudes and ideas about eating together ever since. The research shows that what we most often set resolutions around -- nutrition and healthy eating habits -- actually isn't what matters most to us.

What do families want out of their dinners? Relationships, connection, and bonding. Bri and Annie share lots of ideas to help build on those principles, as well as other aspirations individual families might want to pursue. They talk about how to approach the idea of setting an intention or two for your mealtimes this year; how to talk to kids and fellow household adults to get everyone involved in the process; and how to handle a reluctant partner who may not share your goals. They also offer wisdom on what to do with competing priorities, how to get started if you just feel stuck, and how to reframe your thinking around common challenges like picky eating. The episode ends with suggestions for meal planning, theme nights, and some fun activities to help improve your family meals this year.

Like this content? Check out these additional links and related episodes:

• The Family Dinner Project Podcast Episode 5: Labor of Love?
• The Family Dinner Project Podcast Episode 4: Picky or Problematic?
• Dinner and a Movie ideas
• Book-related dinner ideas
• Research Shows Family Dinner Improves Literacy (plus games and conversation starters)
• The Humming Bee Breathing exercise
• The 5,4,3,2,1 Activity
• The Family Dinner Project Podcast Episode 2: Is it the Family, or the Dinner?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.