According to a survey by outdoor cooking company Masterbuilt, an increasing number of families are using dinner as a “fun and creative way to spend time together.” Chalk it up to the slow food movement, less expensive meals at home, and the realization that eating together leads to happier, healthier families!
Among the survey’s encouraging statistics:
What’s more, 90% of those surveyed said that “anyone can learn how to cook a great meal,” which we definitely agree with! No matter what someone’s age or experience, there are always ways for them to be involved in dinner prep (for more on this, see our series of posts about involving kids in making dinner).
Additionally, many families said they have a favorite dish that they eat once a week, such as pasta, chicken or pizza. Having a go-to meal is a great way to cut down on stress, and creates a fun family ritual that everyone can look forward to. Of course, that’s not to say that meals don’t take some forethought—the study also showed that families spend an average of 2 days planning their dinners.
On the whole, this is a very interesting report that supports the theory that family dinners are on the rise!
To read the original article, visit The Wall Street Journal’s ‘Marketwatch’ section.