Sharing meals has always been a part of how we connect with one another. It allows us to really conversate. It’s a popular way to celebrate the special milestones in our lives. It’s even used by world leaders as a platform to negotiate and bring entire countries closer together. Unfortunately, commensality, or the act of eating together, has been on the decline. Blame it on busy schedules, hectic to-do lists, or the digital world, whatever the reason, too many people are failing to make this precious time a consistent part of their everyday routine. At Schweitzer Linen, we’ve spent over 55 years helping people spend quality time together with our fine luxury dining collections. So, we know firsthand that even if it’s just a small snack or shared cup of coffee, it’s always worth planning time together at the table. Here are 5 reasons why.
It’s in our nature
Whether you’re big on tradition or not, sharing meals together is part of who we are. From the first humans gathered around a fire after a successful hunt, to the animals like lions, hyenas, and zebras who were social eaters long before we came around, eating together is part of our nature. When we deny that part of who we are and ignore the natural, social, and scientific benefits it provides, we miss out on opportunities to improve our lives in a variety of ways—as well as, forging and fortifying our most precious relationships.
It strengthens family bonds
Whether it’s school, work, or other responsibilities, there are a multitude of reasons finding time to eat together can be tough. But none of them are good enough excuses, because making time at the table is that imperative to family health. The dinner table is a place where we can have meaningful conversations about life, seek advice to our problems, vent about our frustrations, and start to establish unbreakable family bonds that will never be severed. This is especially true for anyone with children. Sometimes finding out what’s going on in their lives can feel like you’re trying to get plans from a secret agent—they’re just not talking. But when we’re gathered around the table, something special happens. People begin to open up a bit more, talk starts to flow more easily, and by the end of the meal, you know a little bit more about their day, and they know a little more about yours. When you make this time part of your daily routine, those invaluable family connections only get stronger and stronger.
Sharing meals together also encourages a sense of belonging. As humans we have a natural desire to belong. These precious moments spent together at the table each day reinforce that belonging and help us feel like we are part of something bigger than ourselves. The psychological and emotional benefits of this are too massive to miss.
Opportunity to teach healthy habits
With the introduction of smartphones, social media, and a world of other distractions, making time together at the table might be the only way you have someone’s undivided attention. When we clear our table of electronic devices, and other deterrents, and focus on each other, we can focus on what really matters. Not only does this freed up space present an opportunity to pass on some of life’s most important lessons, it’s also the perfect platform for spreading healthy eating habits. People tend to eat slower when together at a table, so this is a great time to introduce robust veggies, fresh fruits, hearty grains, and other nutritious foods. Chances are those at your table, will pick up some of those same healthy habits and eventually pass it on to others at their own tables. This of course applies to more than just healthy eating. This special table time where we listen to each other and share our stories is often where we learn the values and philosophies that make us who we are. And it’s where those values we hold dear can be routinely reinforced and refined as we continue to learn and evolve.
Increases our communication skills
Our friends; our partners; what we do for a living; these are all influenced in some way by how we communicate. Creating a space at the table where conversation is expected and invited every day, helps us become better communicators. The better we communicate, the easier it is to forge important relationships, succeed in our education and careers, and navigate our diverse and often complicated world.
Making time together to eat each day also helps us respect and better understand one another. Once we can do that, it becomes easier to start talking through our differences and connecting on our similarities. Because no matter how different we may be, establishing a shared foundation where we can communicate and learn about each other, is the first step to discovering the things we have in common.
It makes us happier overall
The list of benefits to eating together at the table is a long one. It builds confidence and communication skills. Brings us closer together as a family, friends, or a community. And it gives us a better understanding of others—and ourselves. But if you’re looking for the best reason why you should establish a routine plan for sharing meals together at the dining table, it’s simple. It makes us happier. Spending quality mealtime with people we love can often help remove stress, insecurities, emotional frustrations, and other things that can deter us from the happiness we deserve. And whether you’re swapping out stressful challenges for shared success stories or using this time to unload some of the day’s emotional baggage, these shared conversations help us take a break from the junk in our heads and reduce the daily stressors constantly nipping at our heels. If you’re a parent, you can also use this time to provide the confidences and assurances your children need to feel good about who they are and help guide them in the choices they are making. Having a steady diet of open dialogue and positive affirmations in a young person’s life will help prepare them for success. And if laughter really is the best medicine, the dinner table is a great clinic where the humorous sides of life come alive to delight us, inspire us, connect us, and sometimes even heal us.
Whatever your reasons for creating a tradition of shared meals together, every experience will bring a bounty of benefits for body, soul, and mind. And because this time is so important to our wellbeing, we always recommend you set the table for the occasion with the right set of fine linens and other table accessories.