(Provided photo)

Parents have been hungry to ask me what they can do to ensure the health and well-being of their children — and my response is family meals.

That’s right, family meals.

Here are the reasons why:

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Improvement of social and emotional health

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Studies have shown that family meals that occur at least three times a week have been found to improve the social and emotional health of children by providing time for children to talk about their day and how they are feeling.

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Better nutrition

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Then there are the nutritious advantages of family meals in that they have been found to be 20% healthier in food content. Children who eat with their families are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods and more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

In fact, children who participate in family meals show a 35% decrease in experiencing an eating disorder and a 12% decrease in the likelihood of becoming obese.

In addition, a child is more apt to try a new food if they see their parents enjoying that food during a family meal.

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Plan, prepare and enjoy

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Making a family meal happen may be easier said than done, so let me help provide an approach to make these meals happen more often than not — plan, prepare, and enjoy.

1. Plan family meals in advance and choose a time when you know everyone in the immediate family can be there.

2. Prepare by having your children and teens help get the meal ready — whether that’s setting the table, pouring a beverage, or helping to cook or taste test a dish you plan to serve. Being upbeat and pleasant as you prepare the meal can help rub off on your children and helps family see the fun in working and eating together.

3. Enjoy the time together at the table. Make the mealtime a safe space for everyone to decompress, speak openly about their day, and be together as a family. For teens, having family meals may be a chance for them to reconnect and even seek advice and counsel that they might not otherwise seek.

Hopefully, tips like these will be a just dessert when it comes to recognizing the importance of you and your children enjoying a family meal together at least several times a week.

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Lewis First, MD, is Chief of Pediatrics at The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. You can also catch “First with Kids” weekly on WOKO 98.9FM and NBC5.