The Social Side of Food

Food provides two main functions that fulfill our lives, and they are both equally important.

The first function is that food provides us with nutrition, fuels our body to do physical activities, repairs our muscles after playing outside or working out, helps us think clearer, regulates our mood, and is vital to our children’s growth and development.

The other important side of food is the social function of food. Food is a way of communicating and showing others love and nurture. It is a way to celebrate the special moments in life and how we pass down family history and traditions. It is also a beautiful way to learn about other cultures.

When we eat together with family and friends, we contribute to the emotional health of our children (even when it seems to be the most stressful time of day).

Eating together and doing that more often over time for many years as your children grow up is a way of passing on your family traditions and memories. When we do this, our children are more likely to continue this tradition when they are grown up with a family of their own.