By: Haley Pierce, Manager, FMI Foundation
A year ago, after dinner and drinks out with friends, I discovered that I am an extrovert, albeit a sometimes shy one. Much like a family meal can be more balanced nutritionally than one eaten alone, according to the 2024 Family Meals Barometer report, I never realized how important a meal shared with good conversation, mood lighting, comfy seating, and foods that nourish could be for me. For me and many others in our FMI Happy Hour group, even a shared appetizer with fellow work colleagues can be an opportunity to connect, hammer through or commiserate about the difficulties from our days, and collaborate on work and personal projects of all types.
Indeed, my family is an amalgam of people from different phases of my life—many members are chosen, going beyond blood bonds, and many members I’ve had the fortune of knowing my entire life.
Whether you treat yourself to dessert among your family trio (your partner, your pet, and you) or invite your cousins, aunts, and uncles over for brunch every Saturday, it’s important to still count on family meals to bond people together—or, at the very least, reduce friction. According to a 2024 Family Meals Barometer, released in June 2024, survey respondents noted that family meals are great settings for teaching tenets like civility, respectful interactions and discussions on more difficult or contentious societal issues. It just shows that even sitting together, as difficult as it can be with someone with different political perspectives or value systems, can facilitate greater respect and foster a greater understanding of each other.
Beyond just civility, family meals make those gathered around the table feel more connected, often fostering a sense of community and providing a space to share recipes. In fact, according to the 2024 Family Meals Barometer, Gen X and Boomer consumers source meal recipes from fellow family and friends, strengthening the family bond through talking about food, cooking, and food prep.
As I age and my family grows, I hope to continue to break bread with my friends, family, and colleagues, gathering my own cookbook of recipes, imparted from people I care about.
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