OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Heather McCoy has a full house, she lives with her boyfriend, brother and parents.
“We’ve got a lot of friends and family that we do take into our house that come over,” she said. That means lots of trips to the grocery store and some meal prep.
“We plan meals about once a week,” she said. “For the following week.”
Though she said it can be hard to get everyone together, her family makes time to sit down and eat food together.
“We’re able to talk about how the day went, [and] what we can do better,” she said.
Amanda Jochum is a dietitian at Hy-Vee and says the benefits of eating as a family go beyond food.
“Kids do better in school, they have better relationships,” she said. “They have more confidence just by having that meal together.”
For those looking for ways to make a meal a priority, Jochum has some pointers. First, she recommends having a plan.
“Think about your schedule, know what days that you are going to have that family meal, and schedule it like you would a meeting,” she said.
Second, Jochum recommends family meals be phone-free.
“If you have that time, shut off electronics,” she said. “Make sure you’re dedicating that time to be together as a family.”
Finally, Jochum says to take advantage of resources available at grocery stores.
“Recipes, tips, tricks, ways that you can engage with that family and have those meals,” she said.
No matter the meal, the main idea is to bring more families together.
Jochum also recommended shoppers take full advantage of specials, deals and discounts as grocery prices remain high due to inflation.
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