Getting a healthy dinner on the table is tougher than it sounds, especially on a weeknight. But if you change your point of view — focusing less on the menu and more on togetherness — mealtime becomes much more enjoyable. “Family mealtime is about communication,” says Lynn Borteck, a licensed clinical social worker with Aetna. “The key is not the meal: It’s the connection and bonding that really count.” Read on for some hard-earned wisdom that can make any meal taste sweeter.
I love the evenings when we order pizza or pick up a rotisserie chicken and prepared side dishes from the market. A window of time opens for us to go play outside after I get home from work — precious minutes that would otherwise be spent chopping vegetables and checking the oven. Even small changes to your usual work/dinner/bedtime routine can be more uplifting than you’d think.
My daughter announces she’s not hungry for dinner and refuses to touch her food — again. I’ve had to learn to take a deep breath and not worry so much about it. My biggest concern was whether she was getting enough nutrition. Then I learned that pediatricians advise parents to keep the big picture in mind: It’s okay if your picky eater rejects everything but pasta at dinner tonight, as long as she gets a variety of foods over the next few days. Now I know that my daughter will eat when she’s hungry and over time get what she needs to develop and grow normally.
My daughter loves to use our salad spinner. And my husband’s knife skills make him a world-class onion chopper. Think about getting your posse to help with meal planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning up. It may not make the process faster or easier, but it will keep everyone too busy to complain (much). Plus, it’s a great way to build kids’ confidence, teach them about healthy ingredients and encourage them to be more adventuresome about tasting new foods.
Many parents have busy schedules — kids, too — and dinner can't always be a shared affair every night. If school activities or work commitments make a sit-down meal hard to swing, then you may have to eat at different times. “Family dinner symbolizes a time to talk, listen, brainstorm and support each other, but there are other ways and places to do this besides the kitchen table,” Borteck says. “Family members can share during carpool rides, grocery shopping, doing chores together, or over milk and cookies before bed.”
My mother once suggested I set the table earlier in the day, and it’s made a surprising difference. If it seems trivial, pay attention to how often you have to jump up during dinner to grab forgotten napkins, cups, condiments, and so on. For working parents, table-setting is a great chore to assign to an older child or babysitter.
What are your stress triggers? If the sound of kids bickering sets you off, music might lighten the mood. Ask the kids to create a dinnertime playlist that includes their favorite songs as well as yours.
Little hacks like these can bring peace back to family mealtime. Because healthy meals are only partly about what you serve, and enjoying your time together is good for body and soul.
Joanna Kessler is a lifestyle writer and editor based in New York. She is an avid yogi and believes this is the year she'll finally conquer the crow pose.
You are now being directed to the AMA site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the Give an Hour site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the CVS Pharmacy site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the CDC site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the CVS Health site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the Apple.com COVID-19 Screening Tool
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the US Department of Health and Human Services site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to the CVS Health COVID-19 testing site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
You are now being directed to
The Fight Is In Us site
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
Links to various non-Aetna sites are provided for your convenience only. Aetna Inc. and its subsidiary companies are not responsible or liable for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of linked sites, or for products or services described on these sites.
Please log in to your secure account to get what you need.
The information you will be accessing is provided by another organization or vendor. If you do not intend to leave our site, close this message.
Get a link to download the app
Just enter your mobile number and we’ll text you a link to download the Aetna Health app from the App Store or on Google Play.
Message and data rates may apply*
Each main plan type has more than one subtype. Some subtypes have five tiers of coverage. Others have four tiers, three tiers or two tiers. This search will use the five-tier subtype. It will show you whether a drug is covered or not covered, but the tier information may not be the same as it is for your specific plan. Do you want to continue?