Break the silence at the dinner table with these fun conversation starters! 

10 Questions to Get Your Family Talking

Struggling to find something to talk about? Read through these conversation starters at each meal to get the chatter rolling. Create some crazy questions of your own when these run out.

• If you were in the circus, what circus act would you perform?
• If you could do anything all day, everyday, what would it be?
• If you could fly in a hot air balloon over any place in the world, where would you go?
• If you had to wear a hat everyday, what type of hat would you choose?
• Share your favorite tradition for each of the four seasons.
• If you could choose one super power to have, what would you choose?
• What is a new food you would like to try?
• Name three famous people you would like to have dinner with.
• What is your favorite vegetable?
• What is your favorite outside activity?

Did you know?

Children who participate in consistent family mealtimes perform better academically and develop larger vocabularies.

September is National Family Mealtime month. Each Friday this month we’ll be posting on that topic — specifically from the Live Well Utah Cookbook, Family Mealtime Edition. This publication is available for free at your local Extension office, or available digitally here. It features some great tips on the importance of family mealtime and meal planning, plus 21 quick, inexpensive, and nutritious recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters. 

Families who eat together have overall healthier diets, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge in a sweet treat every now and then at end of your family meal. There are three healthy, delicious dessert recipes in the Live Well Utah Cookbook, Family Mealtime Edition. Today we’re sharing one of them- Apple Cranberry Crisp. This is a perfect dessert for autumn, as local apples are in season and abundant at farmers markets. 

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Filling

• 5 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

• 1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

in a 2 quart baking dish, combine apples and cranberries. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and toss to coat.

In a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a fork, cut butter into topping mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over apple filling. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until apples are tender. Serve warm.

September is National Family Mealtime month. Each Friday this month we’ll be posting on that topic — specifically from the Live Well Utah Cookbook, Family Mealtime Edition. This publication is available for free at your local Extension office, or available digitally here. It features some great tips on the importance of family mealtime and meal planning, plus 21 quick, inexpensive, and nutritious recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters. 

Enjoy the benefits of having dinner as a family!

Makin’ it Easy

Family meals benefit children both psychologically and academically.

Studies indicate that teens of all races, ages and ethnic groups who participated in family mealtime were better adjusted emotionally and socially, had better grades and had lower rates of negative behaviors such as alcohol and drug use (Satter, 2005).

In addition, family meals contribute nutritionally to a child’s development. Children and teens who participated in family dinners consumed less fat, soda and fried foods and more fruits and vegetables and nutrients (Gillman et al., 2000).

Despite the positive results of eating meals together, families often struggle trying to fit them in with sports, afterschool activities, workplace engagements, etc. But, even the busiest families can incorporate family mealtimes with a little planning and consistency.

Tips for Incorporating Family Meals:

• Set a goal:
You may not be able to eat every meal together, so start with twice a week and build from there.

• Keep it simple:
You don’t have to make a four-course meal every night. Making a veggie pizza or heating up leftovers counts. Add a salad or side of fruit for a complete meal.

• Plan ahead:
Keep ingredients for healthy meals on hand, including plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• Make it a family affair:
Get the entire family involved in meal preparation. Young children can stir and set the table and older children can cut vegetables for a salad.

• Use the crock pot:
Put all ingredients together before work in the morning. You’ll come home to a delicious meal that is ready to be served.

• Make it enjoyable:
Family meals are for nourishment, comfort and support. Ask each member to share something special that happened that the day.

• Turn off the TV:
Make sharing the meal the priority. Leave television, phone calls and texting till later.

Families share different activities and schedules, so family mealtimes are unique to each individual family. Even though there may be barriers, it is possible to make successful family meals happen for you and your family.

Sources:

Gillman, M. W., Rifas-Shiman, S. L., Frazier, Rockett, H. R., Camargo, C. A., Field, A. E., Berkey, C. S., & Colditz, G. A. (2000). Family dinner and diet quality among older children and adolescents. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 235-240.

Satter, E. (2005). Your child’s weight: Helping without harming. Madison, WI: Kelcy Press.

This article was written by Shannon Cromwell, Extension Assistant Professor