Mealtime in Absentia

These statistics arrived on my desk today and represent what we may have heard before. The average American eats one in every five meals in the car.   One in four eat at least one fast-food meal every day. A majority of families report eating one meal together less than five days a week. In families that eat meals together at least five times a week, children are significantly less likely to be obese, abuse alcohol or drugs, be truant from school, or do poorly academically.

In another article recently posted, there is concern for our food lynchpins like corn and grains due to climate changes and other debilitating factors. The answer is a search for so-called weeds that could be cultivated to replace those foods facing possible extinction. A noble undertaking at the least.

Then there are those who thrive on so-called fast foods on the run and others who shun meat in favor of vegetables. How well I remember carrying a lunch while walking to junior high and high school a mile and a half away (no school buses in those days). Ironically, one of my most regular sandwiches was baloney, either plain or ground with pickles. And in those days, a meal in a restaurant was not a pleasure but a necessity like our family of seven traveling to visit our relatives.

Food and mealtime is not only important to our health but to our survival. We all know (or at least some know) that families are essential for society to thrive much less survive. One of the most common and intrinsic ingredient of our health is not only food but the sharing of our meals with family. The social graces of eating together whether a potluck or a grandiose reception is not a substitute for the family mealtime.

One of the most vital yet trivialized opportunities is a family gathered together around a table, sharing food lovingly prepared, conversing freely with cell phones and TV turned off, and lingering together sharing experiences, difficulties, asking questions, reminiscing and facing the tomorrows of our lives. Even moments of preparation and cleanup can be so fruitful.

Fifteen or more weekly meals together every year should be quite possible and most invaluable. It is such a pity when this falters along the way and so precious when practiced.