{"id":461,"date":"2011-10-09T16:47:58","date_gmt":"2011-10-09T20:47:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alwayswithluv.com\/blog\/?p=461"},"modified":"2011-10-09T16:47:58","modified_gmt":"2011-10-09T20:47:58","slug":"turn-off-the-tv-put-down-the-smart-phone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwayswithluv.com\/blog\/2011\/10\/09\/turn-off-the-tv-put-down-the-smart-phone\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn off the TV … Put down the Smart Phone"},"content":{"rendered":"
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October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>It\u2019s a time to bring back that old tradition of sitting down with your family and eating your meals together. And it\u2019s about choosing healthy foods to eat too.<\/p>\n

With our fast food, smart phone \/ facebook \/ twitter filled, fast paced lifestyles, no one seems to have the time (or more likely, find the time) for this healthy tradition. I challenge you to find that time.<\/p>\n

I searched back to my childhood to remember when and how often we sat down as a family to enjoy mom\u2019s or grandma\u2019s cooking. It was regular for us, and we sure did have a lot of great round table discussions during those times. With 3 brothers and 3 sisters, the \u201cplayers\u201d changed often. Sometimes it was the entire family, sometimes it included aunts, uncles, cousins and many times extended family (friends and neighbors) and sometimes just a couple of us. We would always wait until everyone arrived at the table, while mom fixed plates <\/em>and cut up the\u00a0meat<\/em>, including daddy\u2019s, \ud83d\ude42 [that’s right ladies]<\/span>\u00a0to begin eating. And the meals included \u201creal\u201d food made fresh and from scratch \u2013 not \u201cfast\u201d food from a box or McDonalds or Burger King. Most of all, I remember the Sunday meals after church. Now those were the special meals. Even today, mom has certain foods that are just for Sundays (and of course, there are those foods that you never eat on Sundays\u2026 like spaghetti or fish \u2013 that\u2019s for Fridays). That, however, is one tradition that did not make it into my adulthood. I\u2019ll cook anything regardless of the day if I have the taste for it.<\/p>\n

My point is that aside from the\u00a0healthful benefits,\u00a0many traditions and family values\u00a0are shaped around cooking and eating together. For instance, we were not allowed to sing or dance at the meal table. And, I remember as a teenager being responsible for cooking 1 meal a week, much to the chagrin of the rest of the family. But, when it was time to eat, we sat down together<\/em>. Lucky for most of my brothers and sisters, they had left the house-hold by the time I started cooking and did not have to suffer through my learning experience.\u00a0While there are more traditions I could share, I would much rather read some of your family meal traditions! Please share.<\/p>\n

Now, back to the point. There’s research* that show the effects of eating together is very beneficial, especially where children are concerned. Here are some very good reasons to Eat Better and Eat Together<\/strong><\/em>:<\/p>\n